Excerpt: ...ne whether the plaintiff has shown good cause that the official has unique or superior personal knowledge of discoverable information. If not, as will presumably often be the case in the instance of a large national or international corporation, the trial court should issue the protective order and 24 first require the plaintiff to obtain the necessary discovery through less intrusive methods.” Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Superior Cour...

Excerpt: ...is entitled to mandatory attorney fees [and costs].” (Ketc hum v. Moses (2001) 24 Cal.4th 1122, 1131 (Ketchum); Code Civ. Proc, § 425.16, subd. (c)(1).) The “prevailing defendant on a motion to strike be allowed to recover attorney fees and costs only on the motion to strike, not the entire suit.” (LaFayette Mor ehouse, Inc. v. The Chronicle Publishing Co. (1995) 39 Cal.App.4th 1379, 1383; S.B. Beach Properties v. Berti (2006) 39 Cal.4th 3...

Excerpt: ...otional distress. Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16 applies to any cause of action arisin g from an “act in furtherance of a person's right of petition or free speech under the United States or California Constitution in connection with a public issue.” Code Civ. Proc., § 425.16, subds. (b)(1), (e). Any such cause of action “shall be subject to a special motion to strike, unless the court determines that the plaintiff has established ...

Excerpt: ...ns in Redlands, California.” (¶1 of SAC.) The Complaint asserts Plaintiff has standing to sue as an unincorporated association pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 369.5. (¶1 of SAC.) Pursuant to this provision, “[a] partnership or other unincorporated association, whether organized for profit or not, may sue and be sued in the name it has assumed or by which it is known.” Code Civ. Proc., §369.5, subd. (a). As discussed in Tenan...

Excerpt: ...ately met and conferred before the filing of this Demurrer. Defendant argues that Pl aintiff's newly added basis for liability against it, Code of Regulations Title 5 § 5551, fails. Defendant cites to C.A. v. Williams S. Hart Union High School Dist., 53 Cal. 4th 861 (2012), wherein the California Supreme Court held that school principals a nd other supervisory employees “have the responsibility of taking reasonable measures to guard pupils ag...

Excerpt: ... all of the following: 1. The claim upon which the attachment is based is one upon which an attachment may be issued; 2. The plaintiff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based; 3. The attachment is not sought for a purpose other than the recovery on the claim u pon which the attachment is based; and 4. The amount to be secured by the attachment is greater than zero. Code Civ. Proc., § 484.090(a). A cl...

Excerpt: ... amount of $120,832.44 against Defendant, OTA Franchise Corporation (“OTAF”), as follows. Upon filing of the Complaint, or at any time thereafter, the plaintiff may apply for a Right to Attach Order (“RTAO”) and writ of attachment by filing an application for the order & writ with the court in which the action is brought. Code Civ. Proc. § 484.010. If a debtor is a corporation, all of its assets are subject to attach ment. Code Civ. Pr...

Excerpt: ...cation, the court shall issue a right to attac h order if it finds all of the following: (1) The claim upon which the attachment is based is one upon which an attachment may be issued; (2) The plaintiff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based; (3) The attac hment is not sought for a purpose other than the recovery on the claim upon which the attachment is based; and (4) The amount to be secured by th...

Excerpt: ...eement signed by Plaintiff Milton Crews Clark (“Plaintiff”) permits a contractu al fee claim here. (ROA 1499, Ex. 2, at ¶ 15.) Although the fees provision therein allows fees to be recovered by the prevailing party only to the extent incurred “to enforce the compensation provisions of this Agreement,” the right to recovery is recipro cal under Civil Code §1717(a). So fees may be recovered on an action either to enforce the compensation ...

Excerpt: ...10 causes of action for: 1. Failure to Pay Overtime; 2. Failure to P ay Minimum Wages; 3. Failure to Provide Compliant Meal Breaks; 4. Failure to Provide Compliant Rest Breaks; 5. Failure to Provide Itemized Wage Statements; 6. Failure to Maintain Accurate Employment Records; 7. Failure to Pay Wages Timely During Employment ; 8. Waiting Time Penalties; 9. Failure to Indemnify All Necessary Business Expenses; and 10. Unfair Business Practices. On ...

