Excerpt: ...laintiff has the initial burden of showing the essential facts of jurisdiction, that is the facts requisite to an effective service. (Coulston v. Cooper (1966) 245 Cal.App.2d 866, 868; Dill v. Berquist Const. (1994) 24 Cal.App.4th 1426, 1439‐ 40.) This may be done through presentation of declarations, with opposing declarations received in response. (Aquila, Inc. v. Superior Court (2007) 148 Cal.App.4th 556, 568.) Furthermore, filing a proof of...

Excerpt: ...orney's Fe es: A prevailing buyer in an action under the Song –Beverly Act “shall be allowed by the court to recover as part of the judgment 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.” (Civ. Code, § 1794, subd. (d).) The statute...

Excerpt: ... deny in par t. (Code Civ. Proc., § 436.) The request to strike the allegations pertaining to defendant Samuel Lofty Confectioner's acts done in the course and scope of his employment with defendant Fresno Unified School District (“FUSD”) is granted. The request to st rike the allegations pertaining to FUSD's duty to investigate is granted. The request to strike the prayer for attorney's fees pursuant to Civil Code 52 and 52.4 is granted. T...

Excerpt: ...vice of the minute order, a proposed judgment consistent with the court's summary judgment order. The motion to modif y a protective order is off calendar, as no papers have been filed. Explanation: Summary judgment is properly granted when no triable issue exists as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (c).) In moving for summary judgment, a “defendant … has m...

Excerpt: ... not specifically denying the motion without prejudice. The ruling is hereby amended to reflect that plaintiff's first Motion for Order Permitting Pretrial Discovery Regarding Defendant Richard Pike's Profits and Financial Condition is denied without prejudice. P laintiff's second motion is now continued to Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 501. In ruling on the motion, the court will consider all evidence presented by plain...

Excerpt: ...ulting in injurie s (the "Incident"). The court denies defendant China Peak's motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication for the reasons stated below. Law Governing Summary Judgment A trial court shall grant summary judgment if there are no triable issues of mate rial fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ. Proc., §437c, subd. (c).) In determining a motion for summary judgment, the co...

Excerpt: ... adm itted that plaintiff's injuries were caused entirely by defendant's and its employee Daniel Willard's negligence, that plaintiff did not contribute to the accident through her own negligence, and that no third party contributed to the accident. As plainti ff points out, the court previously granted an order deeming STA to have admitted the truth of the matters in the requests for admission after defendant failed to verify its responses. (See...

Excerpt: ...gh evidence regarding the hours spent on the case and the tasks performed to find that the requested fees are reasonable and should be approved. She has also not provided enough evidence to support the request to approve her law clerk's rate of $225 per hour . In Serrano v. Priest (1977) 20 Cal.3d 25, the California Supreme Court stated: “ ‘The starting point of every fee award, once it is recognized that the court's role in equity is to...

Excerpt: ...fliction of emotional distress and medical negligence, with leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (e).) To overrule the general demurrer as to the causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress and medical negligence. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (e).) To grant the motion to strike portions of the Third Amended Complaint in part, and strike: the attachment of a phone log; the attachment of a letter dated Sept...

Excerpt: ...2024. Any oppos ition and reply due dates shall run from the new hearing date. Explanation: Plaintiffs Wesley Wilson (Wilson) and Press Box, Inc. (Press Box), have dismissed most of the causes of action in their Complaint against defendant Martin McCubbin (McCubbin). One cause of action arising out of a bar fight caused by McCubbin in October 2022 remains for each plaintiff. For plaintiff Wilson, only the third cause of action for assault and ba...

Excerpt: ...ted to sub mit a proposed judgment consistent with this order, within five days of service of the minute order by the clerk. Explanation: Fresno Unified School District (“FUSD”) moves for summary judgment or, in the alternative, for summary adjudication as to the thi rd, fourth and fifth causes of action for negligent hiring, supervision or retention of an unfit employee, failure to report suspected child abuse, and negligent supervision ...

Excerpt: ...that a ground for denial of the motion exists (e.g., fraud, unconscionability, etc.) (Hotels Nevada v. L.A. Pacific Center, Inc. (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 754, 758.) Unless there is a dispute over authenticity, the mere recitation of the terms is sufficient for a party to move to compel arbitration. (Sprunk v. Prisma LLC (2017) 14 Cal.App.5th 785, 793.) The moving party has the burden of proving the existence of a valid arbitration agreement. (Pinn...

