Instructions Interrogatories Written Questions To Other Parties

Summary

Instructions: Interrogatories (Written Questions to Other Parties)
This template was prepared by the Justice & Diversity Center, a nonprofit organization, and is not an official
court form. It can be used in certain civil lawsuits in the Northern District Court of California. This template
provides guidance only. Using this template does not guarantee any result in your case

HOW TO GET LEGAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE
This packet provides general guidance about asking written questions to another party in the case

Before serving this document, make an appointment for free legal information and advice at one of the Legal
Help Centers. If you need to submit interrogatories in an employment discrimination case or if you need to
respond to interrogatories from the other side, you can get templates from the Legal Help Centers

If the case is assigned to a judge in the San Francisco, Oakland, or Eureka federal courthouse,
do one of the following:
Call the appointment scheduling line for the Federal Pro Bono Project: 415-782-8982
Sign up in the appointment book at either:
450 Golden Gate Ave., 15th Floor, Room 2796, San Francisco or
1301 Clay Street, 4th Floor, Room 470S, Oakland
Email us at [email protected]
This email is to schedule appointments only-no legal advice is given over email

If the case is assigned to a judge in the San Jose federal courthouse, do one of the following:
Call the appointment scheduling line for the Federal Pro Se Program: 408-297-1480
Monday to Thursday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, drop in at
The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, 152 North 3rd St., 3rd Floor, San Jose
Monday to Thursday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, drop in at
280 South 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Room 2070, San Jose
WHEN TO SEND INTERROGATORIES
1. Figure out when you can first serve interrogatories. When the case was filed, the Clerk issued a
document called an Initial Scheduling Order, which set the date of the Case Management
Conference. Normally, you can serve discovery (such as these interrogatories or document requests)
06/22/2017 Instructions: Interrogatories - General 1 of 3
after this Conference, though the Court may set a different deadline at the Conference

2. Figure out the discovery deadline. After the Conference, the Court will send out an updated
Scheduling Order setting the discovery “cutoff.” You must send your final set of interrogatories 33
days before the discovery cutoff (or hand-serve 30 days before)

HOW TO COMPLETE THIS TEMPLATE FOR INTERROGATORIES
 Fill in the case information. Fill in all blanks on the first page

 Review the Definitions Section. Review the standard definitions, and add in any definitions specific
to your case that will make it easier to understand your interrogatories

 Write your Interrogatories. Write simple questions that may help you prove or defend your case

You may send up to 25 interrogatories to each party. You do not have to send them all at once. If you
need help writing your interrogatories, make an appointment at the Legal Help Center (see page 1)

If this is not the first set of interrogatories you are sending to this party, renumber the interrogatories,
starting with the number you left off on last time

 Review, number the pages and sign. Read the entire document to make sure your Interrogatories
are clear, focused on this case, and that you are not repeating any questions. Count the number of
pages. On each page, write in the page number and the total. Sign and date

 Prepare the Certificate of Service. Each document that you file must be “served” on each other
party, usually by sending it in the mail. Follow the instructions on the Certificate of Service

 Mark your calendar. The responding party has 30 days (33 days if you serve by mail) to send you a
written response. If you need help with getting complete responses to your questions, make an
appointment at the Legal Help Center (see page 1)

SERVING YOUR INTERROGATORIES
1. Make copies. Once the documents are complete, make one copy for each party to the case

2. Serve the Requests. Be sure the Interrogatories and Certificate are served on each party. Do not
send a copy to the Court

TIMELINE: AFTER INTERROGATORIES ARE SERVED
The timeline below lists what generally happens after Interrogatories are served. The Legal Help Centers
(see page 1) can provide guidance about these steps and have many other templates for you to use

06/22/2017 Instructions: Interrogatories - General 2 of 3
If responding party objects or fails to
Requests respond, the requesting party follows up
served (immediately after responses were due)
Resonding party provides Parties follow Judge's rules for
written response to each resolving disputes about discovery
interrogatory (ongoing, but no later than the
(30 days + 3 for mail) "discovery cutoff")
STAY UP TO DATE
1. Update your contact information. File a notice with the Clerk right away if your address, email, or
phone number changes, or you may miss important deadlines, causing you to lose your case

