Court Opinion

ID: 9487750
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 12:25:16.319973+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:52:27.722302
License: Public Domain

FERNANDEZ, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
The district court did not impose some draconian sanction upon Hadley. Far from it. The Rule itself imposes the sanction; it provides that the material “is admitted.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 36(a) (emphasis added). The Rule then goes on to give the district court discretion to permit withdrawal of that admission if certain conditions exist. However, as we have pointed out, there is no absolute right to withdraw an admission just because it relates to an ultimate issue in the case. Thus, when railroads asserted that their admissions were a virtual concession of liability and that the other side had made no affirmative showing of prejudice, we said:
What the railroads are actually asserting is that they had an absolute right under Rule 36(b) to have the admissions withdrawn. Such a reading seems especially inappropriate when the Rule uses the discretionary term “the court may.” ... In a proper case, of course, such as when an admission has been made inadvertently, Rule 36(b) might well require the district court to permit withdrawal. But our re*1351view is limited to whether the district judge abused his discretion. On the record before us, we conclude he has not.
Asea, Inc. v. Southern Pacific Transp. Co., 669 F.2d 1242, 1248 (9th Cir.1981). Moreover, as the Second Circuit pointed out in Donovan v. Carls Drug Co., Inc., 703 F.2d 650, 652 (2d Cir.1983) (citations omitted):
Because the language of the Rule is permissive, the court is not required to make an exception to Rule 36 even if both the merits and prejudice issues cut in favor of the party seeking exception to the rule.... Vesting such power in the district court is essential for Rule 36 admissions effectively to narrow issues and speed the resolution of claims.
Here the failure to answer requests for admissions was not through some inadvertence. It was willful — Hadley’s counsel just decided not to respond even though he knew that he ought to. As the district court pointed out, counsel just disregarded the rules with no real justification whatever. Moreover, the government did point to prejudice, and the district court was satisfied that there would be prejudice both as to discovery against Hadley himself and as to further discovery. Beyond that, the district court noted the effect that counsel’s approach could have on the scheduling of cases and the proper utilization of the district court’s time.
In short, given Hadley’s asthenic excuses, I would not engage in a second-guessing exercise in this ease. I believe that the district court’s decision was well within its discretion.
Thus, I dissent.