Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

deposition on written questions

A deposition given in response to a prepared set of written questions, as opposed to a typical oral deposition. - Formerly also termed deposition on written interrogatories "The advantage of a deposition on written questions is that counsel for the parties need not go to some distant place to be present at the taking of the deposition. Instead they serve on each other questions and cross questions - and even redirect and recross questions -that they wish to have put to the deponent. These are then sent to the officer who is to take the deposition. The officer puts the questions to the witness, records the answers, and transcribes and files the deposition as with an oral deposition. The officer is merely to record what the witness says in response to the various questions propounded to him or her." Charles Alan Wright, The Law of Federal Courts § 85, at 618-19 (5th ed. 1994).