If a party fails to admit the genuineness of any document or the truth of any matter as requested herein, and if the party requesting the admissions thereafter proves the genuineness of the document or the truth of the matter, such party may apply to the court for an order requiring the other party to pay the reasonable expenses incurred in making that proof, including reasonable attorney’s fees. The judicial authority shall make the order unless it finds that such failure to admit was reasonable.
Section 13-25.—Expenses on Failure To Admit
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSection 13-25 lets a party who later proves a fact or document genuineness that another party refused to admit recover the reasonable expenses of that proof, including attorney's fees, unless the refusal was reasonable.
Full Text of Section 13-25
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 241.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 13-25 creates a cost-shifting consequence for wrongly denying a request for admission. If a party fails to admit the genuineness of a document or the truth of a matter that was properly requested, and the requesting party later proves that genuineness or truth, the requesting party may ask the court for an order requiring the party who refused to admit to pay the reasonable expenses of making that proof, including reasonable attorney’s fees. The judicial authority must make that order unless it finds the failure to admit was reasonable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a party wrongly denies a request for admission in Connecticut?
If the requesting party later proves what was denied, it may ask the court to order the denying party to pay the reasonable expenses of that proof, including attorney’s fees.
Can a party avoid paying expenses under Section 13-25 for denying a request?
Yes, if the judicial authority finds that the failure to admit was reasonable, it will not order expenses paid.
Does the requesting party have to prove the fact was true to recover expenses?
Yes. The requesting party must prove the genuineness of the document or the truth of the matter before it can recover the expenses of that proof.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 13-25). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: expenses for failure to admit CTcost of proving denied request for admissionattorney fees for false denial Connecticutsanction for refusing to admit