Litigation Lawyers in Bridgeport

Civil depositions happen during Bridgeport, West Virginia civil litigation, as part of the discovery procedure.

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

In Bridgeport, West Virginia, one way to receive this information is to find the people involved in the dispute (whether they're witnesses or parties), and ask them questions about the issues you believe them to have knowledge of. A civil deposition is typically a pretty simple process: the person being deposed is sworn in (they are under oath, just as if they were in a courtroom). Because the whole point of a deposition is to get testimony on the record, a stenographer or video technician will also be present, recording the whole deposition. The lawyer then asks questions of the witness, and the lawyers for the other side are able to object to specific lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Bridgeport, West Virginia

Depositions in Bridgeport, West Virginia are meant to get verbal testimony on the record and into evidence, when there is concern that the individual being deposed might be unable to show up and testify at trial, or their testimony will take far too long for them to testify at trial.

Civil Depositions in Bridgeport, West Virginia can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Bridgeport, West Virginia, it can prove to be a substantial inconvenience.

Thus, Bridgeport, West Virginia's civil procedure rules permit a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is occasionally the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience linked with testifying.

If you are being deposed in Bridgeport, West Virginia you absolutely must answer all the questions truthfully and completely, to the best of your knowledge. You are under oath, and if you lie, and are caught, you could be prosecuted with perjury, which can carry jail time.

How Can A Bridgeport, West Virginia Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Bridgeport, West Virginia 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 are not a party to the lawsuit, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least contact with a Bridgeport, West Virginia attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.