Section 161.9.10. Requests for admission.

       9.10(1) Availability; procedures for requests. The commission may serve upon any party a written request for the admission, for purposes of all proceedings relating to the pending complaint only, of the truth of any matters within the scope of rule 161—9.7(216) 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.

Each matter of which an admission is requested shall be separately set forth.

Notice of the effect of an admission shall be given to the person from whom the admission is sought.

The commission shall not serve more than 30 requests for admission on any party except upon agreement of the party from whom admissions are sought or leave of the presiding officer for discovery granted upon a showing of good cause. A motion for leave of the presiding officer for discovery to serve more than 30 requests for admission must be in writing and shall set forth the proposed requests and the reasons establishing good cause for their use.

       9.10(2) Time for and content of responses. The matter is admitted unless, within 30 days after service of the request, or within such shorter or longer time as the presiding officer for discovery may on motion allow, the party to whom the request is directed serves upon the commission a written answer or objection addressed to the matter, signed by the party or by the party’s attorney.

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 the party’s answer or deny only a part of the matter of which an admission is requested, the party 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 the party states that the party has made reasonable inquiry and that the information known or readily obtainable by the party is insufficient to enable the party 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; the party may, subject to the provisions of subrule 9.16(3), deny the matter or set forth reasons why the party cannot admit or deny it.

       9.10(3) Determining sufficiency of responses. The commission may move to determine the sufficiency of the answers or objections. Unless the presiding officer for discovery determines that an objection is justified, the presiding officer for discovery shall order that an answer be served. If the presiding officer for discovery determines that an answer does not comply with the requirements of this rule, the presiding officer for discovery may order either that the matter be admitted or that an amended answer be served. The presiding officer for discovery may, in lieu of these orders, determine that final disposition of the request be made at a designated time prior to completion of the investigation. The provisions of paragraph 9.16(1)“d” apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the motion.