Legal Definitions - rogatory letter

A rogatory letter, also known as a letter of request, is a legal document issued by one court to a foreign court. It is used to request that the foreign court:

1. Take evidence from a specific person within the foreign jurisdiction
2. Serve process on an individual or corporation within the foreign jurisdiction
3. Return the testimony or proof of servicefor use in a pending case

For example, if a court in the United States needs to obtain evidence from a witness who lives in France, it can issue a rogatory letter to a French court requesting that the witness be interviewed and the testimony be sent back to the US court.

A rogatory letter is also used by an inferior court to withdraw or waive jurisdiction so that a matter can be heard in the court immediately above. For instance, a municipal court may issue a letter of request to a state court to transfer a case to the state court.

Overall, a rogatory letter is an important legal tool that allows courts to obtain evidence and serve process in foreign jurisdictions.