How to Prepare for a Deposition
A deposition is an out-of-court oral testimony of a witness which is transformed into written form and is used in court afterwards. It is usually conducted outside of the court and by lawyers. In case you are called to testify a deposition, you should be well prepared. Your lawyer will guide you beforehand if you are a party to a lawsuit. However, if you are representing yourself or are a witness, you should follow some useful tips in order to be prepared for a deposition.
Instructions
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1
Deposition is used to know the facts related to the action
You should know that a deposition is part of the litigation process. It might be possible that your deposition may be required as part of discovery. This means your testimony might be used to find out the facts for that particular action.
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2
Be prepared to face attorneys
Remember that attorneys for both parties are present at a deposition and ask questions pertaining the case. The parties on the other hand might also be present, but they are not permitted to ask questions during the deposition.
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3
Take an oath to tell the truth
You will be required to take an oath to tell the truth during the deposition. Everything which you state will be noted by a court reporter who will be present at the deposition. He or she will not only note down what you say but will also administer your oath.
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4
Listen to the attorney carefully
You need to pay attention to the attorney taking the lead at your deposition. In case you do not understand anything, stop the attorney and ask for an explanation or clarification. Remember that the attorney will give you instructions and you need to listen to them very carefully.
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5
Listen carefully to the questions being asked
Pay attention to the questions you are being asked. Take time before answering and make sure you understand the questions properly. In case you do not understand anything or any part of a question, you can always ask the attorney to clarify. You can say you don't know about something or can't recall it, if you can’t remember anything.
