In federal district court, what is required before serving interrogatories to the defendant?

In federal district court, before serving interrogatories to the defendant, initial disclosures must be arranged. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a), parties are required to make initial disclosures of relevant information at the outset of a case. This includes providing the names of individuals likely to have discoverable information, a copy or description of documents that may be used to support claims, and a computation of damages, among other things.

This requirement ensures that both parties have a basic understanding of the potential evidence and claims involved in the case, promoting transparency and efficiency in the discovery process. Once these initial disclosures are complete, parties can then proceed with more detailed discovery, including serving interrogatories, which are written questions that require a written response.

The other options imply steps that are not required before serving interrogatories. While a discovery plan may be discussed, it is not a prerequisite for serving interrogatories. The need to consult the judge typically arises in more contentious situations, rather than being a standard requirement. Lastly, while the defendant must respond to the complaint, this obligation does not directly relate to the timing of serving interrogatories, as interrogatories are a separate aspect of the discovery process.