What Are Interrogatories?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Interrogatories are one of the lesser known tools in the Queensland civil litigation toolkit. But in the right case, they can be extremely powerful. An interrogatory is a written question that one party serves on another party requiring a sworn answer about matters in dispute. Unlike disclosure, which is about documents, interrogatories are designed to obtain factual answers, clarify positions, narrow issues, and sometimes secure admissions before trial. But interrogatories are tightly controlled in Queensland. Under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules, you can't simply serve them whenever you want. In most cases, you need leave of the court first. The court will consider whether the interrogatories are necessary, proportionate, and genuinely helpful in resolving the dispute efficiently. If the questions are irrelevant, oppressive, repetitive, or simply designed to burden the other party, the court may refuse leave altogether. That said, interrogatories [snorts] are used less frequently in modern litigation because courts increasingly focus on proportionality, efficiency, and reducing unnecessary costs. If you're involved in litigation in Queensland and need advice about interrogatories, disclosure obligations, or litigation strategy, contact Stonegate Legal for a free 30-minute consultation.