Karen Fahr - June 6, 2023

Looking for hearing services or a court reporter for a deposition in Israel? Our in-house deposition experts created an easy step-by-step guide to help get you started.

What you need to know

1. Deposition Restrictions. Good news — taking voluntary depositions of U.S. citizens in Israel can be conducted without any special permissions. However, depositions of Israeli citizens and third-country nationals require prior permission from the Israeli Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention. A deposition can be taken on notice from either party’s attorney or pursuant to a commission issued by a U.S. court. If taken on notice, the notice must state the time, place for taking the deposition, and the name and address of each person to be examined. If the deposition is taken pursuant to a commission, prior permission of the Israeli Central Authority is required.
2. Plan Early. Give yourself a minimum of 4 weeks to plan. The further you plan ahead, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to locate and book the right professionals for your deposition.
3. How to depose a willing witness. If your witness is willing to appear voluntarily at his or her deposition, you can simply conduct the depo by 1) noticing the deponent in advance, and then 2) allowing the court reporter to administer the oath by stipulation of counsel for all parties.
4. Depo Venue. Depositions in Israel can take place at the venue of your choosing, whether that be a hotel, law firm office, conference room, or remotely.
5. Depo Options – Should you attend in-person or remotely?
1. Attending In-Person: Attorneys travel to the witness location. Optima Juris arranges a local reporter, videographer, and interpreter (if needed) closest to the witness.
2. Hybrid Deposition: Attorneys participate remotely via ZOOM. The court reporter and legal videographer (if needed) are physically present with the witness. Interpreters can also attend remotely if the service is required.
3. Virtual Deposition: All attendees, including attorneys, a witness, a court reporter, and interpreter (if needed) participate via ZOOM from their homes or office.

Hint. Optima Juris has a locally-based court reporter, legal videographer, and interpreters for depositions in Israel, which means minimal travel costs for you and your client.

About Optima Juris

At Optima Juris, we have been helping law offices across the globe find the highest-quality certified court reporters, legal videographers, and interpreters for over 23 years. If you should have any questions about depositions or arbitrations, please do not hesitate to contact us or fill out a free quote to see how we can make your proceedings a complete success.

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