Rule 36.Requests for Admission.

Rule 36 requests for admission ask another party to admit or deny specific matters — facts, opinions, how the law applies to the facts, or whether a document is genuine — within the scope of discovery. Copies of any documents at issue go along with the request unless they have already been made available. Like other discovery requests, this one can reach the plaintiff as soon as suit is filed and any other party once served.

Each matter has to be listed separately, and it is deemed admitted unless the responding party serves a written answer or objection within thirty days, though a defendant gets forty-five days from being served with the summons and complaint. An answer must specifically deny the matter or explain in detail why the party can neither admit nor deny it; a partial denial has to say what part is true and qualify or deny the rest. A party cannot dodge by claiming ignorance unless it has made reasonable inquiry and still lacks enough information to answer, and cannot object merely because the matter presents a genuine issue for trial.

If the requesting party thinks the answers or objections are inadequate, it can move the court to rule on their sufficiency. Unless the court finds an objection justified, it will order an answer served; and if an answer does not comply with the rule, the court can deem the matter admitted or require an amended answer — and it can instead push the issue to a pretrial conference. Expenses on that motion follow the same rules as a motion to compel under Rule 37(a).

An admission made under Rule 36 is conclusively established unless the court allows it to be withdrawn or amended, which it will do only when that serves the merits and does not prejudice the party who obtained the admission. Importantly, an admission only binds the party in that case — it cannot be used against the party in a different proceeding, except a later suit between the same parties over the same claim.