Parties and witnesses involved in legal proceedings should follow these basic rules when being deposed:
- Listen carefully and allow the attorney to complete each question before responding;
- If you do not understand a question, ask the attorney to repeat the question or rephrase it;
- Answer only the question asked and do so in simple and succint terms. For example, if the question calls for a simple yes or no response, answer accordingly;
- If you know the answer to a question, do not be cute and answer, ‘I do not remember’ or something along those lines. The correct answer may be important and to answer that you don’t remember, makes it more difficult to give the correct testimony at a later date;
- If an explanation is required for the response to be accurate, give it, but keep it short and simple and on point;
- Do not be argumentative or defensive in your responses; and
- Tell the truth.
Following these basic rules will allow the deposition to proceed smoothly and efficiently with a minimum of stress and confrontation. This is the preferred deposition environment for most attorneys.
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Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. is a South Florida based law firm committed to the judicial system and to representing and obtaining justice for individuals – the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the voiceless, the defenseless and the damned, and to protecting the rights of such people from corporate and government oppression. We do not represent government, corporations or large business interests.