Excerpt: ...on on both the elements of breach of duty and causation. BREACH OF DUTY The School District acknowledges that California law imposes upon school districts a duty to carefully supervise students while they are on school premises during the school day, and that school districts may be held liable for injuries caused by the failure to exercise such care. (Memorandum of Points and Authorities, page 5, lines 21‐23) The School District contends it di...

Excerpt: ...t (“EBRPD”)'s demurrers without leave to amend. The motion is made pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 663. PG&E and EBRPD filed a joint opposition. For the following reasons, Petitioners' motion is denied. Analysis Motion to Vacate Judgment As a threshold issue, PG&E argues that a § 663 motion is unavailable here, relying primarily on Payne v. Rader (2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 1569. Payne held that “a section 663 motion does not lie to...

Excerpt: ...a separate action for fraudulent transfer. The Court makes no finding on the issue of whether plaintiff's motion for leave to amend was properly served. The Court exercises its inherent judicial power to reconsider its previous order. (See, Brown, Winfield & Canzoneri, Inc. v. Superior Court (2010) 47 Cal.4th 1233, 1249.) Upon further review of plaintiff's motion for leave to amend, the Court now finds that the motion should not have been granted...

Excerpt: ...n is denied as to the disparate facilities claim, with the caveats stated below. The basis for this ruling is as follows. A. Preliminary Matters. 1. Attorney Fees. Plaintiff filed late and defective opposition papers on October 5 and October 11, 2018. At the initial hearing on October 18, the Court gave plaintiff the option of allowing defendant's motion to be treated as unopposed, or continuing the hearing and requiring plaintiff's counsel to pa...

Excerpt: ...her roof and then migrated into the interior, damaging the framing and her personal property. Pacific provided plaintiff a policy of insurance for the home. This dispute turns on whether the policy provides coverage for her losses. II. Motion for Summary Judgment Plaintiff's claims are for breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Pacific moves for summary judgment on the grounds that the undisputed evidence sh...

Excerpt: ...ariety of arguments in support of its motion. It argues that plaintiff's expert does not have knowledge of current standards and practices. It argues that it had no duty to provide any records and that John Muir could have accessed the records electronically. It argues that Ewing had no authority to request medical records and implies she was negligent in not ensuring her request had been met. It argues that plaintiff was negligent. All these arg...

Excerpt: ... merit. The Kuemeller Defendants' special motion to strike pursuant to CCP Section 425.16 is very similar to the special motion to strike made by Defendant Polizzis and their Trusts. The reason for this is obvious. The Kuemmeler Defendants are not alleged to have any personal criminal liability. (Cmplt, paragraph 24(a)) The Kuemmeler Trust owns 21.7% of the property at issue in the case, 389 South, in Alamo, California 94507. (Cmplt, paragraphs 7...

Excerpt: ...low the Motion is denied without prejudice. This is a personal injury matter involving a pool‐ diving incident resulting in Plaintiff's broken neck. Plaintiff was a high‐school senior when he attended a graduation party at CrossDefendants' home. Plaintiff dove into the Cross‐Defendants' pool and broke his neck when Plaintiff's head hit the pool floor. As a result of that injury, Plaintiff is now a quadriplegic. Plaintiff filed a complaint a...

Excerpt: ... damages and calculates interest at the legal rate from the date of the original judgment, May 13, 2008. Background Plaintiff Lola Davis filed a complaint in 2007 against the Cityfed Capital Inc., Derek Wheat and Victor Gess. She alleged that the individual defendants agreed to start a company with her, but in the end the company went nowhere and Plaintiff was the only one to fund it. She sued the defendants for breach of contract, interference w...

Excerpt: .../06/18 ‐ 5 ‐ and/or make such orders concerning the proceedings therein as may tend to avoid unnecessary costs and delay. See CCP Section 1048(a). The court does so here. COMMON QUESTIONS OF LAW OR FACT 1. Tcheong, LLC v. Peter Ramirez, individually and dba The WorldGrill, LLC and Fortress Restaurant, Selina Ramirez, individually and dba The WorldGrill, LLC and Fortress Restaurant (C17‐00563): This case was filed on April 6, 2017. Plaintiff...

