Minnesota Discovery - Interrogatories

(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).

Interrogatories are a discovery tool that the parties can use to have specific questions about a case answered before trial. Interrogatories are lists of questions sent to the other party that s/he must respond to in writing.

That disclosure is accomplished through a methodical process called "discovery." Discovery takes three basic forms: written discovery, document production and depositions.

An interrogatory is part of the discovery process before the trial.The interrogatory is considered to be conducted under oath. Any information provided on it will be seriously reviewed by the court and the lawyers involved. Your lawyer can ask any question that he or she wants on the form.

Interrogatories are a part of the "discovery" stage of a civil case.During discovery, the parties request and exchange information and documents. Interrogatories and depositions form the bulk of the discovery process. Unlike many legal documents, interrogatories do not need to be filed with the court.

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.

Discovery, in the law of common law jurisdictions, is a pre-trial procedure in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the other party or parties by means of discovery devices such as interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for admissions and

So, can you refuse to answer interrogatories? The answer is, no, you may not. You must answer a Rule 33 interrogatory within 30 days of being served with it. That answer must either permit inspection of the requested information or object to the production of the information for a specific reason.

Your answers to the interrogatories should usually be short, clear, and direct and should answer only the question that is being asked. This is not the time to set out your entire case or defense to the other side. Take the time to make sure your answers are correct and truthful.