Requests For Admission Study Outline

Requests for Admission are a tool used during the discovery phase of litigation to narrow the issues that are in dispute between parties. By serving Requests for Admission, a party can ask the opposing party to admit or deny the truth of certain statements or the authenticity of documents. This procedure is governed by Rule 36 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which allows a party to serve up to 25 requests for admission without leave of court. The primary purpose of these requests is to streamline proceedings by eliminating unnecessary proof and reducing the burden of litigation, focusing on the critical issues at hand.

Responses to Requests for Admission must be made within 30 days of service, unless the court orders otherwise. A failure to respond or an inadequate response will typically result in the matters being deemed admitted. This has significant implications for case strategy, as admissions can limit the scope of issues for trial and compel parties to settle, given the diminished room for contention over the matters admitted.

Requests for Admission must be clear, concise, and specific. Each request should not be compound and should only cover a single fact or issue to avoid confusion. Courts tend to favor requests that present straightforward statements of fact that can be easily admitted or denied. Additionally, they can pertain to not only factual assertions but also to the genuineness of documents. The responding party is obligated to either admit, deny, or provide a reason for their inability to respond, which must be justifiable under the rules.

It is also critical to understand that a party cannot object to a request merely because it seems to seek evidence that is inadmissible at trial; instead, the focus is on the truth of the statement being admitted or denied. However, requests that are vague, ambiguous, or overly burdensome may provide valid grounds for objection and can be refused.