A deposition is an oral testimony taken under oath before a trial or arbitration. It is customary that depositions be taken of the parties to a lawsuit. Often depositions are also taken of witnesses and others who might testify at trial. Even though it often takes place in a conference room or office, and the setting is somewhat informal, it is a very important event in any lawsuit.
Read MoreThe blog post discusses an important Oregon court case that addressed the issue of social host liquor liability under the state's Dram Shop statute, ORS 471.565. The case involved a party host who was sued by a guest who was killed when two guests engaged in horseplay with loaded handguns, resulting in one guest being killed.
Read MoreThis text explains the different standards of proof in Oregon law. The lowest standard is "preponderance of the evidence" which is used in most civil cases. The middle standard is "clear and convincing evidence" which requires more evidence than the previous one and is often used in cases involving serious consequences. The highest standard is "beyond a reasonable doubt" which is used in criminal cases and requires the prosecution to prove its case to such a degree that there can be no reasonable doubt in the mind of a rational person.
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