Volume II, Chapter §6.9
Litigation Documents

Depositions

§6.9

 

Introduction

As this section discusses, paralegals may not ask questions at a deposition. But you can prepare draft questions for your attorney, set up the deposition, and summarize (or digest) a deposition transcript. You can even attend the deposition, if your attorney allows it.

Commonly Asked Questions . . .

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Demonstration

Deposition Documents

 

Lecture Notes . . .

A deposition is the oral questioning of a witness under oath, usually done outside the court room. Depositions are unique in one aspect: While most forms of discovery are between parties, depositions may involve witnesses who are not parties to the action. If the deponent is also a party to the action, that person becomes a "witness" for the purpose of the deposition. Paralegals may assist attorneys in preparing questions for depositions, but more often, the paralegal may have to break down a deposition transcript to a more readable form. This is called a deposition summary, or deposition digest.

Read these pages carefully. They will provide you with much assistance in understanding the deposition process.

Assignment: Deposition Digest
Read the transcript, then summarize the deposition as shown in the manual. Remember not to repeat dialogue. An average page should be summarized in about 3 sentences, if possible.

Reminder: Keep track of your billable hours!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Time Sheets
Click on the examples of Time Sheets below to zoom in and compare. Yours should look like the Good example.

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The Good
The Bad
The Ugly

Time Sheet Download
Click here to download a Time Sheet that automatically adds up your billable hours. You should keep track of any research or writing you do on behalf of your client, including the Deposition Summary assignment in this chapter.