A US federal magistrate judge has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, according to a PTI report published by Business Standard on October 23.
The order was issued by US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett after BBC lawyers complained that Trump’s testimony had been delayed. The report quotes the broadcaster’s lawyer as saying that the discovery period was progressing while the plaintiff had not yet been deposed. The case remains in the litigation process, and the order concerns evidence gathering rather than a final decision on the merits.
What a deposition means
A deposition is sworn testimony taken before trial, generally with lawyers asking questions and a record being made. It can help each side establish facts and test claims. It is not itself a ruling that a party has defamed someone or that damages are owed.
Further developments will depend on compliance with the court’s schedule, any additional procedural rulings and the evidence presented during litigation. The reported $10 billion figure is the amount sought in the lawsuit, not an award made by the court.
Source
Press Trust of India via Business Standard. Read the report.
