Interrogatories
Interrogatories are written questions one party in a lawsuit sends to another party, who must answer them in writing and under oath as part of pretrial discovery. They are one of the standard discovery tools in federal civil cases, used to pin down facts, identify witnesses and documents, and lock in the other side contentions before trial.
Interrogatories are written questions one party in a lawsuit sends to another party, who must answer them in writing and under oath as part of pretrial discovery. They are one of the standard discovery tools in federal civil cases, used to pin down facts, identify witnesses and documents, and lock in the other side contentions before trial.
Example: Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 33(a)(1), a party may serve on any other party no more than 25 written interrogatories, counting all discrete subparts — without leave of court; more require the court permission or a stipulation.
Common misconception: Interrogatories go only to parties, not to outside witnesses — depositions and subpoenas are the tools for non-parties. And the answers are evidence of the party position, not automatically the truth: answers can be objected to, and a party may be required to supplement them if the facts change.
Sources: Fed. R. Civ. P. 33 Interrogatories to Parties | Cornell LII"