Excerpt: ...ions to quash. To grant the motion to compel arbitration and order plaintiffs to arbitrate their claims against defendants. The action is stayed pending completion of arbitration. Explanation: Motion(s) to Quash Moving defendants deem themselves passive “Single Purpose Entities,” with insufficient contacts with California to confer jurisdiction. However, the motions all admit that the respective defendants are some degree of partner to the in...

Excerpt: ...s brought under Code of Civil Procedure section 418.10, which provides that the last day to file the notice of motion for a defendant who has not yet appeared in the action is when the responsive pleading to the complaint is due. However, “[t]he provisions of Sec tion 418.10 do not apply to a motion to stay or dismiss the action by a defendant who has made a general appearance.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 410.30, subd. (b).) Here, plaintiffs' comp...

Excerpt: ...li minary settlement class. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.769, subd. (d).) “If the court grants preliminary approval, its order must include the time, date, and place of the final approval hearing; the notice to be given to the class; and any other matters de emed necessary for the proper conduct of a settlement hearing. (Cal. Rules of Court, Rule 3.769, subd. (e).) “If the court has certified the action as a class action, notice of the fin...

Excerpt: ...Proc. § 430. 20, subd. (a) and (b).) To overrule the general and special demurrer for uncertainty to the Amended Cross -Complaint. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430,10, subd. (e) and (f).) To sustain the general and special demurrers to the first, third, fourth, and fifth cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (e) and (f).) To overrule the general and special demurrers to the second cause of action. (Code Civ Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e) and ...

Excerpt: ...laintiff Zahi Saleh shall serve and file an amended complaint within 10 days of the date of service of this order. All new allegations shall be in boldface. Explanation: Demurrer Defendant General Motors, LLC ("Defendant") demurs to the fifth cause of action, for fraudulent concealment of the First Amended Complaint ("FAC") by plaintiff Zahi Saleh ("Plaintiff"). On a demurrer a court's function is limited to testing the legal sufficiency of the c...

Excerpt: ...n ey's fees from the Complaint. To grant leave to amend the Complaint to state claims by the Trust, provided it retains a licensed California attorney to represent it. To grant leave to amend the Complaint as to Mr. Peterson, provided that he either repres ents himself or has a licensed attorney represent him. To deny leave to amend to request attorney's fees. To overrule the demurrer to the first cause of action. To sustain the demurrer to the ...

Excerpt: ... to def ective moving papers. Explanation: This motion arises out of a Third Amended Complaint (“TAC”) filed February 14, 2024 alleging 1) premises liability against defendant Noble Federal Credit Union and 2) dangerous condition of public property against defenda nt City of Fresno. It does not appear that defendant Noble Federal Credit Union has been served with a Summons or the Third Amended Complaint yet. Defendant City brings this demurr...

Excerpt: ...the allegations of the first amended complaint show that she has an absolute defense to the claim because she has been in adverse possession of the subject property for over five years before the complaint was filed and thus plaintiff has no right to partition the property. Adverse possession may be the basis for either a cause of action or an affirmative defense. (Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara v. Ames (1958) 166 Cal.App.2d 344, 348.)...

Excerpt: ...planation: Under Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6, “If parties to pending litigation stipulate, in a writing signed by the parties outside the presence of the court or orally before the court, for settlement of the case, or part thereof, the court, up on motion, may enter judgment pursuant to the terms of the settlement. If requested by the parties, the court may retain jurisdiction over the parties to enforce the settlement until performa...

Excerpt: ...er a settl ement is within the “good faith ballpark” by considering the following factors (evaluated as of the time of the settlement): 1) a rough approximation of plaintiffs' total recovery and the settlor's proportionate liability; 2) the amount paid in settlement; 3) a recognition that a settlor should pay less in settlement than if found liable after a trial; 4) the allocation of the settlement proceeds among plaintiffs; 5) the se...

Excerpt: ...aint, which will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. New allegations/language must be set in boldface type. To overrule the special demurrer for uncertainty. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (f).) Explanation: A party may file a general demurrer on claims that “[t]he pleading does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e); Estate of Moss (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 521, 535...

Excerpt: ...e order. Explanation: A general demurrer is sustained where the pleading is insufficient to state a cause of action or is incomplete. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e); Estate of Moss (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 521, 535.) A special demurrer, though disfavored, is nevertheless sustained where a pleading is so uncertain that the defendant cannot reasonably respond to the subject pleading. (Khoury v. Maly's of Calif., Inc. (1993) 14 Cal.App.4th 612...