Excerpt: ...ranted for the reasons stated below. Personal Jurisdiction California courts may exercise jurisdiction over nonresidents “on any basis not inconsistent with the Constitution of this state or of the United States.” (CCP § 410.10.) The exercise of personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant comports with the Constitutions of California and the United States “ ‘if the defendant has such minimum contacts with the state that the assert...

Excerpt: ...jurisdictional prerequisite to a claim‐relief petition. When the underlying application to file a late claim is filed more than one year after the accrual of the cause of action, the court is without jurisdiction to grant relief under Government Code section 946.6.” (Munoz v. State of California (1995) 33 Cal.App.4th 1767, 1779, internal citations omitted.) Accrual for this purpose is the same as accrual for purpose of the statute of limitati...

Excerpt: ...ons, Inc. (“Lucky”), an Idaho corporation (collectively, “Plaintiffs”). Plaintiffs filed a request to file an extended page length in their opposition. That request is granted. No reply was filed. By way of the Motion, Defendants seek to strike the entirety of Plaintiffs' verified complaint (the “VC”) containing four causes of action for: 1) Libel Per Se; 2) Slander Per Se; 3) Intentional CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORN...

Excerpt: ...event sexual harassment. Plaintiff Tonya Guice was hired as a full‐time security guard in February 2017. When Plaintiff was hired, she was provided a copy of Defendant's Arbitration Policy and Agreement as a mandatory condition of her hiring. The Agreement contained the following language, “By accepting and/or continuing employment with the Company, you agree to the terms of this Policy and Agreement.” Plaintiff has refused to submit to arb...

Excerpt: ..., the summons and complaint were not served within 3 years from the filing of this case. Plaintiff had ample opportunity to properly obtain an order for publication but failed to timely do so. Case is dismissed pursuant to CCP §583.210 et seq.” After plaintiff orally argued the matter on August 9, 2018, the court adopted the tentative ruling as its order and ordered the case dismissed. The formal order granting defendants' motion was signed on...

Excerpt: ...ourth causes of action for negligence and violation of Business & Professions Code section 17200 are overruled. The unopposed requests for judicial notice are granted. (Evid. Code § 452.) I. Background In 2005, Plaintiffs Amir Shenas and Azadeh Vaezizadeh refinanced a property located at 4071 Lilac Ridge Rd. in San Ramon. Defendant Bank of New York is the current beneficiary of the loan. Defendant Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC services the loan. D...

Excerpt: ...5.16 provides that “any cause of action against a person arising from any act. . . in furtherance of the person's right to petition or free speech . . . in connection with a public issue shall be subject to a special motion to strike, unless the court determines that the plaintiff has established that there is a probability that the plaintiff will prevail on the claim. CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE...

Excerpt: ...d by Defendant DeVries. Plaintiffs is suing the State of California, Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”) for (1) premises liability ‐ dangerous condition of public property per Government Code section 835 and (2) general negligence. Caltrans has demurred to the CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 11/29/18 ‐ 14 ‐ second cause of action. In that cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Caltra...

Excerpt: ...ond Amended Complaint (“ASAC”) filed on October 19, 2018. Defendants shall prepare a proposed judgment of dismissal, separate from any formal order on the demurrer, and shall submit that proposed judgment to plaintiff's counsel for approval as to form. Despite the serious concerns expressed in the Court's interim ruling of October 25, 2018, and in Part A‐3 of this ruling below, the Court exercises its discretion not to award monetary sancti...

Excerpt: ... in an employment matter against Respondent's employer. Their attorney‐client hourly fee agreement (the “Fee Agreement”) contains an arbitration clause providing for arbitration of any dispute between the parties. (Decl. of Janis E. Eggleston, filed 8/31/18, attached as “Exhibit A,” Attorney‐Client Hourly Fee Agreement, at p. 8 ¶ 25.) Specifically, paragraph 25 (a) of the Fee Agreement provides for arbitration of fee disputes. JAMS A...

