Introduction to Depositions

Catalog description

Depositions are a critical component of pretrial discovery. Indeed, many cases are lost, won, or settled because of information gleaned at a deposition. Attorneys also often modify trial strategies because of a witness's performance at a deposition. Because depositions play such an important role in litigation, the majority of junior litigation attorneys can expect to deal with depositions in some manner from the very start of their careers. This introductory course will expose students to several facets of a deposition: preparing for deposition, asking questions at a deposition, defending the witness at a deposition, using documents at a deposition, and reviewing the transcript of a deposition. Students can expect to take and defend mock depositions and to observe and critique their fellow students' deposition skills. The course will culminate in a three-hour deposition in which students will team up to depose and defend two witnesses. Students must set aside one Saturday morning at the end of the semester for this deposition.