Excerpt: ...tiff Kimberly White are ordered to appear at the hearing on this motion. Explanation: Healthcare providers must possess and exercise “that reasonable degree of skill, knowledge, and care ordinarily possessed and exercised by members of the medical profession under si milar circumstances.” (Mann v. Cracchiolo (1985) 38 Cal.3d 18, 36.) Thus, in any medical malpractice action, the plaintiff must establish: “(1) the duty of the professional to ...

Excerpt: ... reque sting party may move for an order that the genuineness of any documents and the truth of any matters specified in the requests be deemed admitted... The court shall make this order, unless it finds that the party to whom the requests for admission have bee n directed has served, before the hearing on the motion, a proposed response to the requests for admission that is in substantial compliance with Section 2033.220.” (Code Civ. Proc.,...

Excerpt: ...Emeline Pano will be dismissed as a defendant in plaintiff's Complaint. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2023.030, subd. (d)(3).) Explanation: Plaintiff has a history of failing to comply with discovery obligations in this action, and appears to have abandoned this action. On August 10, 2023, and October 10, 2023, defendant Emeline Pano served plaintiff with deposition notices. Plaintiff never objected, but failed to appear on both occasions. On August 30, 2...

Excerpt: ...tentative ruling, a proposed judgment. Explanation: Plaintiffs Jay Hylton and Krystal Hylton (together “Plaintiffs”) seek to enforce a settlement agreement by and between them and defendant FCA US LLC (“Defendant”) under Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6. Code of Civil Procedure Section 664.6 provides as follows: “If parties to pending litigation stipulate, in a writing signed by the parties outside of the presence of the court . . ...

Excerpt: ...planation: Corporations may not represent themselves before the court in propria persona, nor can corporations represent themselves through their officers, directors, or any other employee who is not an attorney. (CLD Construction, Inc. v. City of San Ramon (2 004) 120 Cal.App.4th 1141, 1145.) Corporations must be represented by an appropriately licensed attorney in court proceedings. (CLD Construction, Inc. v. City of San Ramon, supra, 120 Cal.A...

Excerpt: ...984) 158 Cal.Ap p.3d 524, 526), the expiration of the time period is considered “‘jurisdictional' in the sense that it renders the court without authority to rule on motions to compel other than to deny them.” (Sexton v. Superior Court (1997) 58 Cal.App.4th 1403, 1410 (S exton) [referring to the 45- day statutory time limit]; see also Vidal Sassoon Inc. v. Superior Court (1983) 147 Cal.App.3d 681, 684 (Sassoon); Standon Co. v. Superior Cour...

Excerpt: ... the mo tions compelling Prestige Urgent Care's compliance with subpoena, without prejudice. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2020.220, subds. (b) -(c); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1346.) To deny the motions for defendant Homegoods, Inc.'s responses to Requests for Production of Documents, Sets One and Two, since Homegoods, Inc. served its verified responses on April 9, 2024. To award monetary sanctions in the total amount of $1,320 against Homegoods, Inc.'...

Excerpt: ...ice, Lazy Dog Restaurants, LLC's motion to bifurcate the contractual interpretation causes of action within the cross -complaints filed by Element Security Solutions, Inc. and Manco Abbott, Inc. from the issues of liability and damages. Explanation: Under Code of Civ il Procedure section 598, court is given great discretion in regard to the order of issues at trial: The court may, when the convenience of witnesses, the ends of justice, or the ec...

Excerpt: ...court orders to provide discovery. The Complaint filed by plaintiff on February 24, 2022, is dismissed, without prejudice. (Code Civ. Proc. §2023.030, subd. (d)(3).) Explanation: Section 2023.010 defines “misuses of the discovery process” as including, “failing to respond or submit to an authorized method of discovery” and “disobeying a court order to provide discovery.” (Code Civ. Proc. § 2030.010, subds. (d) and (g).) Section 20...

Excerpt: ... on t he required Judicial Council forms. To strike the answer filed August 21, 20231. This answer was filed to the First Amended Complaint which was stricken pursuant to the August 18, 2023 Order After Hearing for being filed without leave to amend. Explanatio n: Once a motion to compel discovery is granted, continued failure to comply may support a request for more severe sanctions. Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.010, subdivision (g), ...

Excerpt: ...sa nctions. To deny plaintiffs' request for sanctions against defendant and his counsel for bringing frivolous motions for reconsideration. Explanation: Under Code of Civil Procedure section 1008, subdivision (a), “[w]hen an application for an order has bee n made to a judge, or to a court, and refused in whole or in part, or granted, or granted conditionally, or on terms, any party affected by the order may, within 10 days after service upon t...