Excerpt: ...rivate Attorneys General act (“Plaintiff”), filed a Complaint against Defendant Belshire Environmental Services, Inc. (“Defendant”). (ROA 2). The Complaint alleges the following 11 causes of action: 1. Violation of Labor Code §§ 510 and 1198 (Unpaid Overtime); 2. Violation of Labor Code §§ 226.7 and 512(a) (Unpaid Meal Period Premium s); 3. Violation of Labor Code § 226.7 (Unpaid Rest Period Premiums); 4. Violation of Labor Code §�...

Excerpt: ...Pay Overtime Wages; 3. Failure to Provide Meal Periods; 4. Failure to Permit Rest Breaks; 5. Failure to Reimburse Business Expenses; 6. Failure to Provide Accurate Itemized Wage Statements; 7. Failure to Pay All Wages Due Upon Separation of Employment; and 8. Violation of Business & Professions Code §§ 17200, et seq. On Oct ober 23, 2019, Plaintiffs filed the First Amended Complaint adding two causes of action for Unlawful Deduction from Wages...

Excerpt: ...ckich, Cruz & McCort (2001) 91 Cal.App.4th 875, 882.) To the extent Plaintiff is requesting that the court take judicial notice of the fact that these cases exist, the request is denied as irrelevant to the issue presented in the demurrer. (Ragland v. U.S. Bank National Assn. (2012) 209 Cal.App.4th 182, 194 [noting that the court may take judicial notice of a recorded deed, but declining to do so where deed was not relevant].) Special Demurrer Sp...

Excerpt: ... action is viable because it relies upon allegations of a breach of a duty owed to the minor Plaintiff. As noted in the authority Defendant cit es in support of the demurrer, “unless the defendant has assumed a duty to plaintiff in which the emotional condition of the plaintiff is an object, recovery is available only if the emotional distress arises out of the defendant's breach of some other leg al duty and the emotional distress is proximate...

Excerpt: ...led a statement that would file an amended answer by the hearing date. As of the day before the hearing, the Court has no record of the amended answer having been filed. The Court takes Defendant's failure to oppose the demurrer as a concession, and on that basis sustains the demurrer. Defendant shall file an amended answer by April 2, 2024. For a complete record, Defendant shall also file by April 2 its original answer as no such filing can be f...

Excerpt: ...r Competition Law. Defendant challenges the pleading on the ground that plaintiff has failed to allege a defect in materials or workmanship, as required under 13 C.C.R. §2037(b)(2). Plaintiff relies on 13 C.C.R. §2037(b)(1), which discusses design issues, but the extended warranty is found only in 13 C.C.R. §2037( b)(2) and requires a defect in materials or workmanship. Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint adds legal arguments as to why the Em...

Excerpt: ...est for judicial notice filed in reply (ROA 24) is DENIED as immaterial to the Court's decision. Statute of Limitations Defendants contend Plaintiff's complaint for legal malpractice and “(a) An action against an attorney for a wrongful act or omission, other than for actual fraud, arising in the performance of prof essional services shall be commenced within one year after the plaintiff discovers, or through the use of reasonable diligence sh...

Excerpt: ...020, Plaintiff Luciano Jimenez, as an individual and on behalf of all ot hers similarly situated (“Plaintiff”), filed a Complaint against Defendant Arcadia Chair Company, Inc. (“Defendant”). (ROA 2.) The Complaint alleged the following seven causes of action: 1. Failure to Pay All Overtime Wages; 2. Failure to Pay All Minimum W ages Owed; 3. Meal Period Violations; 4. Rest Period Violations; 5. Failure to Provide Accurate, Itemized Wage ...

Excerpt: ...tice is submitted, a redline showing all changes, deletions an d additions must be submitted as well. In addition, please provide proof of service of any revised agreement on the LWDA. As to the Settlement: 1. Please provide copies of Plaintiffs' pre -filing letters to the LWDA. 2. Please provide proof of service o f the original settlement papers on the LWDA. Paragraph V of the agreement requires Plaintiffs to serve the LWDA, but the proof of s...

