Alabama Private Investigator Practice Exam

What term describes a person being deposed in a legal setting?

1. Witness

2. Client

3. Defendant

4. Deponent

The correct answer is: Deponent

In legal terminology, the term that describes a person being deposed is "deponent." A deponent is an individual who gives testimony under oath during a deposition, which is a formal process used to gather evidence prior to a trial. This process involves questioning the deponent by attorneys, and their responses are recorded for later use in court. While the other terms relate to different roles within a legal context—such as a witness who provides evidence based on what they know, a client who is receiving legal services, and a defendant who is being accused in a legal proceeding—they do not specifically capture the act of giving testimony in a deposition setting. Therefore, "deponent" accurately identifies the individual involved in this particular aspect of legal proceedings.