Requests for Admissions vs. Interrogatories
Updated: Sep 25
What are Requests for Admissions and what are Interrogatories? If you are lucky enough to get far enough to answer that question then maybe you know the difference between the two, but most involved in legal cases do not know the difference, let alone what they are in general.
As you have probably learned by now the legal system isn’t made for the everyday “folks” but most of the everyday “folks” are the ones living and breathing through the cases. Congratulations lawyers you have well earned your keep. [we do know we love our lawyers though, just have to let them know they hit the nail no the head with a profession that is surely needed]
Let’s try and break down these two processes or requests though so when you see them you have an idea of what they are. Or maybe you have already been tossed an email that you opened that has a document with either of these titles on the top and you find yourself here after a nice google search to try to understand what the heck you have in front of you.
What are they in simple terms:
Requests for Admissions is a document that is requesting you to admit some very specific things
Interrogatories is a document that is requesting you to answer questions
Seems simple enough, but also seems similar enough, so why two document types?
Interrogatories are what you are going to see normally first within a case. Most people think of these as “Discovery” but they are just one piece of the discovery process. When you are in a case this is the part of the process that each lawyer (or counsel) will prepare a list of questions that the opposing party will have to answer. These questions are targeted questions that must relate to the case. They must be questions that help get to an answer or understanding of the case you are in.
Requests for Admissions are very targeted and normally seen and used after discovery. This document will be a list of very specific questions that opposing counsel is asking you to admit or deny something specific in regards to the case. These are to try and get you to admit key things that relate to the case and normally to help strengthen the positioning of their client.
So what is the difference —
Interrogatories are general questions that can have a variety of answers.
Requests for Admissions are direct and specific where you must admit or deny, no variety of answers.
Don’t be scared of these documents. — let me repeat myself again —- don’t be afraid of these documents.
I am not saying they aren’t overwhelming and daunting when you first look at them, when you start filling them out, or even when you hand them over but don't be scared of them.
Don’t worry I will be back and we will talk about how to fill these out!
Do’s
Do not’s
What to ask
How to answer
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