A Request for Admission, commonly called an RFA, is a civil discovery tool used to determine which facts or documents are actually disputed.

In North Carolina civil litigation, Requests for Admission are governed by Rule 36 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure.

Unlike interrogatories, which generally ask another party to provide information, an RFA asks the opposing party to take a direct position:

Admit it. Deny it. Or properly explain why you cannot admit or deny it.

For example, a party might ask the opponent to admit that a particular email was received, that a document is authentic, that an inspection occurred, or that a specific event happened on a particular date.

The purpose is efficiency. If a fact is admitted, the parties ordinarily do not need to spend unnecessary time proving that same matter later. If it is denied, the requesting party knows that evidence may be needed to establish it.

RFAs are most effective when they are specific, factual, and focused on one proposition at a time. They can be especially useful for authenticating documents, establishing undisputed background facts, narrowing damages issues, and testing allegations appearing in pleadings.

Under the Rule 36 framework, a responding party ordinarily has 30 days after service to provide written answers or objections, unless the court orders otherwise. A matter can be deemed admitted when a timely compliant response is not served, although the court may later permit withdrawal or amendment under appropriate circumstances.

That is why Requests for Admission should never be treated like ordinary correspondence.

They can significantly shape what remains for discovery, summary judgment, and trial.

Complaint: Here is what I allege.
Answer: Here is what I dispute.
Request for Admission: Now tell me exactly which facts you are really contesting.

That is how Rule 36 can turn a broad lawsuit into a much more focused evidentiary dispute.

Educational information only; not legal advice. Procedural requirements and deadlines should always be confirmed under the applicable rules and court orders.