Excerpt: ... Failure to Provide Meal Periods; 2. Violation of PAGA for Failure to Provide Rest Periods; 3. Violation of PAGA for Failure to Pay Minimum Wages; 4. Violation of PAGA for Failure to Pay Overtime Wages; 5. Violation of PAGA for Failure to Provide Accurate Itemized Wage Statements; and 6. Violation of PAGA for Fai lure to Timely Pay Wages at Separation Plaintiff alleges she was employed as a non -exempt worker for Defendant, a nonprofit organizat...

Excerpt: ...020, Plaintiff Luciano Jimenez, as an individual and on behalf of all ot hers similarly situated (“Plaintiff”), filed a Complaint against Defendant Arcadia Chair Company, Inc. (“Defendant”). (ROA 2.) The Complaint alleged the following seven causes of action: 1. Failure to Pay All Overtime Wages; 2. Failure to Pay All Minimum W ages Owed; 3. Meal Period Violations; 4. Rest Period Violations; 5. Failure to Provide Accurate, Itemized Wage ...

Excerpt: ...for a properly noticed deposition. In a minute order dated January 27, 2023, the Court granted Defendant's motion to compel and ordered her to sit for deposition by February 17, 2023. (ROA 164.) Defendants renoticed Doe's deposition for February 15, 2023. This notice was electronically served on her counsel of record. (Lakhman Decl. Ex. 4.) On February 10, defense counsel followed up with a Zoom link for the deposition (which was to be conducted ...

Excerpt: ...not avoid an anti -SLAPP motion directed at a cause of action in a pending complaint (e.g., the second cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress) by filing an amended complaint that effectively drops the claim without prejudice. (See Salma v. Capon, at p. 1294 [legislative poli cy of early evaluation and expeditious resolution of claims arising from protected activity]; see also JKC3H8 v. Colton, at p. 478 [same].) Since ...

Excerpt: ...al). The complaint stated that Chiavetta was on medical leave of absence in Septemb er 2022, when she accompanied her pregnant cousin to Hoag to provide care of the patient as labor began. The Charge Nurse told Chiavetta that she was on a leave of absence and was unable to provide care and treatment to her cousin as a nurse, but could be the patient's doula. Chiavetta adjusted the patient's pitocin and ignored the bedside labor and delive...

Excerpt: ...”.) (Judgment at p. 9, lines 4- 5.) In the instant motion, D efendants state their argument was that “the verdict should be reduced pursuant to section 877.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure in the amount stipulated by the release between Plaintiff and former defendants Managed Facilities Solutions, Inc. and Adam Kida n….” (Mov. Pts. & Auth. at 5, lines 11 -13.) The court notes that Defendants' previously filed Trial Brief on the issue sta...

Excerpt: ...dants (as opposed to entity defendants), a good faith effo rt at personal service must first be attempted before utilizing substitute service – i.e., there must be a showing that the summons “cannot with reasonable diligence be personally delivered” to the individual defendant. (Code Civ. Proc., § 415.20(b).) After a good faith attempt at personal service, an individual defendant may be sub -served by: (1) leaving a copy of the summons an...

Excerpt: ... is denied. It is unnecessary to ask the court to take judicial notice of materials previously filed in this case. A party may “simply call the court's attention to such papers.” (Weil & Brown, Cal. Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial (The Rutter Group 2023) ¶ 9:53.1a.) Merits Defendant moves to set aside the default and default judgment, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 473, subdivisions (b) and (d), Code of Civil Proce...

Excerpt: ...t if it granted TPG's motion to amend and/or motion to bring defendant into case (scheduled to be heard on February 22, 2024), the court may reconsider another trial continuance. (9/18/2023 Minute Order.) At that time, however, the court did not vacate the February 29, 2024 hearing on the motion to continue trial. And, TPG did not wit hdraw its motion to continue the trial date, even though it appeared to be somewhat outdated. On December 8, ...

Excerpt: ...commission reports and commission summaries for all put ative class members, within 20 days. Plaintiffs served a request for production of documents seeking documents relevant to seeking class certification, including documents concerning the “salaries, wage levels, hourly rates, commissions, and/or bonuses of each and every COVERED EMPLOYEE” (Request for Production No. 72). Defendants provided unverified responses with various objections t...

