Excerpt: ... move to compel further responses to No. 17.1. A party propounding interrogatories may move to compel further responses when an answer “is evasive or incomplete,” “[a]n exercise of the option to produce documents under Section 2030.230 is unwarranted or the required specification of those documents is inadequate,” or “[a]n objection to an interrogatory is without merit or too general.” (CCP § 2030.300(a).) Nos. 9.1 and 9.2 After Alle...

Excerpt: ...iff does not allege purely economic loss. “ ‘[E]conomic loss' is pecuniary damage not arising from injury to the plaintiff's person or from physical harm to the plaintiff's property.” (Rest.3d Torts, Liability for Economic Harm, § 2.) Federal courts have specifically found a tort duty when repairing vehicles: “ ‘One who undertakes repairs has a duty arising in tort to do them without negligence.' ” (Sabicer v. Ford Motor Company (C.D...

Excerpt: ...hat Nissani's and Sarraf's personal guaranty agreements “are void because they are the product of forgery and were never agreed to by Nissani or Sarraf.” (Id., ¶ 32.) Defendants' motion relies on the incorrect premise that their proposed cause of action for cancellation of instruments is a compulsory crossclaim. If correct, that would limit the court's discretion to deny leave to amend. When a party fails to timely bring compulsory crossclai...

Excerpt: ...d confer as required. “A meet and confer declaration in support of a motion shall state facts showing a reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion.” (CCP § 2016.040.) Plaintiff shows a sufficient effort to meet and confer. On February 22, 2024, plaintiff's counsel sent QTC's counsel a long email discussing the disputed form interrogatories and requests for production. (Zilikyan Decl., Ex...

Excerpt: ... of a cause of action, an affirmative defense, a claim for damages, or an issue of duty.” “The court must ‘grant[ ]' the ‘motion' ‘if all the papers submitted show' that ‘there is no triable issue as to any material fact' [citation]—that is, there is no issue requiring a trial as to any fact that is necessary under the pleadings and, ultimately , the law.” (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 843.) Issue 1: Pl...

Excerpt: ...sposes of a cause of action, an affirmative defense, a claim for damages, or an issue of duty.” (CCP § 437c(f)(1).) “[T]he Legislature ‘did not define what it meant by “an issue of duty.” ' ” ( Linden Partners v. Wilshire Linden Associates (1998) 62 Cal.App.4th 508, 518 ( Linden Partners ).) Courts have only held two types of “issues of duty” are subject to summary adjudication: the issue of a whether defendant owed a duty of car...

Excerpt: ...e filing these motions. Before moving to compel further discovery responses, a party must make a “reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2016.040.) This rule aims “to encourage the parties to work out their differences informally so as to avoid the necessity for a formal order.” (Clement v. Alegre (2009) 177 Cal.App.4th 1277, 1293.) “The level of effort at...

Excerpt: ... The court exercises its discretion not to consider the untimely oppositions by cross - complainants. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1300(d).) Cross-complainants are admonished that they must file their papers in a timely way in the future. 1. Fraud The FACC does not allege sufficient facts to constitute fraud. Fraud requires “(a) misrepresentation; (b) defendant's knowledge of the statement's falsity; (c) intent to defraud (i.e., to induce actio...

Excerpt: ...Civil Procedure section 1294(a). Defendants move for a discretionary stay. “Even when the statutes do not call for an automatic stay on appeal, the trial and appellate courts both have the power to issue discretionary stays.” ( Daly v. San Bernardino County Bd. of Supervisors (2021) 11 Cal.5th 1030, 1039 ( Daly).) Both the moving papers and opposition argue based on the following four factors used for discretionary stays in federal court: “...

Excerpt: ...e defendant.” (Bolkiah v. Superior Court (1999) 74 Cal.App.4th 984, 991.) Plaintiff meets this burden. “[I]n deciding whether service was valid, the statutory provisions regarding service of process should be liberally construed to effectuate service and uphold the jurisdiction of the court if actual notice has been received by the defendant.” (Gibble v. Car -Lene Research, Inc. (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 295, 313.) “ ‘Personal service usual...

Excerpt: ... et seq.); (3) Age Discrimination (Gov. Code § 12940); (4) Wrongful Termination in Violati on of Public Policy; (5) Harassment (Gov. Code § 12900, et seq.); (6) Failure to Prevent Discrimination and Harassment (Gov. Code, § 12940(k)); (7) Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress; (8) Negligent Hiring, Supervision, and Retention; and (9) Defa mation. The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) Applies Defendants move to compel arbitration under the F...

Excerpt: ... ” (Taus v. Loftus (2007) 40 Cal.4th 683, 720.) A. The Statements Plaintiff sufficiently alleges the substance of the defamatory statements. To allege defamation, the complaint “must set forth ‘either the specific words or the substance of' the allegedly defamatory statements.” ( Comstock v. Aber (2012) 212 Cal.App.4th 931, 948.) “As Witkin distills the pleading rule, ‘It is sometimes said to be a requirement, and it certainly is the ...

