Litigation Lawyers in Hales Corners

Civil depositions happen during Hales Corners, Wisconsin civil litigation, as part of the discovery procedure.

"Discovery" is a procedure that happens before a trial in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. During the discovery process, both sides are obligated to make relevant information available to each other.

In Hales Corners, 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 Hales Corners, Wisconsin

If the parties believe that a witness in Hales Corners, Wisconsin won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, bad health, upcoming military deployment, possible incarceration, or any other reason, a deposition is a very good way to get their testimony on the record before the trial. Furthermore, if they have to be questioned for several days, it is a good way to save the court's time.

It should not be any shock, then, that civil depositions in Hales Corners, Wisconsin can go on for a very long time. If you are contacted to appear in a deposition in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, this can be a massive headache.

To mitigate this, the law of Hales Corners, 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 provide testimony that's beneficial to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, be sure to answer all of the questions honestly, and to the absolute best of your knowledge. You will be sworn in before the deposition starts, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. Therefore, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Hales Corners, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are directly immersed in a lawsuit in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, and have to appear at a deposition, you should already be represented by a lawyer. It goes without saying that you should do whatever they advise you to do throughout the deposition.

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