Litigation Lawyers in Delafield

Civil depositions occur during Delafield, Wisconsin civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

"Discovery" is a process that occurs before a trial in Delafield, Wisconsin. During the discovery process, both sides are required to make relevant information available to each other.

In Delafield, Wisconsin, one way to acquire relevant evidence is to ask persons involved in the dispute (both parties and witnesses) about their knowledge of the matter. This is done through a civil deposition. It is essentially a question and answer session between a lawyer, and a witness or party to the action. A lawyer for the other side is present, as well as a court reporter or videographer. The lawyer asks questions of the person being deposed, who must answer them under oath.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Delafield, Wisconsin

Depositions in Delafield, Wisconsin serve a very important purpose: acquiring testimony on the record, and admitted as evidence, when there is some reason to suspect that the witness won't be able to appear in court during trial, because of health, potential incarceration, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Delafield, Wisconsin, can take a very long time to be completed, typically lasting several days, and sometimes going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in Delafield, Wisconsin should be prepared for some substantial inconvenience.

To help deal with this fact, Delafield, Wisconsin allows witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's advantageous to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

If you are called to a deposition in Delafield, Wisconsin, it's absolutely imperative that you answer all the questions truthfully, to the best of your knowledge. When testifying in a deposition, you are under oath, just as you would be in open court. Deliberately lying in a deposition is perjury, which is a serious crime.

How Can A Delafield, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Delafield, Wisconsin lawyer. If either party to the lawsuit calls you for a deposition, your lawyer will have plenty of advice for you. You should, of course, follow that advice to the letter.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Delafield, Wisconsin, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.