2. Check your mail. Be sure to check regularly for documents from the Court and opposing side

3. A list of all of the documents that have been filed, and (usually) the documents themselves can
be viewed online. See Chapter 7 of the Handbook for Pro Se Litigants (see below), and contact
the Legal Help Center for information about how to access the documents (see page 1)

UNDERSTANDING THE LAWS AND RULES
The Legal Help Centers (see page 1) are the best resource for people without lawyers. There are other
resources for understanding the laws and rules of the Court:
1. Handbook for Pro Se Litigants. The Handbook is a procedural guide for people who are
representing themselves. It was prepared by the Court and is available at the Clerk’s Office or on the
Court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov/prosehandbk

2. Legal Research Guide for Pro Se Litigants. The Guide provides information for people who are
representing themselves about how to do legal research, like finding statutes and decisions in other
cases. It was prepared by the Justice & Diversity Center and is available at the Legal Help Centers
and at http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/Legal-Help-Center-Templates

3. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. These Rules explain the procedures from filing through trial for
all civil cases in the federal courts across the country, and are available at
http://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf

4. Local Rules. The Local Rules follow the same numbering as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,
but generally provide more detail. They apply in this District only, and are available at
http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/localrules/civil

06/22/2017 Instructions: Interrogatories - General 3 of 3
1 Your name:
2 Address:
3
4 Phone Number:
5 E-mail Address:
6 Pro se
7
8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
9 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10 Division [check one]:  San Francisco  Oakland  San Jose  Eureka
11
)
12 ) Case Number:
)
13 ) INTERROGATORIES TO
14 )
Plaintiff, ) [name of responding party]
15 )
vs. ) ________________________________________
16 ) ________________________________________
)
17 )
)
18 ) SET NO. ____
)
19 )
)
20 )
)
21 Defendant. )
22
23
24 Pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 26 and 33 and Local Rule 33, [name of
25 responding party] _________________________________________________________________
26 shall respond to these interrogatories within thirty (30) days of service

27
28
INTERROGATORIES
PAGE ___ OF ___ [JDC TEMPLATE]
1 I. DEFINITIONS
2 1. The terms “YOU” or “YOUR” mean [name of the responding party]
3 ________________________________________________________________________________,
4 including its present and former members, officers, agents, employees, and all other persons acting
5 or purporting to act on its behalf, including all present or former members, officers, agents,
6 employees, and all other persons exercising or purporting to exercise discretion, make policy, and/or
7 make decisions

8 2. The terms “DOCUMENT” and “DOCUMENTS” have the same meaning and are
9 equal in scope to the terms “documents” and “electronically store information” as stored in Federal
10 Rule of Civil Procedure 34(a)

11 3. When used in connection with a person or entity, the term “IDENTIFY” means to
12 state the full and complete: (i) name; (ii) home address, telephone, and email address;
13 (iii) employment address, telephone number, and email address; and (iv) relationship, if any, to the
14 plaintiff or defendant

15 4. When used in connection with a document, as defined by Federal Rule of Civil
16 Procedure 34(a), the term “IDENTIFY” means to state: (i) the type of document; (ii) the general
17 subject matter of the document; (iii) the date of the document; (iv) the author(s), according to the
18 document; and (v) the person(s) to whom, according to the document, the document (or a copy) was
19 to have been sent; or, alternatively, to produce the document

