Sec. 1.246  Admission of facts and genuineness of documents.

    (a) Within 20 days after the time for filing a notice of appearance 
has expired; or within 20 days after the release of an order adding 
parties to the proceeding (see Secs. 1.223 and 1.227) or changing the 
issues (see Sec. 1.229); or within such shorter or longer time as the 
presiding officer may allow on motion or notice, a party may serve upon 
any other party a written request for the admission by the latter of the 
genuineness of any relevant documents identified in and exhibited by a 
clear copy with the request or of the truth of any relevant matters of 
fact set forth in the request.
    (b) Each of the matters of which an admission is requested shall be 
deemed admitted unless, within a period designated in the request, not 
less than 10 days after service thereof, or within such shorter or 
longer time as the presiding officer may allow on motion or notice, the 
party to whom the request is directed serves upon the party requesting 
the admission either: (1) A sworn statement denying specifically the 
matters of which an admission is requested or setting forth in detail 
the reasons why he cannot truthfully admit or deny those matters, or (2) 
written objections on the ground that some or all of the requested 
admissions are privileged or irrelevant or that the request is otherwise 
improper in whole or in part. If written objections to a part of the 
request are made, the remainder of the request shall be answered within 
the period designated in the request. A denial shall fairly meet the 
substance of the requested admission, and when good faith requires that 
a party deny only a part or a qualification of a matter of which an 
admission is requested, he shall specify so much of it as is true and 
deny only the remainder.
    (c) A copy of the request and of any answer shall be served by the 
party filing on all other parties to the proceeding and upon the 
presiding officer.
    (d) Written objections to the requested admissions may be ruled upon 
by the presiding officer without additional pleadings.
[ 33 FR 463 , Jan. 12, 1968, as amended at  35 FR 17333 , Nov. 11, 1970]