Matrimonial Interrogatories

You must answer each interrogatory separately and fully in writing under oath, unless you object to it. You must explain why you object. You must sign your answers and objections.

The purpose of interrogatories is to learn a great deal of general information about a party in a lawsuit. For example, the defendant in a personal injury lawsuit about a car accident might send you interrogatories asking you to disclose things like: Where you live.

Interrogatories are part of the discovery process of divorce. They allow you and your soon-to-be/already ex spouse to ask questions that must be responded to in writing under oath. These answer are then used to determine facts in the case, as well as to question each side if/when the case goes to trial.

There are several kinds of written discovery that you and your spouse can use to get all the information you need. You will likely be required to answer the questions and produce all the documents asked for as long as it is reasonable, and a lot is considered reasonable during a divorce.

Motions to Compel If a party doesn't respond to interrogatories or requests for production, then the party seeking those answers must file a motion to compel with the court. If the court grants the motion to compel, then the party who objected or failed to answer must then do so.

(1) Number. 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. Leave to serve additional interrogatories may be granted to the extent consistent with Rule 26(b)(1) and (2).

There is a limit on the number of interrogatories that each person in a lawsuit can "propound on" (which just means "send to") the other parties. For federal civil courts, one party may send 25 interrogatories to any other party (so if you're suing two defendants, you can send 25 to each in federal court).

So, can you refuse to answer interrogatories? The answer is, no, you may not.That answer must either permit inspection of the requested information or object to the production of the information for a specific reason.