Excerpt: ...9/22 Order. For the following reasons, plaintiff's motions are denied. A motion to compel further responses to requests for production or special interrogatories must be accompanied by a meet and confer declaration pursuant to Civil Procedure Code § 2016.040. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code §§ 2030.300(b)(1), 2031.310(b)(1). A meet and confer declaration in support of a motion must show “a reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of ...

Excerpt: ...e additional deposition notices to either defendant only if defendants agree or the court so orders, (iii) and permitting plaintiff to serve additional deposition notices to individuals deposed either in an individual capacity or as a person most knowledgeable only if defendants agree or the court so orders. Defendants' motions are denied. Defendants state no reasons plaintiff's person most knowledgeable deposition notices to each defendant shoul...

Excerpt: ...complaint. For the following reasons, cross-defendants' demurrer is overruled and the motion to strike is denied. In ruling on a demurrer, a court must accept as true all allegations of fact contained in the complaint. Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318. A demurrer challenges only the legal sufficiency of the affected pleading, not the truth of the factual allegations in the pleading or the pleader's ability to prove those allegations. Cun...

Excerpt: ... Inc. move pursuant to Civil Procedure Code section 425.16 to strike the cross-complaint filed by OC Media Tower, L.P. and OCR Land, LLC and/or the following portions of the cross-complaint: paragraph 10; part of paragraph 11; paragraph 12; the first cause of action for fraud by intentional misrepresentation (paragraphs 14 through 20); the second cause of action for money had and received (paragraph 21 through 23); and/or the prayer for relief (p...

Excerpt: ...d the trial court's ruling. On October 6, 2022 the court of appeal issued its opinion affirming in part and reversing in part the trial court's order. See Law Offices of Mark B. Plummer, et al. v. Nabili, Court of Appeal Case No. G060354 (filed 10/6/22). The court of appeal remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to enter a new order granting Nabili's special motion to strike in part by striking the words “incompetent, dishonest�...

Excerpt: ...ve for an order compelling further response if the demanding party deems that any of the following apply: (1) a statement of compliance with the demand is incomplete; (2) a representation of inability to comply is inadequate, incomplete, or evasive; or (3) an objection in the response is without merit or too general. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 2031.310(a). Section 2031.310(b)(1) requires a motion under subdivision (a) to set forth specific facts sho...

Excerpt: ... Little v. Pullman (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 558, 565. The petitioner bears the burden of proving the existence of a valid arbitration agreement by the preponderance of the evidence, and a party opposing the petition bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence any fact necessary to its defense. Id. In a petition to compel arbitration, the trial court must first determine whether an “agreement to arbitrate the controversy exists....

Excerpt: ...s, NNA's motion is denied. The right to arbitration depends upon contract; a petition to compel arbitration is simply a suit in equity seeking specific performance of that contract. Little v. Pullman (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 558, 565. The petitioner bears the burden of proving the existence of a valid arbitration agreement by the preponderance of the evidence, and a party opposing the petition bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the e...

Excerpt: ...tice sought testimony on 28 topics and the production of 23 categories of documents. Id. Plaintiff noticed the deposition for August 23, 2022. Id. On August 17, 2022 defendant served objections to the deposition notice, the matters for examination, and the requests for production. Id. Ex. 3. On August 23, 2022 plaintiff wrote defendant about defendant's August 17, 2022 objections. Id. Ex. 4. Plaintiff's August 23, 2022 letter does not address any...

Excerpt: ...n. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 437c(p)(2); Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850-51. If a defendant does not meet this initial burden, the plaintiff need not oppose the motion and the motion must be denied. Binder v. Aetna Life Ins. Co. (1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 832, 840. If the defendant meets this initial burden, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to produce evidence demonstrating the existence of a triable issue of material fact...

Excerpt: ...re Code § 473(a)(1) provides that “[t]he court may . . . in its discretion, after notice to the adverse party, allow, upon any terms as may be just, an amendment to any pleading . . . .” The court's discretion will usually be exercised liberally to permit amendment of the pleadings. Howard v. County of San Diego (2010) 184 Cal.App.4th 1422, 1428. Although courts should apply a policy of liberality in permitting amendments to pleadings when n...

Excerpt: ...vil Procedure Code § 877.6(a)(1) states that any party to an action in which it is alleged that two or more parties are joint tortfeasors or co-obligors on a contract debt shall be entitled to a hearing on the issue of the good faith of a settlement entered into by the plaintiff or other claimant and one or more alleged tortfeasors or co-obligors. The issue of the good faith of a settlement may be determined by the court on the basis of affidavi...

Excerpt: ...e affected pleading, not the truth of the factual allegations in the pleading or the pleader's ability to prove those allegations. Cundiff v. GTE Cal., Inc. (2002) 101 Cal.App.4th 1395, 1404-05. Questions of fact cannot be decided on demurrer. Berryman v. Merit Prop. Mgmt., Inc. (2007) 152 Cal.App.4th 1544, 1556. Because a demurrer tests only the sufficiency of the complaint, a court will not consider facts that have not been alleged in the compl...

