Interrogatories
Written questions sent by one party to another during discovery that must be answered under oath within a set deadline.
Interrogatories are written questions that one side in a lawsuit sends to the other side. The person who receives interrogatories must answer each question in writing, under oath, within the time allowed by the rules. In Minnesota, the answering party generally has 30 days to respond. Interrogatories are one of the main tools used during the discovery phase of a civil lawsuit to gather facts and pin down the other side’s position.
Minnesota’s Rules of Civil Procedure limit the number of interrogatories a party can send without court permission. The questions must be relevant to the case, and objections can be raised if a question is overly broad, burdensome, or seeks privileged information. Answers to interrogatories can be used as evidence later in the case, including at trial.
Why it matters: Interrogatories are a powerful and relatively low-cost way to gather information from the other side. Because answers are given under oath, they can be used to challenge a party’s credibility if their trial testimony contradicts their written answers. Failing to respond to interrogatories can result in court sanctions, including having parts of your case dismissed.
Example: In a divorce case, one spouse sends interrogatories to the other asking for a list of all bank accounts, income sources, and debts. The receiving spouse must provide complete, truthful answers within 30 days. If the answers are incomplete, the court can order compliance or impose penalties.
Civil lawsuits during the discovery phase, before trial