Waiting to Attend a Divorce Deposition? Hire a Court Reporter

Experienced Attorney

It probably goes without saying that divorce can be filled with anguish and stress. During the divorce discovery phase, the couple may have to attend a deposition proceeding. This is where both attorneys on each side ask questions of the other spouse, in an attempt to gain information that can be used in their case. If your divorce deposition has been schedule, you may not want to forget to hire a court reporter in Los Angeles. Unless you have a professional there to document what is said, further disputes can arise. 

Being Placed Under Oath

The court reporter is going to place the couple and their respective attorneys under oath before beginning the deposition. While this may sound scary, remember that your attorney is there to help protect your best interest. A major benefit of having a court reporter there to place the meeting under oath, is that every party is then influenced to be more truthful than maybe they had planned to be. Knowing their statements are being recorded and can be reflected back upon, may encourage the other spouse to remain honest. 

There is No Time Limit

It can be nerve-wracking to answer a question when you know that your words are going to be written down verbatim, and that what you say may be used against you by the opposing side. One way to help decrease nerves when answering a question is to remember that there is no time limit for how quickly you have to respond. The court reporter will be recording based on the speed of the deposition, not the other way around. It can help to sit and absorb the question, taking time before answering. 

Request to Have a Line Read

Another benefit to having a court reporter is that the conversations can stay on track. It can be easy to get carried away on a tangent, especially under such emotional circumstances. If you have forgotten where you were going with your point, you can request that the court reporter reads a line from the deposition. 

Not Offering More Details Than You Need 

Because your spouse’s attorney will be asking questions with the intention to uncover information that benefits them, it is important that you do not offer more details than you need to. Focus on answering the question directly, without adding additional facts that aren’t required. If your get nervous and start rambling, you may accidentally reveal information that can be used against you. If you are confused about a question, you can request that your spouse’s attorney repeats or rephrases the inquiry.

What is Deemed an Acceptable Answer

Many couples who are about to undergo a divorce deposition, may be worried about what kinds of questions may be asked and if they will have the answers. Saying you do not know the answer to an inquiry is just as much of an acceptable response. In fact, it can hurt your case if you guess or speculate at an answer and are wrong.