Litigation Lawyers in Fort Atkinson

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

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

In Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, one way to get relevant evidence is to ask individuals 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 Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Depositions in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin serve a very important purpose: getting 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 Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are required to appear for a deposition in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin normally entitles people being deposed to reimbursement. They can be compensated for travel expenses, lodging, and a can be given a small amount of money simply for their time. However, this is meant to be reimbursement for the time and expense incurred in attending a deposition, and it is most definitely not payment for the witness to give testimony that's beneficial to one side or the other.

In Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin depositions, everyone being deposed is under oath. This means that you are legally and morally obligated to answer every question truthfully. If you deliberately misrepresent your knowledge (lie), you are guilty of perjury. And if you're caught, you could end up facing jail time and/or some very steep fines.

How Can A Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Fort Atkinson, 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 Fort Atkinson, 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.