Failure to Timely Respond to a Notice to Admit Not an Admission of the Matters Stated Therein—Notice Improperly Sought Admissions that Went to the Heart of the Controversy

12The Second Department determined defendants’ failure to timely respond to plaintiff’s notice to admit was not an admission of the matters stated therein because the notice sought admissions which went to the heart of the controversy:

“The purpose of a notice to admit is only to eliminate from the issues in litigation matters which will not be in dispute at trial. It is not intended to cover ultimate conclusions, which can only be made after a full and complete trial” … . Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, his notice to admit improperly sought the defendants’ admissions concerning a matter that went to the heart of the controversy in this case … . Since the admissions sought were improper, the defendants’ failure to timely respond to the subject notice should not be deemed an admission of the matters stated therein … . Williams v City of New York, 2015 NY Slip Op 01268, 2nd Dept 2-11-15