A deposition is sworn testimony taken outside the courtroom before a court reporter. The witness answers questions under oath and everything said is transcribed and can be used later at trial, to prepare for trial, or to lock in testimony.

In Arizona family law cases depositions are most valuable in complex property disputes, income disputes, business valuation cases, contested parenting cases involving professional witnesses, or any situation where the full story cannot be developed through written disclosure alone.

Depositions are also expensive. Both the preparation and the transcript cost money. They should be used strategically, in cases where the likely benefit justifies the cost and where there is information that cannot be obtained another way.

Good deposition strategy starts with knowing what you need and what you already have. We use depositions to preserve testimony, test credibility, authenticate documents, expose inconsistencies in income claims, and prepare for experts at trial.