Part of the pre-trial discovery (fact-finding) process in which a witness provides written answers to written questions under oath. The answers must be returned within a specified time, usually 30 days, and often can be used as evidence in the trial. Objections as to relevancy or clarity may be raised either at the time the interrogatories are answered or when they are used in trial. Most states limit the number of interrogatories that may be asked without the court's permission to keep the questions from being a means of harrassment rather than a source of information.