Excerpt: ...re each subject to judicial notice for their existence, contents, and legal effects. The court grants judicial notice of exhibits A through F. Leave to File First Amended Complaint Courts have discretion to permit an amendment to any pleading “in furtherance of justice, and on any terms as may be proper.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 473, subd. (a)(1).) Courts exercise their discretion “liberally to permit amendment,” and “[t]he policy favoring...

Excerpt: ...ests for judicial notice are granted . Summary of Pleadings Plaintiff AMG & Associates, Inc. (AMG)'s operative first amended complaint alleges defendant LAUSD breached five contracts. LAUSD filed a cross -complaint against AMG alleging five causes of action for breach of the same contracts, a sixth cause of action for declaratory relief against AMG, and a seventh cause of action for declaratory relief against Travelers as AMG's surety. Right to T...

Excerpt: ...not show proper service of the second amended answer. Vydrug provides no authority for striking an answer because it was not served properly. Moreover, Vydrug specifically addresses “evidence of service” and a defect in the “Declaration of Service.” (Motion, p. 15.) Vydrug has a copy of the second amended answer. Whether the proof of service is erroneous or false makes no difference. B. Verification Vydrug argues defendants' verifications...

Excerpt: ...n, p. 4.) Failure to Provide Separate Statement Davidson did not submit a separate statement as required for this motion. “Any motion involving the content of a discovery request or the responses to such a request must be accompanied by a separate statement. The motions that require a separate statement include a motion: [¶¶] (7) For issue or evidentiary sanctions.” (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1345(a).) The premise of this motion is that p...

Excerpt: ...The verdict may be vacated and any other decision may be modified or vacated, in whole or in part, and a new or further trial granted on all or part of the issues, on the application of the party aggrieved, for” specified reasons. (Italics added.) This procedure generally applies to judgments entered without any trial. (See, e.g., Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 858 [“A motion for a new trial is appropriate following ...

Excerpt: ... as may be proper.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 473, subd. (a)(1).) “This discretion should be exercised liberally in favor of amendments, for judicial policy favors resolution of all disputed matters in the same lawsuit.” (Kittredge Sports Co. v. Superior Court (1989) 213 Cal.App.3d 1045, 1047.) Permitting plaintiff to file an amended complaint serves the interest of justice. Plaintiff, however, cannot file a second amended complaint because ther...

Excerpt: ...11.) Second, the demurrer asserts the complaint fails to allege sufficient facts to constitute a cause of action because plaintiff “ failed to file a notice for a just cause eviction to the Los Angeles Housing Department.” Defendants provide no authority that doing so is required nor any explanation of why failing to do so constitutes a defect appearing on the face of the complaint. Defendants' memorandum of points and authorities argues “P...

Excerpt: ..., 17-19, 21, 23, 27, and 31. A party propounding interrogatories may move to compel further responses when an answer “is evasive or incomplete,” “[a]n exercise of the option to produce documents under Section 2030.230 is unwarranted or the required specification of those documents i s inadequate,” or “[a]n objection to an interrogatory is without merit or too general.” (CCP § 2030.300(a).) Green gave evasive or incomplete responses t...

Excerpt: ...se of action for declaratory relief remains. Requests for Judicial Notice Cook and Devin request judicial notice of four exhibits. Plaintiffs request judicial notice of two exhibits. All documents are court records subject to judicial notice under Evidence Code section 452(d). The court grants all requests for judicial notice. Summary of Allegations Plaintiffs' complaint arises from a dispute over two parcels of real property: assessor's parcel n...

Excerpt: ...tice of an additional six exhibits. All the documents are court records or recorded real property instruments subject to judicial notice of their contents a nd legal effects, but not the truth of the matters asserted therein, under Evidence Code section 452. The court grants all requests for judicial notice as to the documents' existence and legal effects. Discussion Cook and Devin argue all causes of action against them are untimely. Judgment on...

Excerpt: ...avors resolution of all disputed matters in the same lawsuit.” ( Kittredge Sports Co. v. Superior Court (1989) 213 Cal.App.3d 1045, 1047.) Cross -defendant Heidi Yu Ling Yu does not oppose this motion. Permitting the amendment serves the interest of justice. Disposition Cross-complainant Peter Presnell's motion for leave to file a second amended cross -complaint is granted . Cross -complainant Peter Presnell is ordered to file the second amende...

Excerpt: ..., Phleger & Harrison (1998) 18 Cal.4th 739, 748, fn. 6; Appel v. Superior Court (2013) 214 Cal.App.4th 329, 342, fn. 6.) All requests for judicial notice are denied. Demurrer Cross-defendant Gohar Tsilikyan, trustee of the Gohar Tsilikyan Living Trust Dated May 1, 2018, demurs to numerous causes of action alleged by cross-complainants Narek Eric Kazarian and Spectrum Lending, LLC. Kazarian's Claims Tsilikyan demurs to all causes of action by Kaza...

Excerpt: ...the demand is incomplete,” “[a] representation of inability to comply is inadequate, incomplete, or evasive,” or “[a]n objection in the response is without merit or too general.” (CCP § 2031.310(a).) Meet and Confer FedEx argues plaintiff did not meet and confer about requests for production Nos. 82-87 and 91 -97. Plaintiff's first meet and confer letter discusses the disputes over these requests for production. (Butzen Decl., Ex. 5, p...