why would an opposing custody attorney want to take my deposition prior to trial

by Donato Langosh 7 min read

There are many reasons why the opposing side wants or needs to take your deposition. First, it is their only chance to meet you, size you up, and ask you questions before trial. Second, they need to find out what information you know and hear your version of events.

A deposition provides a unique opportunity for an attorney to learn the scope of a party's or witness's knowledge or anticipated testimony in advance of a trial which can reduce the amount of time spent in the courtroom.May 23, 2019

Full Answer

Will the judge decide my case at the deposition?

A deposition is an opportunity for the opposing attorney to ask you any questions that are relevant to your case or likely to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. Why would your attorney allow this? The primary reason is because the court requires it. Before a case goes to trial, the court requires each side to learn as much as possible about the other side's case. This is …

What are three deposition tips your opposing counsel does not want you to?

In the event that there are people that the attorney needs to gather information from, it is likely that they will be required to participate in a deposition. A deposition can help an attorney, like skilled child custody attorneys in Arizona or your area, to efficiently gather information and evidence that can be used for child custody negotiations. Another common strategy is to …

What is the purpose of a deposition?

Mar 06, 2013 · If you are a party involved in the case, then the opposing attorney (s) has the right to take your deposition. If you are a witness in a case, then the attorneys involved can subpoena you to give a deposition. The people present in a deposition typically includes the attorneys for the party’s, a representative of each party, the court reporter and the witness being deposed.

What if I need to confer with my attorney before a deposition?

Feb 23, 2017 · expert witness, you must be certain of your objectives for taking the deposition. –Your basic purpose for deposing the expert should be twofold: •1) to determine the expert’s opinions and conclusions. •2) to undermine or limit the impact of the expert’s opinions and conclusions. 18

What Cannot be asked in a deposition?

You have a right to refuse any questions about a person's health, sexuality, or religious beliefs (including your own). The opposing attorney will have to explain how your answer has a direct bearing on the case in order to compel you to answer.

What is the purpose of depositions?

Overview. A deposition is a witness's sworn out-of-court testimony. It is used to gather information as part of the discovery process and, in limited circumstances, may be used at trial. The witness being deposed is called the "deponent."

Is a deposition a good thing?

Depositions are often a vital and pivotal part of litigation. A good (or bad) deposition has the ability to sway the case one way or another.Nov 30, 2015

What is motion to compel deposition?

A motion to compel asks the presiding probate and family judge to order one party to provide the opposing side with evidence related to the divorce proceedings. Such evidence may include: Deposition testimony. Requests for admissions of undisputed facts.Jul 28, 2020

How does a deposition differ from an actual trial?

While some states have a different process for trial depositions and depositions for discovery, the basic difference is that discovery depositions aim to find out what a witness knows and how his testimony will appear to the court, while trial depositions are taken because a witness may be unavailable to testify in ...

What happens when deposition occurs?

What Is Deposition? Deposition refers to the process in which a gas changes directly to a solid without going through the liquid state. For example, when warm moist air inside a house comes into contact with a freezing cold windowpane, water vapor in the air changes to tiny ice crystals.Jul 3, 2019

Are depositions scary?

The truth of the matter is that depositions are not nearly as scary as you might think. While depositions can be awkward and there might be some difficult questions for you to answer, if you have a good lawyer preparing you for the deposition, you will be fine.

How do you survive a deposition?

How to Survive a DepositionMake Sure You Understand the Question. Never answer a question unless you fully understand it. ... Pause and Think Before Answering. ... Never Volunteer Information. ... If You Don't Remember, Say So. ... Do Not Guess. ... Don't Fall for the Silent Treatment. ... Stick to Your Answers. ... Always Read the Fine Print.

What do you wear to a deposition?

Women should wear: A mid-length dress. A woman's business suit or pants suit. Conservative blouse and long slacks....Men should wear:A suit with tie or a blazer.A long-sleeve button-down shirt with a collar.Long pants with a belt or suspenders.Dress shoes and socks.

What is a discovery process?

This is the formal process of exchanging information between the parties about the witnesses and evidence they ll present at trial. Discovery enables the parties to know before the trial begins what evidence may be presented.Nov 28, 2021

What does MTC mean in court?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A motion to compel asks the court to order either the opposing party or a third party to take some action.

What is a discovery motion?

A motion for discovery is a legal request to the court in a civil trial. The request asks the court to mandate that the opposing council and party turn over a given piece of material or information. It occurs during the pre-trial process in which each party prepares his or her case to present to the judge.Mar 8, 2022

What happens if a witness is deeply involved in a case?

If the witness is deeply involved in the case then there is a good chance that he or she has discussed the case with their friends or family. Sometimes the witness might even make a social post about the case on their personal social network pages.

What is the worst case scenario?

The worst-case scenario for you is that the witness does a decent job defending his or her side of the case. You have very little to lose and a lot to gain. If nothing else you show the other side how bad their case really is, which can help in settlement discussions.

Do you have the perfect client?

You almost never have the perfect case and the perfect client. They may exist in movies, but they don’t exist in real life. Instead you usually have a case with weak points. These weaknesses may be problems with the facts, an unsympathetic client, bad prior precedent, bad reputations or prior acts, or a combination of these issues. And often, when you walk in to defend a deposition, no matter how much you have prepared you are silently hoping that your witness will not torpedo your case.

What happens if a party fails to disclose assets?

In a divorce, if a party fails to disclose significant assets that existed at the time of the divorce, the case may be re-opened or, in some instances, set aside.

Who can be deposed at trial?

Anyone who can be a witness at trial can be deposed, including the parties, their experts, and lay witnesses. Additionally, witnesses who may not be available at trial can also be deposed to preserve their testimony.

What is Rule 32(a)?

Rule 32(a) permits the use of “any part or all of a deposition” at trial “so far as admissible under the rules of evidence applied as though the witness were then present and testifying.” Purposes include:

What is a deposition in divorce?

A deposition is a legal process in which an attorney can obtain sworn testimony from a person without being in a courtroom before a judge. The deposition usually takes place in the office of the attorney taking the deposition or some other mutually agreeable place. The deponent (person being deposed) ...

Who is present at a deposition?

A court reporter is present at the deposition to administer an oath and make a written transcript of what is said at the deposition. In family law matters, those present at a deposition would normally include the parties, the parties’ attorneys, the court reporter , and the person being deposed (if a non-party).