§ 6-336.Requests for admission.

Article 3: Nebraska Court Rules of Discovery in Civil Cases. (Effective January 1, 2025.) · Last amended September 3, 2025 · Last verified July 22, 2026

This section prints two full, separately-dated versions in the official compilation (the January 1, 2025 discovery/pleading rewrite); both are shown below, current version first.

In one sentenceSection 6-336 lets a party ask another to admit facts, the application of law to facts, opinions, or the genuineness of documents, treating any matter not timely answered or objected to as admitted, and making an admitted matter conclusively established unless the court allows it to be withdrawn.

Full Text of § 6-336

Text sizeCurrent version (effective January 1, 2025) — jump to: (a) (b)

Prior version (in effect before January 1, 2025) — jump to: (a) (b)

§ 6-336. Requests for admission. — Current version (effective January 1, 2025)

(a) Scope and Procedure.

(1) Scope. 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) relating to:

(A) facts, the application of law to fact, or opinions about either; and

(B) the genuineness of any described documents.

(2) Form; Copy of a Document. Each matter must be separately stated. A request to admit the genuineness of a document must be accompanied by a copy of the document unless it is, or has been, otherwise furnished or made available for inspection and copying.

(3) When Served; Editable Format. Requests may be served on the plaintiff after commencement of the action and on any other party with or after service of the summons on that party. Upon demand, the party served with the requests must be given an electronic copy of the requests in a readily editable format.

(4) Time to Respond; Effect of Not Responding. A matter is admitted unless the party to whom the request is directed serves on the requesting party a written answer or objection addressed to the matter and signed by the party or its attorney:

(A) within 30 days after being served with the request;

(B) if the party is a defending party within 45 days after being served with the summons or 30 days after being served with the request, whichever is longer; or

(5) Answer. If a matter is not admitted, the answer must specifically deny it or state in detail why the answering party cannot truthfully admit or deny it. A denial must fairly respond to the substance of the matter; and when good faith requires that a party qualify an answer or deny only a part of the matter, the answer must specify the part admitted and qualify or deny the rest. The answering party may assert lack of knowledge or information as a reason for failing to admit or deny only if the party states that it has made reasonable inquiry and that the information it knows or can readily obtain is insufficient to enable it to admit or deny.

(6) The grounds for objecting to a request must be stated. A party must not object solely on the ground that the request presents a genuine issue for trial.

(7) Form of Answer or Objection. The answering or objecting party must reproduce each request and then state the party’s answer or objection to the request.

(8) Motion Regarding the Sufficiency of an Answer or Objection. The requesting party may move to determine the sufficiency of an answer or objection. Unless the court finds an objection justified, it must order that an answer be served. On finding that an answer does not comply with this rule, the court may order either that the matter is admitted or that an amended answer be served. The court may defer its final decision until a pretrial conference or a specified time before trial. Rule 37(a)(5) applies to an award of expenses.

(b) Effect of Admission; Withdrawing or Amending It. A matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established unless the court, on motion, permits the admission to be withdrawn or amended. The court may permit withdrawal or amendment if it promotes the presentation of the merits of the action and if the court is not persuaded that it would prejudice the requesting party in maintaining or defending the action on the merits. An admission under this rule is not an admission for any other purpose and cannot be used against the party in any other proceeding.

§ 6-336. Requests for admission. — Prior version (in effect before January 1, 2025)

(a) 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(b) 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 documents 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. 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 upon that party.

Each matter of which an admission is requested shall be separately set forth by the party making the request, and shall be repeated by the responding party in the answer or objection thereto. The matter is admitted unless, within thirty 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 his or her attorney, but, unless the court shortens the time, a defendant shall not be required to serve answers or objections before the expiration of forty-five days after service of the summons upon him or her. 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 or her answer or deny only a part of the matter of which an admission is requested, he or she 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 he or she states that he or she has made reasonable inquiry and that the information known or readily obtainable by him or her is insufficient to enable him or her 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 or she may, subject to the provisions of Rule 37(c), deny the matter or set forth reasons why he or she 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 pretrial conference or at a designated time prior to trial. The provisions of Rule 37(a)(4) apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the motion.

(b) Effect of Admission. Any matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established unless the court on motion permits withdrawal or amendment of the admission. 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 him or her in maintaining his or her 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 him or her for any other purpose nor may it be used against him or her in any other proceeding.

End

Amendment History

Current version (effective January 1, 2025)

§ 6-336 amended November 13, 2024, effective January 1, 2025; § 6-336 amended September 3, 2025.

Official Comment

Current version (effective January 1, 2025)

COMMENTS TO § 6-336 [1] Much of the rule is modeled on Federal Rule 36. There are minor differences, however, including when requests may be served and how the responding party must structure its responses. [2] Unlike the rules governing interrogatories and document production requests, § 6-336 does not require the responding party to state its objections with specificity. The specificity requirement is designed to help parties to resolve discovery disputes. Requests for admission, however, are a means of establishing facts rather than discovering them. Therefore, the rationale for the specificity requirement does not apply to them.

Prior version (in effect before January 1, 2025)

COMMENTS TO RULE 36 36(a) This section follows the federal rule and adds to former Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1267.41 (Repealed 1982) by providing a procedure for determining the sufficiency of answers or objections. 36(b) This section follows the federal rule, and includes language controlling the effect and withdrawal of admissions. The former law was Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1267.42 (Repealed 1982).

Plain-English Summary

Requests for admission narrow a case down to what the parties still dispute. Section 6-336 lets a party ask another to admit, for that case only, the truth of facts, the application of law to facts, opinions about either, or the genuineness of a described document — attaching a copy of the document unless it has already been shared. Each matter has to be stated separately, and the responding party generally has 30 days to answer (45 days after the summons for a defending party, if longer), or the request is deemed admitted by default.

A response that does not admit a request has to do real work: specifically deny it, or explain in detail why the party cannot truthfully admit or deny it. A denial must address the substance of what was asked, and if only part of a request is true, the answer has to say what part is admitted and qualify or deny the rest. Claiming ignorance only works if the party states it made a reasonable inquiry and still cannot get enough information to answer. Objecting parties must state their grounds — though unlike interrogatories, they do not need to explain why in detail — and cannot object merely because the request touches a genuine issue for trial. If the requesting party thinks an answer or objection falls short, it can ask the court to rule on its sufficiency, and the court can order an admission be treated as established or that an amended answer be served. Once something is admitted, it is conclusively established in the case unless the court allows it to be withdrawn or amended — and even then, an admission only matters in the case where it was made; it cannot be used against the admitting party anywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I do not respond to a request for admission in time?

The matter is deemed admitted by default — the rule treats an unanswered request as admitted unless a timely written answer or objection is served.

How should I respond if I cannot fully admit a request?

Specifically deny it, or explain in detail why you cannot truthfully admit or deny it; if only part is true, admit that part and qualify or deny the rest.

Can I claim I lack knowledge to answer a request for admission?

Only if you state that you made a reasonable inquiry and the information you know or can readily obtain is still insufficient to admit or deny.

Can a party object to a request for admission just because it raises a genuine issue for trial?

No. The rule specifically prohibits objecting on that ground alone.

What happens once a matter is admitted under this rule?

It is conclusively established in the case unless the court, on motion, permits it to be withdrawn or amended.

Can an admission made under this rule be used against me in a different case?

No. An admission is for purposes of the pending action only and is not an admission for any other purpose.

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Judicial Branch, adopted by the Supreme Court of Nebraska. Last verified July 22, 2026. · Official source

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