Deposition, dep uh ZIHSH uhn, in law, is a witness's testimony that is taken outside of court. Lawyers generally obtain depositions from a person who is unable to appear in court. Lawyers may also take a deposition before a trial to discover existing evidence or leads to new evidence. In a deposition, the witness testifies under oath before a notary public or other judicial officer. The testimony in a deposition consists of a statement in answer to questions, either oral or written, asked by the officer.