Car Accident Deposition: 3 Of The Most Common Questions Asked

/in /by

Jill Cohen
3 of the Most Common Questions Asked in a Car Accident Deposition

Capital Reporting Company handles many different types of cases, but one very common case type arises from a car accident.  When we handle cases for car accident lawyers, we see a lot of questions that are asked.  Below are the top 3 questions we see in our transcripts:

1.  Describe the car accident:  Car accident lawyers always seem to ask the question, “How did the car accident occur?”  Parties typically describe the speed that they were going, the direction, and the mechanics of how the car accident actually occurred.  Both sides are asked this question, because there may be a dispute as to how the accident occurred.  This is referred to as “liability” which means who was at fault in the car accident.

2.  Were there any witnesses?:  Oftentimes, car accidents have witnesses. This may be a passenger in a vehicle, or an uninvolved bystander.  In cases where the facts of the accident are in dispute, identifying witnesses may help the trial lawyers figure out exactly what happened in the accident.  These so called witness depositions will include a line of questioning around how the car accident occurred, and who was at fault.

3.  Was the plaintiff injured?   During the deposition of the plaintiff (i.e., the injured victim), the question of damages always arises.  Was the plaintiff injured, and if so, how badly. These types of questions can explore the nature of the injuries, how long treatment lasted, the amount of the medical bills, and the condition of the plaintiff today.  In a small case, where the injuries did not require extensive treatment, the deposition may be shorter. However, in bigger cases with substantial injuries, the deposition may last longer and be more extensive.

Car accident lawyers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, as well as nationally from San Francisco to Chicago, frequently litigate their cases, and with that litigation comes depositions.  There are some common themes that arise during these depositions, and these themes are found across Baltimore depositions, Chicago depositions, and San Francisco depositions alike.

Depositions in Divorce Cases

/in /by

Shari Broussard

CRC Handles Divorce Depositions Throughout Maryland

 

As a court reporting agency, it’s safe to say that of all the different types of depositions we cover, depositions in divorce cases are, well, the most “spirited.” The parties are extremely involved, and the fireworks frequently go off when a husband and wife are fighting it out in a legal proceeding. Divorce lawyers in Maryland, especially divorce lawyers in Montgomery County practice in a high net worth area. This means that the stakes are high, and tempers can flare.

In a deposition, most topics are fair game – including sex, drugs, and alcohol. Sounds like an 80s rock song, right? Generally the lawyers are pretty free to “discover” almost anything. There are not permitted to go on a fishing expedition, but short of that, there really aren’t too many restrictions. The kids, sexual infidelity, marital habits, etc. are all permissible topics for questions. The deposition in a divorce case can last hours, and can take its toll on the litigants.

In one famous case, Kim Kardashian’s divorce deposition reportedly lasted 9 hours, and her husband Kris Humphries did not even show up. This is definitely much, much longer than a typical deposition. Apparently in the deposition she also had some quite funny lines. When asked what she loved about her ex, she said, “He’s super tall so he makes me look super small and petite. I also love how his proposal looked super, super sweet on TV. Thanks GOD because we had to do it twice…”

In the real world, most divorce depositions don’t last that long, and don’t involve too many famous people. In general, the depositions tend to last a half day or so, and are pretty tedious. If there are custody and complex property issues, then the depositions may take longer. Nevertheless, they can be very, very stressful. In the Washington metropolitan area, some of the most intense proceedings involve divorce lawyers in Maryland.