- A request to admit is a written document, served on the other party, listing specific facts or documents and asking the recipient to admit them as true or genuine.
- A request to admit generally works best for facts that are genuinely uncontroversial, even if the parties disagree about what those facts mean legally.
- Once served with a request to admit, the recipient generally has a few options for each item listed: A response has to be genuine and specific — simply denying everything without a real…
Not every fact in a lawsuit is actually in dispute — but proving even an obvious, uncontested fact at trial still takes time and money unless someone forces the issue beforehand. That's the purpose of a request to admit in Ontario civil litigation: a formal tool that asks the other side to concede specific facts or the authenticity of specific documents, so the trial can focus on what's genuinely contested.
Used well, it narrows a case significantly before trial. Ignored, it can create real consequences for the party who fails to respond properly.
What a Request to Admit Does
A request to admit is a written document, served on the other party, listing specific facts or documents and asking the recipient to admit them as true or genuine. It is not a general fishing expedition — it's meant for facts that shouldn't reasonably be in dispute, freeing up the trial to focus on the real points of disagreement.
Common uses include asking the other side to admit:
- That a particular document is genuine (e.g., a contract, an invoice, an email)
- That certain events happened on a specific date
- That certain amounts are accurate, where the calculation itself isn't contested
- Straightforward background facts that aren't really the crux of the dispute
What You Can (and Can't) Ask the Other Side to Admit
A request to admit generally works best for facts that are genuinely uncontroversial, even if the parties disagree about what those facts mean legally. It's not designed to force an opponent to concede the central, disputed issues in the case — those get resolved at trial, not through a request to admit.
| Good candidate for a request to admit | Poor candidate |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of a specific document | Whether the defendant breached the contract |
| A date something occurred | Whether the plaintiff suffered damages |
| An amount that isn't in dispute | The ultimate legal conclusion in the case |
Responding to a Request to Admit
Once served with a request to admit, the recipient generally has a few options for each item listed:
| Response | What it means |
|---|---|
| Admit | The fact or document is accepted as true or genuine for the purposes of the case |
| Deny | The party disputes the fact and will require it to be proven at trial |
| State inability to admit or deny | The party explains why it can't honestly do either — for example, it genuinely doesn't have the information |
A response has to be genuine and specific — simply denying everything without a real basis, or ignoring the request altogether, carries risk.
What Happens If You Ignore It or Respond Late
Ontario's civil procedure rules attach real consequences to a request to admit that isn't dealt with properly. The specifics of the applicable deadline are set out in the Rules of Civil Procedure and should be confirmed for your case rather than assumed, but the general principle is this: if a party doesn't respond within the time the rules allow, the facts and documents in the request can be treated as though they were admitted — without the requesting party ever having to prove them.
That's a serious consequence. A missed deadline can mean conceding facts you actually would have wanted to dispute, simply because no response was filed in time.
Why Requests to Admit Matter Strategically
Beyond narrowing the issues, requests to admit can influence costs at the end of a case. If a party denies something in a request to admit and the requesting party then has to spend time and expense proving that fact at trial anyway, a court can take an unreasonable denial into account when deciding costs — consistent with Ontario's general "loser generally contributes to the winner's costs" approach, though the specific consequences and how a court weighs them are always within the court's discretion.
This gives both sides an incentive to be honest and efficient with requests to admit: admitting what's genuinely true saves everyone time, and denying only what's genuinely disputed avoids unnecessary risk later.
Frequently asked questions
What if I'm not sure whether something is true?
If you genuinely don't know and can't reasonably find out, the rules allow you to state that you can't admit or deny the fact, along with your reasons. This is different from simply ignoring the request or denying everything reflexively.
Can I change my response after I've admitted something?
Withdrawing or amending an admission made in response to a request to admit is possible in some circumstances, but it isn't something to count on — courts scrutinize attempts to walk back an admission, especially later in a case. Get it right the first time.
Does a request to admit apply in Small Claims Court?
Small Claims Court uses a simplified procedure, and the formal tools available in Superior Court actions, including requests to admit, don't operate in exactly the same way there. Ask a lawyer or paralegal familiar with Small Claims practice about what's available in your specific claim.
Who decides what deadline applies to my response?
The applicable time limit is set out in Ontario's civil procedure rules and can vary depending on how your case is proceeding. Don't guess — confirm the deadline for your specific request as soon as you're served with one.
This is a litigation question
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