Excerpt: ...has a complete defense entitling it to judgment as a matter of law. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 437c(p)(2); Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850-51. If a defendant does not meet this initial burden, the plaintiff need not oppose the motion and the motion must be denied. Binder v. Aetna Life Ins. Co. (1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 832, 840. If the defendant meets this initial burden, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to produce evidenc...

Excerpt: .... For the following reasons, Union Pacific's motion is denied. On November 22, 2019 a wheel and tire on a chassis separated from the chassis and collided with a vehicle driven by decedent Thu Ahn Nguyen. Union Pacific owned the chassis, which was attached to a tractor-trailer owned by Mario Miranda. George Echeveste was driving the chassis on behalf of XPO Logistics, LLC. Decedent's survivors and estate filed this action against Union Pacific, XP...

Excerpt: ...ke and/or tax defendants' claimed costs. For the following reasons, defendants' motion for an award of attorneys' fees is granted in part and denied in part, and Bernal's motion to strike and/or tax costs is denied. Bernal argues defendants' attorneys' fees motion and costs memorandum are premature because the court has not entered judgment yet. The court has not entered judgment yet because—due to the convoluted history of this case detailed b...

Excerpt: ...led, and the motions for judgment on the pleadings are denied. As discussed below, based on the parties' agreement, the third cause of action for conversion against Billett and McAuliffe is dismissed without prejudice. In ruling on a demurrer, a court must accept as true all allegations of fact contained in the complaint. Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318. A demurrer challenges only the legal sufficiency of the affected pleading, not the ...

Excerpt: ...uth of the factual allegations in the pleading or the pleader's ability to prove those allegations. Cundiff v. GTE Cal., Inc. (2002) 101 Cal.App.4th 1395, 1404-05. Questions of fact cannot be decided on demurrer. Berryman v. Merit Prop. Mgmt., Inc. (2007) 152 Cal.App.4th 1544, 1556. Because a demurrer tests only the sufficiency of the complaint, a court will not consider facts that have not been alleged in the complaint unless they may be reasona...

Excerpt: ...n or free speech under the United States Constitution or the California Constitution 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.” In ruling on a motion under section 425.16, the trial court engages in a two-step process. “First, the defendant must establish that the chal...

Excerpt: ...ppression, fraud, or malice, the plaintiff, in addition to the actual damages, may recover damages for the sake of example and by way of punishing the defendant.” To withstand a motion to strike punitive damages, a plaintiff must plead ultimate facts showing the plaintiff is entitled to such relief. Grieves v. Superior Ct. (1984) 157 Cal.App.3d 159, 166; see also Smith v. Superior Ct. (1992) 10 Cal.App.4th 1033, 1042 (complaint “devoid of any...

Excerpt: ...Ex. 3. The notice sought testimony on 28 topics and the production of 31 categories of documents. Id. Plaintiffs noticed the deposition for July 9, 2021. Id. On July 2, 2021 Fit Kit served objections to the deposition notice, the matters for examination, and the requests for production. Id. Ex. 4. Fit Kit's objections stated, inter alia, Fit Kit would provide dates for a deposition of Fit Kit's witness(es) “to the extent that they are still at ...

Excerpt: ...imply a suit in equity seeking specific performance of that contract. Little v. Pullman (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 558, 565. The petitioner bears the burden of proving the existence of a valid arbitration agreement by the preponderance of the evidence, and a party opposing the petition bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence any fact necessary to its defense. Id. In these summary proceedings, the trial court sits as a trier of ...

Excerpt: ...as no merit, that the plaintiff cannot prove an element of the claim, or that the defendant has a complete defense entitling it to judgment as a matter of law. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 437c(p)(2); Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850-51. If a defendant does not meet this initial burden, the plaintiff need not oppose the motion and the motion must be denied. Binder v. Aetna Life Ins. Co. (1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 832, 840. If th...

Excerpt: .... Motion for Attorneys' Fees California Civil Code §1794(d) provides that a prevailing plaintiff in a Song-Beverly case shall be allowed to recover a sum equal to the aggregate amount of costs and expenses, “including attorney's fees based on actual time expended, determined by the court to have been reasonably incurred by the buyer in connection with the commencement and prosecution of such action.” Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d). The plain word...

Excerpt: ...n that gives rise to this petition on September 9, 2020. Bettenhausen Decl. Ex. B; see also Tishjian Decl. ¶ 5 (“On September 28, 2020, I sent an e-mail to counsel for [Cove] indicating that [Shore] would accept the arbitration of the limited non-monetary issues presented in the demand [for arbitration].”); Bettenhausen Decl. Ex. C. In October 2020 Shore sued Cove in superior court (Case No. 2020-01166079) alleging one cause of action for de...