Civil Procedure Multistate Bar Practice Exam

Who can interrogatories be sent to according to the rules?

1. To any person involved in the case

2. To nonparties only

3. Only to parties involved in the case

4. To witnesses only

The correct answer is: Only to parties involved in the case

Interrogatories, as a form of discovery, are written questions that one party sends to another party in a lawsuit to elicit information relevant to the case. According to the federal rules of civil procedure, interrogatories can only be served on parties to the case, meaning those who are named in the action as plaintiffs or defendants. The rationale behind this limitation is that interrogatories aim to obtain information from those individuals with direct knowledge of the facts of the case and who are legally bound to respond. Parties in the action must answer these questions under oath, making it enforceable to ensure truthful and complete responses. In contrast, sending interrogatories to nonparties, witnesses, or other individuals involved in the case is not permissible under the rules governing discovery. Other methods may be necessary to seek information from nonparties, such as depositions or subpoenas. Thus, the correctness of identifying that interrogatories can only be sent to parties involved in the case aligns with the procedural rules that govern the discovery process.