Title 17
SECTION 12.33
12.33 Admissions.
§ 12.33 Admissions.(a) Request for admissions. Any party may, within the time permitted by § 12.30(d) of these rules, serve upon any other party a written request for admissions of the truth of any matters set forth in the request that relate to statements or opinions of fact or of the application of law to fact, including the genuineness of any document described in the request. Copies of documents shall be served with the request unless they have been or are otherwise furnished or made available for inspection and copying. A copy of the request shall be filed with the Proceedings Clerk.
(b) Reply. Each matter of which an admission is requested shall be separately set forth. The matter is admitted unless within twenty (20) days after service of the request, the party upon whom the request is directed files and serves upon the party requesting the admission a verified written answer or objection to the matter. 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 his answer and deny only a part of the matter of which an admission is requested, he shall specify so much of it as is true and qualify or deny the remainder. An answering party may not give a lack of information or knowledge as a reason for failure to admit or deny unless he states that he has made reasonable inquiry and that the information known or reasonably available to him is insufficient to enable him 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; he may deny the matter or set forth reasons why he cannot admit or deny it.
(c) Determining sufficiency of answers or objections. The party who has requested the admissions may move to determine the sufficiency of the answers or objections. Unless the objecting party sustains his burden of showing that the objection is justified, the official presiding over discovery shall order that an answer be served. If such official determines that an answer does not comply with the requirements of this rule, he may order either that the matter is admitted or that an amended answer be served.
(d) Effect of admission. Any matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established and may be used as proof against the party who made the admission. However, the discovery or decisionmaking official may permit withdrawal or amendment when the presentation of the merits of the proceeding will be served thereby and the party who obtains the admission fails to satisfy such official that withdrawal or amendments will prejudice him in maintaining his action or defense on the merits.