Admission

What admission means

In practice, you will see admission in pleadings, motions, orders and court rules. The definition above explains the general meaning. Even so, the meaning can shift with context. Therefore, always read it alongside the rule or document where it appears.

Where admission comes up

For example, the term appears in these procedures:

• Requests for Admission (Fed. R. Civ. P. 36): written requests asking another party to admit the truth of specific matters.
• Motion to Withdraw or Amend Admissions (Fed. R. Civ. P. 36(b)): a request to withdraw or change an admission — including one deemed admitted because no response was served in time.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if admission appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read admission in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

You can read the official rule text online for free.

Related legal terms

• Request: asking a person, a party, the clerk or the court to do something.
• Admit: to acknowledge that something is true, or to allow something in.
• Administration: the management and settlement of a deceased person's estate under court supervision, including collecting assets, paying debts and distributing what remains. In government, the term refers to managing public affairs, or to the executive branch led by a particular President.
• Administrative Procedure Act: the federal law, enacted in 1946 and codified at 5 U.S.C. §§ 551–559 and 701–706, that governs how federal agencies make rules and decide cases, and how courts review agency action.

Why precise terms matter

Courts read legal terms closely. As a result, knowing the exact meaning of a word helps you follow orders, rules and filings. Each glossary entry on Lawtopolis is short on purpose and links to the pages where the term is used.