Excerpt: ...of action) are stricken. Courts use a two‐step process for determining whether an action or claims(s) is a SLAPP suit subject to a special motion to strike. Plaintiffs' claims must (1) arise out of Defendants' protected speech and (2) must lack even minimal merit. See Navallier v. Sletten (2002) 29 Cal.4th 82, 88‐89; Jarrow Formulas, Inc. v. LaMarche (2003) 31 Cal.4th 728, 733. The court first determines whether Plaintiffs' claims arise out o...

Excerpt: ...ks to strike the entirety of Plaintiffs' verified complaint (the “VC”) containing four causes of action for: 1) Libel Per Se; 2) Slander Per Se; 3) Intentional Interference with Economic Interest; and 4) Unfair Business Practices. For the reasons stated below, the Motion is granted. The Court notes that Defendant is not the only defendant in this matter, and this ruling does not preclude Plaintiffs' alleged causes of action as to the other de...

Excerpt: ... that the property Alamo leased from Diablo did not conform to the promised specifications. Emo‐Gizella Hites and George Hites (“the Hites”) originally leased the property to Alamo, and Diablo is the successor in interest to the Hites. The demurrer is overruled. Diablo asserts that each of Alamo's causes of action fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action because the lease agreement stated that the property would be lea...

Excerpt: ...'s six causes of action, pursuant to CCP § 437c(f). Defendant Robert Half, International's Motion for Summary Judgment is denied. Defendant failed to establish there are no triable issues of material fact as to each of Plaintiff's six causes of action. Defendant's Motion for Summary Adjudication is granted in part and denied in part. Background Plaintiff Sandra Fabian was a contracted employee to Defendant Robert Half International. Plaintiff be...

Excerpt: ...is a small Brentwood auto dealership. Defendant Carl Watkins is its President/CEO. (UMF 1.) CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 11/08/18 ‐ 8 ‐ Plaintiff Muranishi had his own auto dealership in Livermore, called EMotors. In April 2013, he asked Watkins for permission to sell 21 of his cars off Brentwood Motorsports' lot because his lot failed. (UMF 2.) Watkins agreed. Thereafter, Brentwood Motorsports...

Excerpt: ...(Welfare & Inst. Code § 15610.30) and (2) Deed Reformation (Civil Code § 3399). CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 11/08/18 ‐ 15 ‐ This motion came on previously for hearing on October 10, 2018. At that time, Plaintiff objected to the Reply evidence filed by Defendant. The Court permitted both parties to file supplemental briefs by October 24, 2018. The hearing on the motion was continued to Novemb...

Excerpt: ...ion of the trial court.” (Thomson v. Continental Ins. Co. (1967) 66 Cal.2d 738, 746‐ 747.) The California court has discretion to stay the state proceedings in favor of the federal action. (Caiafa Prof. Law Corp. v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 800, 804.) According to Caiafa, the court should “consider the importance of discouraging multiple litigation designed solely to harass an adverse party, and of avoiding unseemly ...

Excerpt: ...nd obvious. Dangerous Condition To prevail on her dangerous condition cause of action, Government Code § 835, the relevant jury instruction, and prevailing authority require Grilho to prove each of the following: 1. That BART owned or controlled the property; 2. That the property was in a dangerous condition at the time of the incident; 3. That the dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury that occurred; 4. ...

Excerpt: ...on 430.10, subdivision (f), and the complaint fails to plead the facts with particularity as required in causes of action involving fraud. Pleading Standard for Fraud Actions Fraud actions are subject to a stricter pleading standard and allegations of fraud must be pleaded with particularity. (Committee on Children's Television, Inc. v. General Foods Corp. (1983) 35 Cal. 3d 197, 216.) (disapproved on other grounds.) The legal conclusion of �...

Excerpt: ... per se. The Court understands this to mean that Plaintiff dismisses the fourth cause of action as that cause of action appears to based solely on a negligence per se argument. Without the fourth cause of action, the Antioch Defendant is only sued in cause of action three. Therefore, this Court must decide whether summary judgment is appropriate based solely on cause of action three. Defendant argues that the assumption of risk defense applies. A...

