Understanding the Deposition Process
Do you have a deposition scheduled and have no idea what you’re getting yourself into? Hi, I’m Aaron Grubb and I’m the Tahlequah attorney at Wirth Law Office. In this video, we’re going to go over what a deposition looks like.
So first off, you’re going to have around three or four people in the room with you. You’re going to have yourself, of course, the person being deposed. You’re going to have the opposing counsel who’s going to be asking you questions.
Roles in the Deposition Room
You’ll also have your attorney who will be there to object to any questions and advise you about how you’re doing or any kind of tips or tricks that they have themselves. Finally, the court reporter will take note of everything that’s being said and give you a transcript at the end of it.
A typical deposition can take anywhere from a couple of hours to pretty much the entire day. We had one last week that went for about six-plus hours, during which the opposing counsel asked all sorts of questions regarding our client’s background, the specific circumstances surrounding the case, and other sorts of interactions with the legal system that our client had.
Navigating Objections and Questions
Several of them did go beyond the scope of the deposition, which the attorney here at Wirth Law Office was able to object. Now, when an attorney objects to the opposing counsel’s questions, most of the time the person being deposed still has to answer.
What happens is your attorney will object to the question, you still have to answer, and then later, the attorneys will argue over whether this question and answer can be admitted into the record. To wrap it up, here are a couple of tips whenever you’re being deposed.
Important Tips for Your Deposition
First, keep the energy up. It’s going to be a long time, depending on your specific case, but it could take a while. You want to make sure that you’re being focused and ready for the long haul.
Second, the opposing counsel will try to wear you down and make you slip up in your questions, confuse you about what you’ve already answered, and make your timeline slip up, using a variety of tactics. Finally, make sure that you’re keeping your answers very short, sweet, and to the point.
Prepare for Your Deposition
This is a very important step in the process of getting your attorney to give you a clear answer. Make sure that you’re keeping your answers concise. A lot of the time, tangents or stories are not called for and can get you into a lot of trouble.
If you have any other questions regarding depositions, my name is Aaron Grubb. I’m the Tahlequah attorney at Wirth Law Office. Thank you.
Schedule a Low-Cost Initial Strategy Session
If you’re feeling uncertain about your deposition or need personalized guidance, consider scheduling a low-cost initial strategy session with me. Call us at (918) 458-2677 to get started today and ensure you’re well-prepared for your upcoming deposition!
