After commencement of the action, any party may take the testimony of any person, including a party, by deposition upon written questions. The attendance of witnesses may be compelled by the use of subpoena as provided in R. 4:14-7. The deposition of a person confined in prison may be taken only by leave of court on such terms as the court prescribes. A party desiring to take a deposition upon written questions shall serve them upon every other party with a notice stating:
Rule 4:15-1.Serving questions; notice
Last amended September 1, 1994 · Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 7, 2026
In one sentenceRule 4:15-1 allows a party, after the action begins, to take a deposition on written questions, served with a notice, and provides for cross, redirect, and recross questions on a set schedule.
Full Text of Rule 4:15-1
(a) The name and address of the person who is to answer them, if known, and if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to identify that person or the particular class or group to which that person belongs; and
(b) The name or descriptive title and address of the officer before whom the deposition is to be taken. A deposition upon written questions may be taken of a public or private corporation or a partnership or association or governmental agency in accordance with the provisions of R. 4:14-2(c). Within 30 days after the notice and written questions are served, a party may serve cross questions upon all other parties. Within 10 days after being served with cross questions, a party may serve redirect questions upon all other parties. Within 10 days after being served with redirect questions, a party may serve recross questions upon all other parties. The court may for cause shown enlarge or shorten the time.
Amendment History
New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “History” note beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; the “R.R.” citations refer to the former Revised Rules numbering the current rules replaced.
Source-R.R. 4:21-1. Former rule deleted and new R. 4:15-1 adopted July 14, 1972 to be effective September 5, 1972; paragraph (a); amended July 13, 1994 to be effective September 1, 1994.
Plain-English Summary
Not every deposition is a live oral examination. This rule lets any party, after the action is commenced, depose any person — including a party — on written questions. Attendance can be compelled by subpoena, and deposing a person in prison requires leave of court.
The questions are exchanged in rounds. The party serves the written questions with a notice identifying the deponent and the officer who will take the deposition; other parties then have 30 days to serve cross questions, 10 days for redirect, and 10 more for recross, with the court free to enlarge or shorten those times. An organization may be deposed on written questions the same way it can on oral examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a deposition on written questions?
A deposition in which the questions are served in writing rather than asked live. The officer propounds them to the witness and records the answers. Other parties may serve cross, redirect, and recross questions on the schedule the rule sets.
Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the
official New Jersey Rules of Court (N.J. Ct. R. 4:15-1). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey (N.J. Const. art. VI, § 2, ¶ 3). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 7, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: deposition on written questionswritten questionscross questionsserving questions