Excerpt: ... per se. The Court understands this to mean that Plaintiff dismisses the fourth cause of action as that cause of action appears to based solely on a negligence per se argument. Without the fourth cause of action, the Antioch Defendant is only sued in cause of action three. Therefore, this Court must decide whether summary judgment is appropriate based solely on cause of action three. Defendant argues that the assumption of risk defense applies. A...

Excerpt: ... served as Levandowski's transactional attorney for roughly a decade and took part in many of the transactions that underlie Google's claims against Levandowski. Gardner filed a motion to quash the subpoena arguing that depositions of opposing counsel are presumptively invalid. The arbitration panel ultimately denied the motion. Standard of Review The Court first addresses the appropriate standard of review. Google contends that under Bak v. MCL ...

Excerpt: ...on Service (“Northern”). The motion is denied because a genuine issue of material fact exists regarding the amount Lyon owes on the policy. In relevant part, the policy agreement between SCIF and Lyon provides as follows: “E. The premium shown on the Declarations, schedules and endorsement is an estimate. The final premium will be determined after this policy ends by using the actual premium basis and the proper classifications, rates and r...

Excerpt: ...n Rodriguez was asked to address the following issue of statutory construction: whether Section 473(b)'s requirement that the “application for relief” be “in proper form” means verified discovery responses must be served with a motion for mandatory relief from a terminating sanction when that sanction was based on failure to respond to discovery. The Court answered, yes. An application for relief from a terminating discovery sanction is �...

Excerpt: ... alleges that defendant “negligently . . . continued to apply vacuum extraction (VE) . . . . after three failed attempts; continued to apply VE for more than 10 minutes; used forceps after multiple failed VE attempts; failed to follow protocol regarding the use of VE and use of forceps; failed to perform CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 03/01/18 ‐ 5 ‐ an episiotomy; failed to adequately monitor t...

Excerpt: ...d Parties”). The demurrer is opposed by cross‐complainant Cherokee Simeon Venture I, LLC (“CSV”). The requests for judicial notice are granted. The demurrer is overruled. The Cherokee Fund Parties shall file an answer on or before March 16, 2018. The Court finds that the two causes of action stated against the Cherokee Fund Parties are not barred by res judicata. (See, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Weinberg (2014) 227 Cal.App.4th 1, 7.) Also,...

Excerpt: ... by matters that can be judicially noticed. [Citations.] [Citation.]' [Citation.]” (Pointe San Diego Residential Community, L.P. v. Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP (2011) 195 Cal.App.4th 265, 274.) CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 03/01/18 ‐ 2 ‐ This action arises out of a motor vehicle accident that occurred on or about May 25, 2014. Plaintiff Andrew Mark Robinson was injured when his ...

Excerpt: ...nguage. Further, the opposing parties have not demonstrated prejudice. Travelers filed and served a notice of lien almost 11 months ago, on March 30, 2017. The need to litigate or compromise this lien was obvious long before plaintiff and defendants entered into their settlement agreement. Also, the opposing parties do not explain why litigating the lien in a separate action would somehow be more efficient than litigating the lien in this action....

Excerpt: ... District, after counsels met and conferred pursuant to CCP § 430.41, only the first cause of action for Dangerous Condition of Public Property is subject to the demurrer. Standard of Review The role of demurrer is to test the legal sufficiency of the allegations in the complaint. It raises issues of law, not fact. (Lewis v. Safeway, Inc. (2015) 235 CA4th 385, 388.) “In passing upon the sufficiency of a pleading, its allegations must be libera...

Excerpt: ...ovision in the Isadore contract did not apply to Constanza. In order to be entitled to an award of fees, the party claiming a right to such an award must “establish that the opposing party actually would have been entitled to receive them if he or she had been the prevailing party.” Leach v. Home Savings & Loan (1986) 185 Cal.App.3d 1295, 1307. See also Blickman Turkus, LP v. MF Downtown Sunnyvale, LLC. (2008) 162 Cal. App. 4th 858. ...

