Federal Rule of Bankruptcy 2004 provides interested parties in a bankruptcy proceeding with the ability to obtain prelitigation discovery that is generally broader in scope than what the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allow. The power to commence a Rule 2004 examination, commonly compared to a "fishing expedition," is not unchecked. The principal limitation is the so-called pending proceeding rule, which prevents a party from using Rule 2004 to obtain discovery that would not be available under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Recognizing this limitation at the outset of a case will enable all parties to strategize about how best to deploy Rule 2004 in the context of a bankruptcy case.