How many days prior to the trial must a request to admit be served?

The correct answer is that a request to admit must be served more than 20 days before the trial. This timing is crucial as it allows the other party adequate opportunity to respond to the admissions. The Rules of Civil Procedure in Ontario set out this specific timeline to ensure that both parties have sufficient time to prepare for trial based on any facts or documents that have been admitted or deemed undisputed through the request to admit.

This process facilitates the efficient management of cases by narrowing down the issues to be decided at trial, thereby saving time and resources for both the court and the parties involved. By serving the request to admit more than 20 days prior to trial, the parties can focus on the remaining contested issues rather than on those that have been acknowledged.