Litigation Lawyers in Keyser

Civil depositions occur during Keyser, West Virginia civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

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

In Keyser, West Virginia, one way to get 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 normally 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 particular lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Keyser, West Virginia

Depositions are normally conducted in Keyser, West Virginia if a person's testimony will take several days, or more, to deliver. By doing this before a trial, the jury can be presented just with the testimony that turns out to be relevant, saving everybody a good deal of time. It is also useful if there is any reason to suspect that the witness will be unable to show up in court.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that civil depositions in Keyser, West Virginia can often go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , West Virginia, you are normally obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

Therefore, Keyser, West Virginia's civil procedure rules authorize 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 sometimes 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 associated with testifying.

When giving a deposition in Keyser, West Virginia, 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. Therefore, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Keyser, West Virginia Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , West Virginia attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.

If you are not directly immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Keyser, West Virginia. 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.