K.S.A. 60-236.Requests for admission

A request for admission can be served on the plaintiff once the action starts and on any other party once served with process, asking that party to admit, for purposes of that action only, the truth of facts, the application of law to fact, opinions about either, or the genuineness of a described document. Each matter has to be stated separately, and a request about a document's genuineness must come with a copy of the document unless it's already been furnished or made available for inspection.

Silence is costly here. Unless the responding party serves a written answer or objection within 30 days of being served -- 45 days for a defendant answering after service of process, or whatever different period the parties stipulate to or the court orders -- the matter is admitted. An answer that doesn't admit the matter has to specifically deny it or explain in detail why the party can't truthfully admit or deny it; a party can plead lack of knowledge only after stating it made reasonable inquiry and that what it knows or can readily obtain isn't enough to answer either way. Good faith may require admitting part of a statement and denying or qualifying the rest, and objecting solely because a request presents a genuine issue for trial isn't allowed. If the requesting party thinks an answer or objection falls short, it can move the court to test its sufficiency; the court can order a proper answer served, order the matter admitted, or defer the decision until a pretrial conference or a set time before trial.

An admission made under this rule is conclusively established in that case unless the court, on motion, lets it be withdrawn or amended -- and it can do that only if withdrawal would help present the case's merits and wouldn't prejudice the requesting party's ability to prove or defend its case. Outside that one case, the admission carries no weight at all: it can't be used against the party in any other proceeding.