How do I object to an interrogatory?
Asked by: Prof. Joana Moore | Last update: March 9, 2025Score: 5/5 (33 votes)
Can you refuse to answer an interrogatory?
Some people ignore interrogatories instead of answering them, but that could be a huge mistake. You must answer the questions or file objections to certain questions or the entire set of interrogatories.
How to deny interrogatories?
You need to be clear in your objections or risk waving them. Federal Rule 33(b)(4) emphasizes that the “grounds for objecting to an interrogatory must be stated with specificity. Any ground not stated in a timely objection is waived unless the court, for good cause, excuses the failure.”
What are proper objections to discovery requests?
- The Interrogatory Is Vague, Overly Broad, and Unduly Burdensome. ...
- The Request Is Irrelevant or Not Pertinent to the Matter at Hand. ...
- The Information Is Public and Available to Everyone. ...
- The Interrogatory Forces a Conclusion. ...
- A Violation of Attorney–Client Privilege.
What can you not ask in interrogatories?
Interrogatories are lists of questions sent to the other party that s/he must respond to in writing. You can use interrogatories to find out facts about a case but they cannot be used for questions that draw a legal conclusion.
What Do I Have to Answer Interrogatory Questions?
Can you object to an interrogatory?
All interrogatories must be relevant to the issues in the case. If a request is not likely to lead to the discovery of relevant, admissible evidence, you may object.
What happens if you lie on interrogatories?
The Dangers of Lying on Interrogatories
When the truth is discovered, the judge may impose a fine, assign additional litigation costs, or dismiss the case entirely if it was brought by the party who provided false information.
How to answer interrogatories?
Read each question (interrogatory) very carefully. Answer only the question that is asked, and avoid the temptation to over-explain your answer. If the question contains several parts, you may break your answer into parts as well. It is also possible that you might object to the question.
What is Rule 5 Request for discovery?
Rule 5(d) is amended to provide that disclosures under Rule 26(a)(1) and (2), and discovery requests and responses under Rules 30, 31, 33, 34, and 36 must not be filed until they are used in the action. “Discovery requests” includes deposition notices and “discovery responses” includes objections.
What is a blanket objection?
Blanket, unsupported objections that a discovery request is “vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome” are, by themselves, meaningless, and disregarded by the Court. A party objecting on these bases must explain the specific and particular ways in which a request is vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome.
Does a defendant have to answer interrogatories?
Rule 33 (b), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure , requires the respondent to answer an interrogatory separately and fully in writing and under oath, unless the respondent objects, in which event the party objecting shall state with specificity the reasons for objection and shall answer to the extent the interrogatory is ...
What is a vague objection to discovery?
In these situations, you may object to the request on the grounds that it is vague, ambiguous, or unintelligible. For example, if the request just reads, “Produce the documents you showed me,” the request would be vague or ambiguous, since you might have shown the requesting party many documents on numerous occasions.
What happens if a party does not respond to interrogatories?
If the other person does not respond, or their response is still incomplete, you can ask the court to order them to respond. You have 45 days from the service of the most recent responses to ask the court to make an order requiring an answer.
How to avoid interrogatories?
However, you can object to interrogatories that call for legal conclusions. You can also object to questions if they are not at all related to the court case. To object, you need to write out the reasons for the objection instead of answering the question.
Can you decline an interrogation?
You have the right to say that you do not want to be interviewed, to have an attorney present, to set the time and place for the interview, to find out the questions they will ask beforehand, and to answer only the questions you feel comfortable answering.
What is the rule 33 interrogatories?
Interrogatories to Parties (a) In General. (1) Availability. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court, a party may serve on any other party no more than 25 written interrogatories, including all discrete subparts.
What is the Brady rule?
The Brady decision ruled that the defense has the right to examine all evidence that may be of an exculpatory nature. The prosecution will not only release evidence that the defendant might be guilty of a crime but also release all evidence that might show that the defendant is innocent as well.
What is rule 34 in discovery?
The rule provides that a request for inspection shall set forth the items to be inspected either by item or category, describing each with reasonable particularity, and shall specify a reasonable time, place, and manner of making the inspection.
What is the rule 11 for discovery?
Rule 11: Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; which deals with signatures that are required on papers submitted to the court and with sanctions that can be meted out to parties who fail to follow the court's discovery orders.
How to object to interrogatories?
As the party resisting discovery by objecting to an interrogatory, you have the burden to explain why your objections are proper. To satisfy this burden, you should state your objection with specificity. This means giving specific facts, statutes, or judicial precedent supporting your position.
What if you don't know the answer to an interrogatory?
If you are unable to answer an interrogatory because it is too vague, ambiguous, or somehow objectionable, you can state an objection and the reason for your objection. You must then answer to the extent the interrogatory is not objectionable.
What can you ask in interrogatories?
Interrogatories are written questions sent by one party in a lawsuit to another party in that same suit, which the responding party must answer under penalty of perjury. Interrogatories allow the parties to ask who, what, when, where and why questions, making them a good method for obtaining new information.
Can you refuse to answer interrogatories?
Interrogatory is a written question to you or your opponent in which you or your opponent is to provide a written answer. We're gonna focus on the answers, not the interrogatories or preparing the interrogatories themselves. First can you refuse the answer? No, you absolutely must answer the interrogatories.
Can interrogatories be used as evidence?
Interrogatories and depositions allow attorneys to gather information and question potential witnesses. They both result in documents that can be introduced as evidence and to impeach witnesses during trial.
What happens if you don t answer interrogatories within 30 days?
If you don't respond within the time given, the opposing party may file a motion to compel your compliance with the court.