Excerpt: ... alternatively adjudication on April 28, 2017. As part of their motion, Defendants submitted two surveys that showed where the relevant easements were located. (See Humann Decl. and Chapman Decl., filed April 28, 2017.) Plaintiff filed his opposition to this motion on July 13, 2017. Plaintiff did not include a survey of the relevant easements, and instead explained that, “I have not yet obtained a survey as I was waiting to obtain the basic inf...

Excerpt: ...o a party's motion). CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 02/15/18 ‐ 2 ‐ Here, moving party fails to identify any new fact, law, or circumstance that would permit the Court to reconsider its prior orders. As a result, the Court is without jurisdiction to hear the Motion, and it is therefore denied. ...

Excerpt: ...2) violation of Civil Code § 2923.6: dual tracking; (3) wrongful foreclosure; (4) promissory estoppel; (5) promissory fraud; (6) intentional misrepresentation; (7) negligent misrepresentation; (8) negligence & negligence per se; (9) violations of Civil Code § 1788 et seq.: The Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; and (10) violations of Business & Professions Code § 17200, et seq.: Fraudulent, Unlawful, and Unfair Business Practices. D...

Excerpt: ...ted” between the parties. (Cmplt, paragraph 18) Defendant Orinda Academy contends that Plaintiff's employment was “at will,” since the employee handbook was changed in August 2015 and all employees so advised of the change to “at will” employment by the new employee handbook. (Cmplt, paragraph 10) An employee CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 02/15/18 ‐ 11 ‐ claiming employment is not “a...

Excerpt: ...fendants' request for judicial notice is granted in part. The Court takes judicial notice of Exhibits “B” through “F”, documents on file in this action. The Court does not take judicial notice of Exhibit “A”, because the subject building permit is not dispositive of any cause of action. 1st and 2nd C/As (Fraud). The motion is granted without leave to amend as to the First and Second Causes of Action for fraud and deceit. Plaintiffs ha...

Excerpt: ...ued discovery subpoenas that intrude into the protected private sphere of Plaintiff and her children. Specifically, the Motion seeks to quash subpoenas issued by Defendants on the Employment Development Department (“EDD”), the financial aid departments of UC Berkeley and CSU San Diego, Covered California, and California's Department of Health Care Services. For reasons explained below, the Motion is granted. Legal Standard Code of Civil Proce...

Excerpt: ...Lincoln Prop. Co., N.C., Inc. v. Travelers Indem. Co. (2006) 137 Cal.App.4th 905, 916. Further, “it is an abuse of discretion to deny leave to amend where the opposing party was not misled or prejudiced by the amendment.” Kittredge Sports Co. v. Super. Ct. (1989) 213 Cal.App.3d 1045, 1048. The opposition argues that the proposed first amended cross‐complaint (“1ACC”) is a sham pleading. It generally avers that this is so because the 1AC...

Excerpt: ...ice, and on any terms as may be proper, allow a party to amend any pleading… ” (CCP § 473(a)(1).) While judicial policy favors resolution of all disputed matters between the parties, the CONTRA COSTA SUPERIOR COURT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT: 33 HEARING DATE: 02/01/18 ‐ 2 ‐ court finds the public nuisance cause of action fails to state a cause of action as it is timebarred. “Ordinarily, the judge will not consider the validity of ...

Excerpt: ...d Omissions policy to insure itself for any liability arising out of the performance of processing and facilitating payroll taxes for its clients. (¶ 10.) Defendant Scottsdale issued Affordable a “Business and Management Indemnity Policy.” (¶ 12.) It issued a renewal policy on identical terms a year later, but the following year issued another “renewal” with a broader Endorsement 8 set of exclusions. (¶ 12‐15.) On May 10, 2013, the A...

Excerpt: ...e claims alleged against Defendants are real property claims. The Court's ruling on the real property claim issue is included in this ruling for completeness. The Court continued the hearing to allow supplemental briefing on whether or not Plaintiffs have met their burden by showing its claims have probable validity. (See Code of Civil Procedure § 405.30, 405.32.) Code of Civil Procedure § 405.30 allows a property owner to file a motion to remo...