§ 386.42 Written interrogatories to parties.

(a) Any party may serve upon any other party written interrogatories to be answered in writing by the party served, or if the party served is a public or private corporation or a partnership or association or governmental agency, by any authorized officer or agent, who shall furnish such information as is available to the party. A copy of the interrogatories, answers, and all related pleadings shall be served on the Associate Administrator or, in cases that have been called to a hearing, on the administrative law judge, and upon all parties to the proceeding.

(b) Each interrogatory shall be answered separately and fully in writing under oath or affirmation, unless it is objected to, in which event the reasons for objection shall be stated in lieu of an answer. The answers and objections shall be signed by the person making them. The party upon whom the interrogatories were served shall serve a copy of the answer and objections upon all parties to the proceeding within 30 days after service of the interrogatories, or within such shortened or longer period as the Associate Administrator or the administrative law judge may allow.

(c) An interrogatory otherwise proper is not necessarily objectionable merely because an answer to the interrogatory involves an opinion or contention that relates to fact or the application of law to fact, but the Associate Administrator or administrative law judge may order that such an interrogatory need not be answered until after designated discovery has been completed or until a prehearing conference or other later time.