Litigation Lawyers in Hartford

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

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

In Hartford, 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 Hartford, Wisconsin

If the parties believe that a witness in Hartford, Wisconsin won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, poor health, upcoming military deployment, potential incarceration, or any other reason, a deposition is a very good way to get their testimony on the record before the trial. Additionally, 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 surprise, then, that civil depositions in Hartford, Wisconsin can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in Hartford, Wisconsin, this can be a huge headache.

To mitigate this, the law of Hartford, Wisconsin typically 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 advantageous to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in Hartford, 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 begins, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. Thus, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Hartford, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are the defendant or plaintiff in a lawsuit, chances are good that you'll have to appear in a deposition. You should, by this point, already be represented by a Hartford, Wisconsin civil litigation attorney. You should do whatever they tell you to do (unless, of course, they tell you to lie, in which case you should find a new lawyer).

If you are not directly engaged in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Hartford, Wisconsin. You probably don't need to hire a lawyer in that case, but it might be a good idea to at least get a consultation from one.