R. 6:4-3. — Interrogatories; Admissions; Production

a. Generally. Except as otherwise provided by R. 6:4-3(b) interrogatories maybe served pursuant to the applicable provisions of R. 4:17 in all actions except forcible entry and detainer actions, summary landlord and tenant actions for the recovery of premises, and actions commenced or pending in the Small Claims Section. The 40- day and 60- day periods prescribed by R. 4:17-2 and R. 4:17-4, respectively, for serving and answering interrogatories shall, however, be each reduced to 30 days in Special Civil Part actions.

b. Automobile Negligence and Personal Injury Actions. A party in an automobile negligence or personal injury action may propound interrogatories only by demanding, in the initial pleading, that the opposing party answer the appropriate standard set of interrogatories set forth in Forms A, A(1), A(2), C, C(1) through C(4), D, and E of Appendix II to these Rules, specifying to which set of interrogatories answers are demanded and to which questions, if less than all in the set. The demand shall be stated in the propounding party's initial pleading immediately following the signature. Interrogatories shall be served upon a party appearing pro se within 10 days after the date on which the pro se party's initial pleading is received. Answers to the interrogatories shall be served within 30 days after service of the answer, except that a pro se party shall serve answers within 30 days after receipt of the interrogatories. The answers shall be set forth in a document duplicating the appropriate Form, containing the questions propounded, each followed immediately by the answer thereto. Additional interrogatories may be served and enlargements of time to answer may be granted only by court order upon motion on notice, made within the 30-day period, for good cause shown, and on such terms as the court directs.

c. Physical and Mental Examinations in Personal Injury Actions; Protective Orders. The provisions of R. 4:19 shall apply to personal injury actions in the Special Civil Part, except that the time period prescribed by R. 4:19-1, requiring that an examination not be scheduled prior to 45 days following the notice of the examination and that a motion for a protective order be filed within this 45-day period, is reduced to 30 days. In addition, a party requesting an examination shall do so by specific demand in the party's answer immediately following the signature line.

d. Request for Admissions. The provisions of R. 4:22 (admission of facts and genuineness of documents) shall apply to actions in the Special Civil Part.

e. Production; Inspection. The provisions of R. 4:18 (production of documents, inspection) shall apply to actions in the Special Civil Part.

f. Actions Cognizable But Not Pending in Small Claims Section, Discovery. Any action filed in the Special Civil Part that is cognizable but not pending in the Small Claims Section may proceed with discovery, but each party is limited to serving interrogatories consisting of no more than [five] ten questions without parts. Such interrogatories shall be served and answered within the time limits set forth in R. 6:4-3(a). Additional interrogatories may be served and enlargements of time to answer may be granted only by court order on timely notice of motion for good cause shown.