Article II. Rules on Civil Proceedings in the Trial Court · Part E. Discovery, Requests for Admission, and Pretrial Procedure · Last amended 2018 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 210 lets a party depose a witness through a written question-and-answer relay instead of live questioning, with a set schedule for cross and redirect questions.
(a)Serving Questions; Notice. A party desiring to take the deposition of any person upon
written questions shall serve them upon the other parties with a notice stating the name and address of the person who is to answer them if known, or, if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to identify the deponent, and the name or descriptive title and address of the officer before whom the deposition is to be taken. Within 14 days thereafter a party so served may likewise serve cross-questions. Within 7 days after being served with cross-questions a party may likewise serve redirect questions. Within 7 days after being served with redirect questions, a party may likewise serve re-cross-questions.
(b)Officer to Take Responses and Prepare Record. The party at whose instance the deposition is taken shall transmit a copy of the notice and copies of the initial and subsequent questions served to the officer designated in the notice, who shall proceed promptly, in the manner provided by Rules 206(f) and 207, to take the testimony of the deponent in response to the questions and to prepare, certify, and serve the deposition on the parties, attaching thereto the copy of the notice and the questions received by the officer. No party, attorney, or person interested in the event of the action (unless he is the deponent) shall be present during the taking of the deposition or dictate, write, or draw up any answer to the questions.
(c)Notice of Filing. Depositions shall not be filed with the clerk of the court as a matter of course. The party filing a deposition shall promptly serve notice thereof on the other parties and shall file the deposition and any exhibits in the form and manner specified by local rule.
Plain-English Summary
Instead of showing up to ask questions in person, a party can serve written questions on the other parties along with notice identifying the deponent and the officer who will conduct the session. Other parties get 14 days to serve cross-questions, then 7 days for redirect, then 7 more for re-cross — a fixed relay rather than a live back-and-forth.
The officer receiving the questions puts them to the deponent, records the answers, and follows the same procedures used for oral depositions when it comes to preparing and certifying the record. No attorney or interested person can sit in on the session or help shape the deponent's answers — the questions have to speak for themselves.
Filing works the same way as other depositions: no automatic filing with the court, just notice to the other parties and filing under local rules if the deposition ends up used in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a deposition on written questions differ from an oral deposition?
Instead of live questioning, a party submits written questions in advance, and the officer reads them to the deponent and records the answers.
How much time do other parties get to respond with their own questions?
14 days for cross-questions, then 7 days for redirect questions, then 7 more days for re-cross-questions.
Can an attorney sit in on a deposition taken by written questions?
No — no attorney or interested person may be present or help draft the answers, aside from the deponent.
Who conducts the deposition on written questions?
The officer named in the notice, who puts the questions to the deponent and records the responses.
Does a deposition on written questions get filed with the court automatically?
No, it follows the same notice-and-local-rule filing procedure as other depositions.
Committee Comments
Paragraph (a) Paragraph (a) of this rule is derived from former Rule 19-7(1). The language is unchanged except that the phrase, “if known, or, if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to identify him,” has been inserted to make the requirements for notices to take depositions upon written questions and upon oral examination the same. See Rule 206(a).
Paragraphs (b) and (c) Paragraphs (b) and (c) are derived from former Rules 19-7(2) and (3), respectively. There are no changes of substance.
Amendment History
Amended effective January 12, 1967; amended October 17, 2006, effective immediately; amended Dec. 29, 2017, eff. Jan. 1, 2018.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:written question depositiondeposition upon written questionscross-questionsredirect questions deposition