Depositions in the U.K. are, in many ways, simple and straightforward. There is no language barrier with which to wrangle, should your depositions require travel, nor are there any visa requirements. The U.K. is a party to The Hague Evidence Convention and permits the voluntary depositions of willing witnesses regardless of that witness’ nationality, further simplifying the process. Additionally, the U.K. imposes no restrictions, nor requirements as to where a deposition may be taken, as Germany does.
One vital tidbit about depositions in the U.K., however, is that you cannot bring your own reporter to cover the proceedings without proper notification and the applicable visa, for which the reporter need apply at least three months in advance. The U.K. fiercely guards certain professions, and court reporting is among them. Should you be caught attempting to smuggle in your own reporter, confiscation of their steno machine, as well as deportation, are among the potential recriminations – leaving you with no reporter and scrambling to find coverage for the deposition you jetted over the pond to take. This brings up the further point that U.K. reporters are in high demand and booked several weeks in advance. As with any international depositions, reserving a reporter sooner rather than later is the safest move.
To sum up, when scheduling depositions in the United Kingdom, highlights to remember include the following:
- No worrisome travel requirements!
- No Hague requirements!
- No bringing your own reporter!
- No time to waste reserving the reporter in the U.K.!
Again, depositions in the U.K. are fairly straightforward, and using a U.K reporter means your reporter knows the best local printers, the best restaurants, etc. It never hurts to work with a local who can give you tips on how to maximize your visit abroad. An experienced global court reporting firm can reserve the reporter in the U.K. to cover your proceedings and go the extra mile to ensure a pleasant stay in the Queen’s Country. Planet Depos has been covering depositions in the U.K. for over a decade, working with the top tier court reporters in the nation, and can assist with scheduling depositions throughout the U.K.
