Deposition
Also called: sworn testimony
Sworn out-of-court testimony taken under oath, typically as part of pretrial discovery in civil litigation. A notary's role in a deposition is to administer the oath to the witness and — in the traditional paper model — certify the transcript.
Certifying a deposition is one of the six notarial acts enumerated in § 302 and is the only one for which personal appearance is not required at the certification stage (§ 306(b)(2)). The notary must, however, personally administer the oath to the deponent before testimony begins; under § 306(b)(3), that oath may be given by phone, video, or computer as long as the notary and witness can hear and communicate with each other. Fee for certifying the transcript is $5 per certified copy (4 Pa. Code § 167.3).
Source: 57 Pa.C.S. § 305(b), § 306(b)(3); Pa.R.C.P. 4017 — link
See also: oath, affirmation, jurat
This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.