DEPOSITION- 3/17/11

Today I did not have to go into the office. I like when this happens because who wants to be stuck in an office every day all day!? Anyway, today I met my sponsor at a different attorney's office. We were going over a case regarding a personal injury involving a landlord and tenant. Supposedly, the landlord and tenant were having a heated discussion while the landlord was in the car and the tenant was outside talking into the car. The landlord was said to reverse his car and run over the tenant's foot and then sped off without checking to see if the tenant was okay. What Shayla's job was today was to question the landlord. I had to ask her why we were questioning him at an office and not in the court as like a witness. It's kind of confusing, but basically attorneys do this to figure out all the facts about a case before they go to court. Neither side wants any surprises in court so they try and ask all the questions they can and obtain all the information they might need. Yet, there is a court recording person (I don't know their official title) who swears in the witness who is giving the testimony and records everything that is said in the conversation. The other attorney was there as well as the tenant (our client) and an insurance guy. I think he was for our client but I really am not sure. I'm not sure what kind of details I can get into about the deposition so I'll just leave it at that it was very interesting and I'm eager to learn the outcome of this case. I liked that Shayla invited me to this and that she allows me to see things like this. I took plenty of notes on what kind of questions an attorney asks a witness and what kinds of things to look for. I learned that you must be very detailed with the questions you ask and leave no room for alternate interpretations. Overall, today was a very relaxed and interesting day for me.