4 ms·

"I don't want to be deposed" I'm not familiar with that phrase. What does it mean in this context?

by mapmap 11y ago

leesalminen 11y ago
A deposition in the American judicial system is a legal proceeding in which a witness provides testimony to the courts. The witness may be examined by members of either sides legal team. This is a routine proceeding in civil cases. [0] Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. [0] http://litigation.findlaw.com/filing-a-lawsuit/what-is-a-deposition.html http://litigation.findlaw.com/filing-a-lawsuit/what-is-a-dep...
- mintplant 11y ago
  > Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. Or because the process is a huge hassle to deal with, it sucks up days and days of your time, and it's very easy to mess something up.
- paraxisi 11y ago
  > Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. That's a pretty... er, dubious claim at best?
  - amalcon 11y ago
    I mean, it's an accurate statement. It's just also true that people usually don't want to be deposed even if they have nothing to hide. The "when they have something to hide" part is just superfluous.
    - alexwebb2 11y ago
      It's not just superfluous, it changes the meaning of the statement. It's like saying "I like women when they aren't driving". You can't follow that up with, "oh, but I also like them when they are driving, so it's okay to say that".
- dragonwriter 11y ago
  > Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed, period. Sure, its a routine proceeding in civil cases; guess what, people generally don't want to be involved in civil cases -- as plaintiffs, defendants, or called witnesses -- either.
- rrmm 11y ago
  Depositions aren't usually that fun regardless of what you have to hide. I'd probably want to avoid one if I had the chance.
- lawnchair_larry 11y ago
  No, people don't want to be deposed because they want to do their job and mind their own business, instead of get pulled in to a national spectacle, be inconvenienced with new travel plans that require child care arrangements or other disruptions, and potentially face stressful scrutiny on record.
- jonathankoren 11y ago
  > Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. You know who really talks a lot about their rights? Terrorists.
  - tsunamifury 11y ago
    This is both patently false and the single most deeply un-American mindset you can have. Your statement is so deeply naive and insulting to the patriots who fought for the rights you enjoy today. Those who made major strides for: 1) Black Civil Rights 2) Gay Marriage 3) Women's Rights 4) Anyone who fought government intimidation based on speech 5) Democratic Socialists 6) Abortion Activists 7) Environmentalists 8) Your workers rights (i.e. your weekends and pay) 10) Many more... who made sure you could help move society forward and make it better for everyone. Edit: I assume the downvotes are coming from those who would rather we lock up the above than have a free American society.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
    - PhasmaFelis 11y ago
      I didn't downvote you, but you're probably being downvoted because jonathankoren was sarcastically mocking leesalminen's "the innocent have nothing to hide" attitude.
    - mentat 11y ago
      As sibling says, you're being downvoted because you've failed to recognize sarcasm.
  - aback 11y ago
    Yes, the Founding Fathers of the USA probably were considered terrorists, and they talked an awful lot about freedom.
- sandworm101 11y ago
  > Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. You don't need to have done anything wrong to fear a deposition. Go to youtube and watch any number of "do not talk to police" lectures. An innocent person can end up trapping themselves in a lie, or bow to pressure. Or you may say something that you think is harmless but in fact damns you. Depositions should be avoided wherever possible.
- atmosx 11y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
- uxp 11y ago
  "'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy" [0] is a really good paper on why the argument of "only bad people have secrets" is such a fallacy. [0] http://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1159&context=faculty_publications http://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1...
- hitekker 11y ago
  Please tell me you said 'Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide.' off-the-cuff. I would associate this view/tone with a corrupt, small-town, sheriff in a movie, rather than a real, human citizen who shares the the values of our society, which includes due process, the right of the accused, and presumption of innocence.

"I don't want to be deposed" I'm not familiar with that phrase. What does it mean in this context?

by mapmap 11y ago

"I don't want to be deposed" I'm not familiar with that phrase. What does it mean in this context?

A deposition in the American judicial system is a legal proceeding in which a witness provides testimony to the courts. The witness may be examined by members of either sides legal team. This is a routine proceeding in civil cases. [0] Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. [0] http://litigation.findlaw.com/filing-a-lawsuit/what-is-a-deposition.html http://litigation.findlaw.com/filing-a-lawsuit/what-is-a-dep...

mintplant 11y ago
> Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. Or because the process is a huge hassle to deal with, it sucks up days and days of your time, and it's very easy to mess something up.
paraxisi 11y ago
> Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. That's a pretty... er, dubious claim at best?
- amalcon 11y ago
  I mean, it's an accurate statement. It's just also true that people usually don't want to be deposed even if they have nothing to hide. The "when they have something to hide" part is just superfluous.
  - alexwebb2 11y ago
    It's not just superfluous, it changes the meaning of the statement. It's like saying "I like women when they aren't driving". You can't follow that up with, "oh, but I also like them when they are driving, so it's okay to say that".
dragonwriter 11y ago
> Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed, period. Sure, its a routine proceeding in civil cases; guess what, people generally don't want to be involved in civil cases -- as plaintiffs, defendants, or called witnesses -- either.
rrmm 11y ago
Depositions aren't usually that fun regardless of what you have to hide. I'd probably want to avoid one if I had the chance.
lawnchair_larry 11y ago
No, people don't want to be deposed because they want to do their job and mind their own business, instead of get pulled in to a national spectacle, be inconvenienced with new travel plans that require child care arrangements or other disruptions, and potentially face stressful scrutiny on record.
jonathankoren 11y ago
> Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. You know who really talks a lot about their rights? Terrorists.
- tsunamifury 11y ago
  This is both patently false and the single most deeply un-American mindset you can have. Your statement is so deeply naive and insulting to the patriots who fought for the rights you enjoy today. Those who made major strides for: 1) Black Civil Rights 2) Gay Marriage 3) Women's Rights 4) Anyone who fought government intimidation based on speech 5) Democratic Socialists 6) Abortion Activists 7) Environmentalists 8) Your workers rights (i.e. your weekends and pay) 10) Many more... who made sure you could help move society forward and make it better for everyone. Edit: I assume the downvotes are coming from those who would rather we lock up the above than have a free American society.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - PhasmaFelis 11y ago
    I didn't downvote you, but you're probably being downvoted because jonathankoren was sarcastically mocking leesalminen's "the innocent have nothing to hide" attitude.
  - mentat 11y ago
    As sibling says, you're being downvoted because you've failed to recognize sarcasm.
- aback 11y ago
  Yes, the Founding Fathers of the USA probably were considered terrorists, and they talked an awful lot about freedom.
sandworm101 11y ago
> Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide. You don't need to have done anything wrong to fear a deposition. Go to youtube and watch any number of "do not talk to police" lectures. An innocent person can end up trapping themselves in a lie, or bow to pressure. Or you may say something that you think is harmless but in fact damns you. Depositions should be avoided wherever possible.
atmosx 11y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
uxp 11y ago
"'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy" [0] is a really good paper on why the argument of "only bad people have secrets" is such a fallacy. [0] http://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1159&context=faculty_publications http://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1...
hitekker 11y ago
Please tell me you said 'Interestingly, people usually don't want to be deposed when they have something to hide.' off-the-cuff. I would associate this view/tone with a corrupt, small-town, sheriff in a movie, rather than a real, human citizen who shares the the values of our society, which includes due process, the right of the accused, and presumption of innocence.