So you’ve collected some great evidence from your latest case and now you have to testify as a witness. But first you’ll be summoned to a deposition.

What’s a deposition? A deposition is your sworn, out-of-court testimony^[1] that takes place during the fact-finding point in the case, which is called “discovery.” In a deposition, opposing counsel will ask you questions about your evidence and your role in the case, and then your recorded and transcribed answers will become official court record.

Depositions typically take place in a law office, but can sometimes occur over the phone or via video conference. You’ll be accompanied by your client’s legal team, opposing counsel, a court reporter, and many times a videographer or judge.

The difficulty is that the process can take several nerve-wracking hours, and one vague answer might derail the case. So, what can you do?

Here are 10 pointers an investigator can use to give an effective deposition:

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