What is a deposition?

A deposition is a legal process where a witness provides sworn testimony outside of the courtroom, typically during the pretrial phase of a legal case. This testimony is recorded and can be used later in court proceedings. The purpose of a deposition is to gather information, clarify facts, and sometimes to determine the potential testimony of a witness in a trial setting.

This makes the chosen option the right answer because it accurately captures the nature of a deposition, highlighting that it is both sworn testimony and occurs outside the court, which emphasizes its role in the legal preparation process. Other options do not reflect the specific function of a deposition. For instance, submitting written evidence pertains to documents presented in court, a court's decision on a case is related to the final judgments made during trial, and a summary of evidence refers to overviews rather than detailed testimony, which is the essence of a deposition.