Fed. R. Civ. P. 36 — Requests for Admission
Last verified: May 19, 2026 · U.S. Courts — FRCP.
Plain English
Requests for admission lock in facts before trial. You serve a list of statements; the other side must admit or deny each within 30 days. Here is the trap that wins and loses cases: if you do not respond within 30 days, every request is automatically deemed admitted. No motion, no warning. Admitted facts are conclusively established and cannot be contested at trial unless the court permits withdrawal under Rule 36(b).
Key Cases & Authority
- Conlon v. United States, 474 F.3d 616 (9th Cir. 2007) — Leading case on the two-part test for withdrawing or amending admissions under Rule 36(b).
- Perez v. Miami-Dade County, 297 F.3d 1255 (11th Cir. 2002) — Eleventh Circuit standard for relief from deemed admissions; favors merits resolution.
- American Automobile Ass’n v. AAA Legal Clinic, 930 F.2d 1117 (5th Cir. 1991) — Admissions are conclusively binding and may support summary judgment.
Florida Parallel
Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.370 — Florida’s rule mirrors federal, including the automatic-admission default for non-response.
About this rule walkthrough
Part of The Federal Rule Book, hosted by John M. Phillips — Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Court TV analyst, admitted in 8 states + 9 federal districts + SCOTUS.
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Educational only — not legal advice.
Rule Text (verbatim from the Florida Supreme Court)
(a)(1) A party may serve on any other party a written request to admit, for purposes of the pending action only, the truth of any matters within the scope of Rule 26(b)(1) relating to facts, the application of law to fact, or opinions about either; and the genuineness of any described documents.
(a)(3) A matter is admitted unless, within 30 days after being served, the party to whom the request is directed serves a written answer or objection. (b) A matter admitted is conclusively established unless the court, on motion, permits withdrawal or amendment.
Educational reference. This page summarizes a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure for educational purposes. It is not legal advice. Federal procedural rules can change — always verify the current text at uscourts.gov before relying on this summary in any case.
What this rule means in plain English
Requests for admission lock in facts before trial. The other side must admit or deny within 30 days. The trap: no response within 30 days means every request is automatically deemed admitted — no motion, no warning. Admitted facts are conclusively established unless the court permits withdrawal under Rule 36(b).