What impact, if any, does a past felony conviction have on a civil case?
Someone with a past felony conviction(s), which has not been expunged, sealed or otherwise made inaccessible to the public will have to admit to them when/if asked by the other side. Failing to do so, and then having it discovered by the other side, will make that person’s word in the case questionable and will be perjury if done during deposition. A perjured witness or party has no credibility during trial.
There is a specific question contained with the California judicial council Form Interrogatories which asks an individual if they have been convicted of a felon. It may seem irrelevant to the case but it can be damaging if the answer is “yes,” since attorneys can question the character of a felon at trial. Especially if the conviction were for fraud or something related to that. In cases without strong corroborating evidence or third party witnesses this could make a jury disbelieve the word of the convicted felon.