Interrogatory
Interrogatories are also known as Requests for Further Information. An interrogatory consists of a formal set of questions that one side of a court case presents to the other in the form of a written document.
The purpose of an interrogatory is to clarify the issues surrounding the evidence and determine which facts will be presented when the case comes to trial.
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These questions are used to gather some general background on the litigants prior to the start of a trial. Because these questions are often of a general nature, it is the normal practice to use form interrogatories, which consist of pre-printed questionnaires that contain questions relevant to the type of case to be tried. Often, local statutes (laws) or court rules determine the content and format of these interrogatories.
Interrogatories may be used in criminal trials as well as civil litigation. While standards of evidence are generally much higher in criminal cases (for the reason than the defendant stands to lose liberty and possibly life), civil cases can involve issues that are far more complex.
For example, for a case against a corporation that alleges gross negligence, the plaintiff must prove that management was aware of a situation and therefore owed a duty of protection to company employees, and was grossly negligent in fulfilling that duty.
Furthermore, the plaintiff must prove to the judge and jury that his/her injuries or illness was a direct result of conditions that existed in the location where s/he was employed.
There are several ways in which a plaintiff could seek to prove these allegations, and the defendant will seek to rebut every one.
By filing pre-trial interrogatories, each side is better prepared to argue their respective cases.