(a) Answer.

(1) Time to Answer or Move:. The Commissioner shall have 60 days from the date of service of the petition within which to file an answer, or 45 days from that date within which to move with respect to the petition. With respect to an amended petition or amendments to the petition, the Commissioner shall have like time periods from the date of service of those papers within which to answer or move in response thereto, except as the Court may otherwise direct.

(2) Form and Content:. The answer shall be drawn so that it will advise the petitioner and the Court fully of the nature of the defense. It shall contain a specific admission or denial of each material allegation of the petition. If the Commissioner shall be without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an allegation as to jurisdictional facts or as to inferences or conclusions that may be drawn from materials in the administrative record or as to facts involved in a revocation, then the Commissioner may so state, and such statement shall have the effect of a denial. Facts other than jurisdictional facts, and other than facts involved in a revocation or in a governmental obligation action, may be admitted only for purposes of the pending action for declaratory judgment. If the Commissioner intends to clarify or to deny only a part of an allegation, then the Commissioner shall specify so much of it as is true and shall qualify or deny only the remainder. In addition, the answer shall contain a clear and concise statement of every ground, together with the facts in support thereof, on which the Commissioner relies and has the burden of proof. Paragraphs of the answer shall be designated to correspond to those of the petition to which they relate.

(3) Index to Administrative Record: In addition, the answer shall contain an affirmative allegation that attached thereto is a complete index of the contents of the administrative record to be filed with the Court. See Rule 217(b). There shall be attached to the answer such complete index.

(4) Effect of Answer: Every material allegation set out in the petition and not expressly admitted or denied in the answer shall be deemed to be admitted.

(b) Reply: Each petitioner shall file a reply in every action for declaratory judgment.

(1) Time to Reply or Move: The petitioner shall have 60 days from the date of service of the answer within which to file a reply, or 30 days from that date within which to move with respect to the answer. With respect to an amended answer or amendments to the answer, the petitioner shall have like periods from the date of service of those papers within which to reply or move in response thereto, except as the Court may otherwise direct.

(2) Form and Content: In response to each material allegation in the answer and the facts in support thereof on which the Commissioner has the burden of proof, the reply shall contain a specific admission or denial; however, if the petitioner shall be without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an allegation, then the petitioner shall so state, and such statement shall have the effect of a denial. If the petitioner denies the affirmative allegation in the answer that a complete index of the contents of the administrative record is attached to the answer, then the petitioner shall specify the reasons for such denial. In addition, the reply shall contain a clear and concise statement of every ground, together with the facts in support thereof, on which the petitioner relies affirmatively or in avoidance of any matter in the answer on which the Commissioner has the burden of proof. In other respects, the requirements of pleading applicable to the answer provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this Rule shall apply to the reply. The paragraphs of the reply shall be designated to correspond to those of the answer to which they relate.

(3) Effect of Reply or Failure Tthereof: Where a reply is filed, every affirmative allegation set out in the answer and not expressly admitted or denied in the reply shall be deemed to be admitted. Where a reply is not filed, the affirmative allegations in the answer will be deemed admitted.

(4) New Material: Any new material contained in the reply shall be deemed to be denied.

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