Enter to open, tab to navigate, enter to select
Written Discovery Toolkit (PA)
Practical Law Toolkit w-040-5448 (Approx. 5 pages)
Resources to assist counsel with obtaining and using written discovery from parties and nonparties in a civil action pending in a Pennsylvania court of common pleas. Specifically, this Toolkit offers links to resources explaining the permissible scope and use of written discovery and how to draft, serve, respond to, and enforce interrogatories, requests for production of documents (RFPs), requests for admission (RFAs), and subpoenas.
Parties use various types of written discovery to obtain evidence during pretrial litigation. Written discovery addressed to parties generally includes interrogatories, requests for the production of documents (RFPs), and requests for admission (RFAs), while discovery addressed to nonparties includes subpoenas.
Counsel use the information and documents they obtain in written discovery to:
- Draft supplemental discovery requests.
- Move to compel discovery.
- Prepare for depositions.
- File or oppose summary judgment motions.
- Inform settlement discussions.
- Prepare for trial.
This Toolkit offers links to resources explaining the permissible scope and use of these written discovery devices, how to ensure the preservation of responsive documents, and how to draft, respond to, enforce, and use written discovery in a civil action pending in a Pennsylvania court of common pleas.
For more on Pennsylvania courts, see Practice Note, Pennsylvania State Court Structure. For links to resources to assist counsel in using depositions to obtain testimonial evidence, including to obtain or explain written discovery, see Deposition Toolkit (PA).