Excerpt: ...nts Compass California, Inc. and Art Heckman's motions to compel plaintiffs Mary Nathan and Reuben Nathan to provide further responses to Request for Production of Documents, Set One, are GRANTED in part and WITHDRAWN in part by moving parties. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.310 [authorizing motion to compel]; Sinaiko Healthcare Consulting, Inc. v. Pacific Healthcare Consultants (2007) 148 Cal.App.4th 390, 409 [court's discretion where responses serv...

Excerpt: ...2004) 122 Cal.App.4th 1229, 12461247.) A self -represented litigant is not en titled to any greater consideration than other litigants and attorneys. (Petrosyan v. Prince Corp. (2013) 223 Cal.App.4th 587, 594 [self -represented litigants are entitled to same treatment as represented parties]; see Cal. Rules of Court, Rule 1.6(15) [de fines “parties” as including both self -represented persons and persons represented by an attorney of record ...

Excerpt: ...this portion of his claim. For the reasons set forth below, the motion is GRANTED. PRELIMINARY MATTERS Because the evidence objected to is immaterial to the Court's ruling, the Court declines to rule on the parties' evidentiary objections. However, the Court must comment on Disney's “Objections to Purported Evidence Submi tted by Plaintiff in Support of His Separate Statement of Undisputed Material Facts,” which are included in Disney's reply...

Excerpt: ... of Civil Procedure section 425.16(g) provides: “All discovery proceedings in the action sh all be stayed upon the filing of a notice of motion made pursuant to this section. The stay of discovery shall remain in effect until notice of entry of the order ruling on the motion. The court, on noticed motion and for good cause shown, may order that s pecified discovery be conducted notwithstanding this subdivision.” “If the plaintiff makes a ...

Excerpt: ...berts dba Image Auto Group; 2. that all parties to this acti on are hereby restrained from instituting or further prosecuting any other proceeding in any other court in the State of California, or any other jurisdiction, affecting the rights and obligations between the parties to this interpleader; 3. that Hudson b e dismissed with prejudice from the instant action, and any legal actions pending against the bond proceeds; 4. that Hudson be awarde...

Excerpt: ...ings is based on the claim that there is no statutory ba sis for the claim and therefore no cause of action can be stated against the City under Government Code section 815. A motion for judgment on the pleadings serves the same basic purpose as a demurrer. It asks the court to determine whether as a matter of law a cause of action has been stated. (See Tung v. Chicago Title Co. (2021) 63 Cal.App.5th 734, 743- 744.) However, it may not be used as...

Excerpt: ...ed in subdivision (b), actions brought under the provisions of thi s chapter shall be set for trial at the earliest possible date and shall take precedence over all other cases, except older matters of the same character and maters to which special precedence may be given by law. “(b) Any action brought under the provisio ns of this chapter in which the plaintiff seeks any relief, in addition to a declaration of rights and duties, shall take su...

Excerpt: ...y judgment is to provide courts with a mecha nism to cut through the parties' pleadings in order to determine whether, despite their allegations, trial is in fact necessary to resolve their dispute.” (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 843.) “A party may move for summary judgm ent in an action or proceeding if it is contended that the action has no merit or that there is no defense to the action or proceeding.” (Code ...

Excerpt: ...operty. ISSUE NO. 2: Summary Adjudication is proper as to Plaintiff's Second Cause of Action for Premises Liability because Defendant had no actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on Defendant's property. Initially, the Court notes that the instant motion and moving papers were filed and served on February 8, 2024, which is only 42 days before the noticed hearing date of March 21, 2024. 75 -days' notice is required on a motion fo...

Excerpt: ...[same].) Specifically, defendants failed to meet their initial burden as to Noticed Issue No. 1 because the issue fails to completely dispose of any cause of action. (See Code Civ. Proc. § 437c, subd. (f)(1).) Defendants met their initial evidentiary burden as to Noticed Issues No. 3. & 5, Even if defendants had met their initial burden as to each noticed issue, plaintiffs met their shifted burden to show triable issues of material fact. (See C...

Excerpt: ...omplaint was filed May 26, 2020. (ROA 2. ) The motion for summary judgment is supported by the declaration of John Battista, a licensed Certified Access Specialist (CASp). He visited the shopping center on May 20, 2022, and found various violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Uniform Building Code, which he detailed in his report. In opposition to the motion, defendant filed a declaration from Jong Park, also a licensed CASp...

