36.01 Request for Admission. A party may serve upon any other party a written request for the admission, for purposes of the pending action only, of the truth of any matters within the scope of Rule 26.02 set forth in the request that relate to (a) facts, the application of law to fact, or opinions about either; and (b) the genuineness of any described documents. Copies of documents shall be served with the request unless they have been or are otherwise furnished or made available for inspection and copying. The request may, without leave of court, be served upon the plaintiff after commencement of the action and upon any other party with or after service of the summons and complaint upon that party. Each matter of which an admission is requested shall be separately set forth. The matter is admitted unless, within 30 days after service of the request, or within such shorter or longer time as the court may allow, the party to whom the request is directed serves upon the party requesting the admission a written answer or objection addressed to the matter, signed by the party or by the party's attorney, but, unless the court shortens the time, a defendant shall not be required to serve answers or objections before the expiration of 45 days after service of the summons and complaint upon the defendant. If objection is made, the reasons therefor shall be stated. The answer shall specifically deny the matter or set forth in detail the reasons why the answering party cannot truthfully admit or deny the matter. A denial shall fairly meet the substance of the requested admission, and when good faith requires that a party qualify an answer or deny only a part of the matter of which an admission is requested, the party shall specify so much of it as is true and qualify or deny the remainder. An answering party may not give lack of information or knowledge as a reason for failure to admit or deny unless the party states that he or she has made reasonable inquiry and that the information known or readily obtainable by the party is insufficient to enable the party to admit or deny. A party who considers that a matter of which an admission has been requested presents a genuine issue for trial may not, on that ground alone, object to the request; the party may, subject to the provisions of Rule 37.03, deny the matter or set forth reasons why the party cannot admit or deny it. The party who has requested the admissions may move to determine the sufficiency of the answers or objections. Unless the court determines that an objection is justified, it shall order that an answer be served. If the court determines that an answer does not comply with the requirements of this rule, it may order either that the matter is admitted or that an amended answer be served. The court may, in lieu of these orders, determine that final disposition of the request be made at a pre-trial conference or at a designated time prior to trial. The provisions of Rule 37.01 (4) apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the motion.
Rule 36.Requests for Admission
Last amended July 1, 1979 · Last verified July 2, 2026
In one sentenceRule 36 lets a party serve written requests asking another party to admit facts, the application of law to fact, opinions about either, or the genuineness of a document, and treats a request as admitted unless a written answer or specific objection is served within 30 days — 45 for a defendant answering with the complaint — with an admission conclusively established for that case alone.
Full Text of Rule 36
36.02 Effect of Admission. Any matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established unless the court on motion permits withdrawal or amendment of the admission. Subject to the provisions of Rule 16 governing amendment of a pre-trial order, the court may permit withdrawal or amendment when the presentation of the merits of the action will be subserved thereby and the party who obtained the admission fails to satisfy the court that withdrawal or amendment will prejudice that party in maintaining the action or defense on the merits. Any admission made by a party under this rule is for the purpose of the pending action only and is not an admission by that party for any other purpose nor may it be used against that party in any other proceeding.
Advisory Commission Comments
Amendment History
- As amended July 1, 1979.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 36.01 lets a party serve a written request for admission on any other party, covering facts, how the law applies to a set of facts, opinions about either, or whether a described document is genuine. Each matter has to be set out separately, and copies of any documents involved must go along with the request unless they are already available. A matter is treated as admitted automatically if the party to whom it was directed does not serve a written answer or objection within 30 days — 45 days for a defendant answering along with the complaint — so an admission request that goes unanswered can decide an issue without a hearing or a motion.
An answering party cannot deny a request in the abstract; a denial has to address the substance of what was asked, and where only part of a request is true, the party has to say which part and qualify or deny the rest. Pleading ignorance is not enough on its own — the responding party has to say it made a reasonable inquiry and that the readily available information still was not enough to answer. And a party cannot object just because it thinks the underlying issue deserves a full trial; the rule requires either an answer or a specific reason the request cannot be admitted or denied. If the requesting party doubts an answer or objection is adequate, it can move the court to test its sufficiency, and the court can order a better answer or deem the matter admitted outright.
Requests for admission function less like a technicality and more like a tool for narrowing what a trial has to resolve — parties gauge, through the admission process, which issues are worth contesting and which are not. That function extends past pure fact: the rule’s language reaches opinions and the application of law to fact as well, letting a party test an opponent’s position on a mixed legal-factual question, not only a bare fact.
Rule 36.02 limits how far an admission goes: it is conclusively established, but only for that lawsuit, and it cannot be used against the admitting party in any other proceeding. A court can allow a party to withdraw or amend an admission if doing so serves the merits of the case and the party who obtained the admission cannot show it would be prejudiced in presenting its own case as a result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don’t respond to a request for admission?
Rule 36.01 treats the matter as admitted automatically if you do not serve a written answer or objection within 30 days of service — or 45 days if you are a defendant who received the request along with the complaint.
Can I object to a request for admission just because I think the issue should go to trial?
No. Rule 36.01 says wanting a trial on the issue is not, by itself, a valid reason to object. You still have to either answer or state a specific reason you cannot admit or deny the matter.
Can requests for admission cover opinions, not just facts?
Yes. Rule 36.01 lets a request reach facts, the application of law to fact, and opinions about either, along with the genuineness of a described document.
Can an admission I make be used against me in a different lawsuit?
No. Rule 36.02 limits an admission to the pending action. It is conclusively established there, but it is not an admission for any other purpose and cannot be used against you in a separate proceeding.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Commission Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
official Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 36). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Tennessee (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 16-3-402 to 16-3-407, 16-3-601). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 2, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: requests for admissiondeemed admittedadmission of factsgenuineness of documents
Advisory Commission Comments.
Rule 36.01 permits the plaintiff to serve requests for admissions upon the defendant with or after service of the summons and complaint. The rule fixes the time within which responses or objections must be served. The rule also imposes upon a party the duty to make a reasonable inquiry in an effort to ascertain the answer to a request for admissions. [1979.]