Define: Interrogatories

Written questions designed to discover key facts about an opposing party’s case, that a party to a lawsuit asks an opposing party (but not a witness, who can only be questioned in person at a deposition). Interrogatories are part of the pretrial discovery stage of a lawsuit, and must be answered under penalty of perjury. Court rules tightly regulate how, when and how many interrogatories can be asked. Lawyers can write their own sets of questions, or can use form interrogatories, designed to cover typical issues in common lawsuits.

Interrogatories are written questions used in civil trials to get information from the other party. They are part of the discovery process and must be answered truthfully. Interrogatories can generally be used as evidence to support motions for summary judgment.

The interrogatory or Request for Further Information, are questions which are given to the opposing party. The questions must be answered in writing and under oath. Generally, questions are limited to twenty-five and are used primarily to clarify background information about the litigants, the facts of the civil case, and what allegations each party is likely to present at the civil trial.

An interrogatory is not, however, used to gather evidence from a witness. Witness information is gathered through a deposition, under oath, where the opposing attorney asks the questions and tapes the process. The deposition can be used as evidence if the witness dies before the trial or if they provide information at trial which contradicts testimony previously made during the deposition.

This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. Persuing this glossary does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

This glossary post was last updated: 29th March, 2024.