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Key Facts
- California state level: “Form interrogatories” means official form discovery questions recognized by California’s Civil Discovery Act.
- California state level: California permits any additional number of relevant official form interrogatories beyond the ordinary limit of 35 specially prepared interrogatories.
- California state level: Written interrogatory responses generally must be signed under oath by the responding party unless they contain only objections.
- Federal level: Federal Rule 33 does not create a comparable Judicial Council form set and generally limits interrogatories to 25, including discrete subparts, unless otherwise stipulated or ordered.
Form interrogatories are prewritten official discovery questions used in California civil cases. Lawyers sometimes use “form rogs” as an informal shorthand. The governing statutory concept is state-specific even though interrogatories also exist in federal court.
California law recognizes official form interrogatories
California Code of Civil Procedure section 2030.010 allows a party to send written interrogatories to another party within the statutory discovery scope. Questions may address contentions and the facts, witnesses, and writings supporting them.
Section 2030.030 distinguishes specially prepared questions from official form interrogatories. A party may propound 35 specially prepared interrogatories as a matter of right and any additional number of relevant official form interrogatories.
This framework belongs to California state civil discovery. It should not be treated as a nationwide interrogatory rule.
Timing and signatures follow California statutes
As amended effective January 1, 2026, section 2030.020 permits a defendant to propound interrogatories at any time without leave and generally permits a plaintiff to do so 10 days after service of summons or the other party’s appearance, whichever occurs first. The statute contains additional provisions for specified proceedings and earlier discovery by court permission for good cause.
Under section 2030.250, the responding party signs answers under oath unless the response contains only objections. An attorney signs responses containing objections. Entity responses have additional signature rules stated in the statute.
Federal interrogatories use a different system
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 33 governs interrogatories to parties in federal civil actions. Unless stipulated or ordered otherwise, it generally permits no more than 25 written interrogatories, including discrete subparts.
Federal answers and objections generally are due within 30 days after service. Each nonobjected-to interrogatory must be answered separately and fully in writing under oath, and objections must state their grounds with specificity.
Federal civil procedure supplies a separate discovery system. A California official form does not replace Rule 33 or a federal court’s orders.
Form questions do not eliminate disputes
California section 2030.030 authorizes additional official form interrogatories only when they are relevant to the subject matter of the pending action. Disputes over interrogatories are governed by the applicable court system, not by the form label alone.
The jurisdiction label is therefore essential: California form interrogatories are a California state-court device, while federal interrogatories arise under Rule 33 and federal court procedure.