20 [You can also create your own definitions.]
21 5. ____________________________________________________________________
22 ________________________________________________________________________________
23 ________________________________________________________________________________
24 ________________________________________________________________________________
25 6. ____________________________________________________________________
26 ________________________________________________________________________________
27 ________________________________________________________________________________
28 ________________________________________________________________________________
INTERROGATORIES
PAGE ___ OF ___ [JDC TEMPLATE]
1 II. INTERROGATORIES
[Write out each question as simply as possible. It may be useful to include information such names or
2 dates to make your question clear. You can ask up to 25 interrogatories during the case. You do not have
to ask them at all once.]
3
4 1. ____________________________________________________________________
5 ________________________________________________________________________________
6 ________________________________________________________________________________
7 ________________________________________________________________________________
8 2. ____________________________________________________________________
9 ________________________________________________________________________________
10 ________________________________________________________________________________
11 ________________________________________________________________________________
12 3. ____________________________________________________________________
13 ________________________________________________________________________________
14 ________________________________________________________________________________
15 ________________________________________________________________________________
16 4. ____________________________________________________________________
17 ________________________________________________________________________________
18 ________________________________________________________________________________
19 ________________________________________________________________________________
20 5. ____________________________________________________________________
21 ________________________________________________________________________________
22 ________________________________________________________________________________
23 ________________________________________________________________________________
24 6. ____________________________________________________________________
25 ________________________________________________________________________________
26 ________________________________________________________________________________
27 ________________________________________________________________________________
28
INTERROGATORIES
PAGE ___ OF ___ [JDC TEMPLATE]
1 7. ____________________________________________________________________
2 ________________________________________________________________________________
3 ________________________________________________________________________________
4 ________________________________________________________________________________
5 8. ____________________________________________________________________
6 ________________________________________________________________________________
7 ________________________________________________________________________________
8 ________________________________________________________________________________
9 9. ____________________________________________________________________
10 ________________________________________________________________________________
11 ________________________________________________________________________________
12 ________________________________________________________________________________
13 10. ____________________________________________________________________
14 ________________________________________________________________________________
15 ________________________________________________________________________________
16 ________________________________________________________________________________
17
18
19
20
Date: Sign Name:
21
Print Name:
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
INTERROGATORIES
PAGE ___ OF ___ [JDC TEMPLATE]
1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DOCUMENT OTHER THAN COMPLAINT
* You must serve each document you file by sending or delivering to the opposing side. Complete
2 this form, and include it with the document that you file and serve.*
3 1. Case Name: _____________________________ v. ________________________________
4 2. Case Number: _____________________________________________________________
5 3. What documents were served? Interrogatories
6 4. How was the document served? [check one]
7 Placed in U.S. Mail
8 Hand-delivered
9 Sent for delivery (e.g., FedEx, UPS)
10 Sent by fax (if the other party has agreed to accept service by fax)
11 5. Who did you send the document to? [Write the full name and contact information for
each person you sent the document.]
12
13 _____________________________________ _____________________________________
14 _____________________________________ _____________________________________
15 _____________________________________ _____________________________________
16 _____________________________________ _____________________________________
17 6. When were the documents sent? ______________________________________________
18 7. Who served the documents? [Whoever puts it into the mail, faxes, delivers or sends for
delivery should sign, and print their name and address. You can do this yourself.]
19
20 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing
21 is true and correct

22 Signature: _____________________________________________________
23 Name: _____________________________________________________
24 Address: _____________________________________
25 _____________________________________
26
27
28
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE [JDC TEMPLATE Rev. 05/2017]

Before serving this document, make an appointment for free legal information and advice at one of the Legal Help Centers. If you need to submit interrogatories in an employment discrimination case or if you need to respond to interrogatories from the other side, you can get templates from the Legal Help Centers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are interrogatories?

In the practice of law, interrogatories are the most commonly method used in discovery, or in the effort to obtain information from an opposing party to a lawsuit. Interrogatories are written questions posed to the opposing party, for which a response is required, under conditions specified by the jurisdiction ’s rules of court procedure.

What are the rules for answering interrogatories in federal court?

The responding party must answer these questions in writing and under oath. Rule 33 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure regulates the use of interrogatories in federal court. As noted earlier in Chapter 8, many states have adopted civil rules that closely follow the Federal Rules.

When to use a special instruction in interrogatories?

A special instruction may be used to inquire about any information withheld under a claim of the attorney-client privilege, the work product privilege, or the common interest privilege. - Because the instruction section of the interrogatories is a crucial part of this document, that heading should be centered and placed in boldfaced type.