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The legal process has many different moving parts and a special vocabulary to the point that it can seem daunting for someone not in the know. Each legal action has designated steps that must be taken in order to build the best possible case and follow all necessary procedures through the course of the case. A very important part – perhaps even the most important part -- of all court cases or legal action is the process known as a deposition.
Depositions occur during the pretrial phase of any court case known as “discovery.” It essentially is when both parties of the case come together to trade necessary information about the case. As part of discovery, depositions simply consist of the opposing legal team asking questions about the case, which is simply just to get a better picture of the case in seeing both sides of the story.
Beyond this, there are three main reasons for a legal team to interview the opposition during discovery. First and foremost, they want to see what your story is before you bring it to trial, so they can prepare a better counterargument. Second, asking you to tell your story will help them get a grasp of what facts of the case you know or don’t know. Finally, they may hope to catch you lying during your interview to use as evidence that your testimony won’t be reliable during the actual trial causing the judge and jury to be hesitant to believe you and more likely to side with the opposition.
In entering a deposition, remember a few important pieces of information to put into action whenever needed. Most important in any legal action, have a lawyer present at all times to ensure that you have reliable counsel guiding you in the best way to provide your information, they’ll make sure you don’t slip up in a way that would hurt your case.
Another important thing to remember is to always tell the truth and refrain from definitive words like “always” or “never.” Lying or using these terms can hurt your credibility. Finally, it’s essential to take your time during a deposition. Attempting to rush through your answers could cause you to make a mistake that could have drastic negative effects on your case.
If you or a loved one needs reliable legal representation in a personal injury case, look no further than the law offices of Hupy and Abraham. Our attorneys are incredibly skilled and ready to serve you at every step in the case. Our offices can be reached at 800-800-5678 or via our 24/7 online at hupy.com