Excerpt: ...§ 2031.310, subd. (b)(1).) “To establish good cause, a discovery proponent must identify a disputed fact that is of consequence in the action and explain how the discovery sought will tend in reason to prove or disprove that fact or lead to other evidence that will tend to prove or disprove the fact.” (Digital Music News LLC v. Superior Court (2014) 226 Cal.App.4th 216, 224, disapproved of, on other grounds, by Williams v. Superior Court (20...

Excerpt: ...lves a high - end residential lease. Plaintiffs filed a 12-count complaint against the property owner, Yuan Mu, real estate agent Nancy Milne, and Ascendant International, Inc., dba Re/Max Luxury Properties. It includes causes of action for breach of contract, common counts, fraud, and dec laratory relief. Plaintiffs complain that the house they rented had numerous issues and Yuan Mu refused to fix them. Yuan Mu filed a 13 -count cross -compla...

Excerpt: ...��If a deponent fails to answer any question or to produce any document, electronically stored information, or tangible thing under the deponent's control that is specified in the deposition notice or a deposition subpoena, the party seeking discovery may move the court for an order compelling that answer or production.” Co de of Civil Procedure section 2025.480(b) states, in relevant part: “[t]his motion [motion to compel answers or pro...

Excerpt: ... for deposition. (Id. at ¶¶ 3 -4.) On Apri l 26, 2023, Defendant served objections to the Notice of Deposition. (Id. at ¶ 7.) Plaintiff sent a meet and confer letter on May 11, 2023 discussing Defendant's objections and the particular categories of examination and document requests. (Id.) Defen dant provides no evidence that it responded to the May 11, 2023 letter. (See Major Dec.) GM has evidently agreed to produce a witness for deposition on...

Excerpt: ...ion).” But the reply attempts to mislead the court and ob tain discovery plaintiff's counsel knows this court has denied in prior cases. Indeed, and contrary to its initial assertion, this motion is all about the request to produce all the documents in the General Motors universe about the Silverado vehicle. Th e final sentence of the reply gives the game away: “Based on the foregoing, GM must be ordered to produce its PMQ for deposition on ...

Excerpt: ...5, 162, 164, and 238 -239). The court GRANTS the motions pursuant to CCP §§ 2031.280, 2031.300, a nd 2031.320. The court first notes that none of the documents that were produced in response to the RFP were produced to the court for its review. Based upon the arguments however, it appears that some redacted documents were produced in the responses. Defendants state that many of the redacted documents were not responsive to the requests, nor to...

Excerpt: ...ve of court. Sections 2032.310 and 2032.3 20 provide for additional physical examination with leave of court if good cause is shown. (See Shapira v. Superior Court (1990) 224 Cal.App.3d 1249 -1256.) Defendant has demonstrated there is good cause to allow additional examinations. Plaintiff listed 72 injuries in response to Form Interrogatory 6.2 and stated he consulted with 15 different providers in response to Form Interrogatory 6.4, including a ...

Excerpt: ... Company, Ford Motor Credit Company, LLC and Safeco Insurance Co mpany of America join the petition. The petition is granted in part and denied in part as discussed in detail below. The petition is granted as to Defendant Autonation Ford Tustin but denied as to the 5th cause of action for violation of the CLRA to the extent this claim seeks public injunctive relief. The joinder is granted as to Defendants Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Credit Com...

Excerpt: ...f the petition. Code Civ. Proc. § 1290.6. Respondent Shrier has not filed a r esponse to the petition. Nor was any opposition filed despite the prior motion for continuance, and continuance granted, for purposes of filing an opposition. A petition to confirm an arbitration award must: (1) set forth the substance of or attach a cop y of the arbitration agreement; (2) set forth the name of the arbitrators; and (3) set forth or attach a copy of...

Excerpt: ...award of reasonable attorneys' fees and costs pursuant to Civil Code section 1717, as they are authorized by the Promissory Note at issue in this case. Plaintiff asserts that the motion is timely; that the lodestar applies; that 172.6 hours of attorney time was expended for this action which commenced in October 2020 through August 2023 by Sean Cooney, principal of Cooney Law PC, and is reasonable as this case was aggressively defended until coun...