Also known as: interrogatory to parties · interrogatories to party · interrogatories · written interrogatories
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A discovery device by which one party serves written questions on another party. The recipient must answer the questions separately and fully in writing under oath.
Ironwood Capital served 28 interrogatories on Ismael Ibrahim in a contract dispute. Ibrahim objected that the total exceeded the permitted number including subparts. The court denied leave to serve the excess because the requests were not shown to be proportional to the needs of the case.
Island Manufacturing served interrogatories on Idris Ives on March 1. Ives filed answers on April 5 without seeking an extension or stipulation. The court deemed the objections waived because they were not served within the required period after receipt.
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Infinity Bank served broad interrogatories on Isabelle Inman seeking decade-old transaction data. Inman moved for protection citing undue burden after prior document production covered the same subjects. The court limited the scope to matters tied to the single disputed loan.
Ironclad Industries answered interrogatories from Isaiah Ishikawa but withheld notes summarizing counsel interviews. Ishikawa moved to compel. The court sustained the objection because the notes reflected litigation preparation and no substantial need was shown.
Israel Irving appeared through counsel in a suit against Ines Ibarra. Ibarra served interrogatories directly on Irving at his home address. The court quashed service because once counsel had appeared all subsequent discovery papers had to be directed to the attorney.
A government official answered interrogatories in a civil rights action but asserted qualified immunity. The plaintiff sought further responses on motive. The court stayed additional discovery pending resolution of the immunity defense on the existing record.
A party may serve no more than 25 written interrogatories on another party unless the court orders otherwise or the parties stipulate to a different number.
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Answers and objections must be served within 30 days after service of the interrogatories unless a different time is stipulated or ordered by the court.
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Sanctions are available when an attorney signs interrogatories without conducting a reasonable inquiry to ensure the requests are not unreasonable or unduly burdensome given the needs of the case and prior discovery.
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Each interrogatory that is not objected to must be answered separately and fully in writing under oath by the party or an authorized officer or agent.
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…interrogatories, thought that he was proceeding under Rule 33. That rule provides that a party may serve upon any adverse party written interrogatories to be answered by the party served.[^maj-5] The District Court proceeded on the same assumption in its opinion, although its order to produce and its contempt order stated that both Rules…