Excerpt: ...named defend ants—Fresno Area Express, City of Fresno (the "City"), and County of Fresno. Plaintiff alleges the City failed to meet the heightened standard of care when the bus driver failed to assist her as she was boarding the bus in her wheelchair, causing her to flip backwards and sustain injuries. Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings A motion for judgment on the pleadings performs the same function as a general demurrer. "The ...

Excerpt: ...tion: Fee A ward Plaintiff Ricardo Regalado Ceja (“Plaintiff”) seeks an award of attorney fees. Under what statutory authority Plaintiff seeks an award of fees is unclear. The moving papers appear to suggest that the parties stipulated to seek an award of fees and cos ts under a settlement agreement not in evidence on the present motion. Instead, counsel for Plaintiff submits into evidence 15 irrelevant orders from other cases in other jurisd...

Excerpt: ...-24; page 1 9, lines 6-11; and page 19, line 27, with leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc., § 436; Civ. Code, § 3294.) Plaintiff is granted 20 days' leave to file the third amended complaint. The time to file the third amended complaint will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. All new allegations in the third amended complaint are to be set in boldface type. Explanation: Demurrer Retaliation/Discrimination Defendants, India Oven, I...

Excerpt: ...rring defendant. Explanation: The plaintiff, Sergio Alvarez, filed a three -page form complaint against the defendant, Iron Workers Local 155. The defendant demurs to the complaint on the grounds that the statute of limitations has expired and the complaint lacks the necessary allegations to state a cause of action. Meet and Confer The parties have complied with the obligation to meet and confer. Request for Judicial Notice Code of Civil Procedu...

Excerpt: ...rstores, Inc., Carmax Business Services, LLC, and Safeco Insurance Company of America are directed to file an Answer within 10 days of service of the minute order by the clerk. Explanation: Demurrer Defendants Carmax Auto Superstores, Inc., Carmax Business Se rvices, LLC, and Safeco Insurance Company of America (collectively “Defendants”) generally demur to the entirety of the Complaint by plaintiff Parminder S. Kaler (“Plaintiff”) for f...

Excerpt: ...tence in the w rongful death cause of action which reads, “Plaintiffs also contend that these defendants' negligence was not only simple, but also gross, and that punitive and exemplary damages should be awarded against all defendants named in the accompanying punitive d amages attachment;” and the entire exemplary damages attachment. Leave to amend is denied. The motion is denied as to the allegations of plaintiff's alternative theory of lia...

Excerpt: ...sire to a mend, the First Amended Complaint shall be filed within ten (10) days from the date of this order. The new amendments shall be in bold print. Should plaintiff elect not to file an amended pleading within that time period, demurring defendants shall file responsive pleadings within twenty (20) days from the date of this order. Explanation: In deciding a demurrer, the court is guided by well -established principles that the test is whe...

Excerpt: ... FAC alleges two ca uses of action, for premises liability, and general negligence, based on Plaintiff's use of a recreational area on October 30, 2018, in the prison, wherein Plaintiff alleges having stepped into a gopher hole causing injury. A trial court shall grant summary judgment where there are no triable issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ. Proc. §437c(c); Schacter v. Citigro...

Excerpt: ...425.10, subd. (b).) But the defendant may, at any time, serve a request on plaintiff for a Statement of Damages (mandatory Jud. Counc. Form CIV -050) setting forth the nature and amount of damages being sought. (Code Civ. Proc., § 425.11, subd. (b).) Once such a d emand is served, plaintiff has 15 days to serve the responsive statement. If that response is not served, defendant may file a noticed motion and petition the court to order plaintiff...

Excerpt: ...ation: Attorney Affidavit of Fault: The court is empowered to relieve a party “upon any terms as may be just … from a judgment, dismissal, order, or other proceeding taken against him or her through his or her mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable negle ct.” (Code Civ. Proc. § 473, subd. (b).) “[W]henever an application for relief is made no more than six months after entry of judgment, is in proper form, and is accompanied by an...

Excerpt: ...ce of entry of this order in all actions, properly captioned with all case names and numbers. Other than this, all further documents shall be filed only in the lead case. The Mandatory Settlement Conference on July 25, 2024, Trial Readiness on August 23, 2024, and Jury Trial on August 26, 2024 are vacated. The court sets a Case Management Conference on 5/14/2024 at 3:30 p.m. in Department 403 to schedule a new trial date. Zoom appearance is auth...

Excerpt: ...n pend ing arbitration. Pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), A written provision in … a contract evidencing a transaction involving commerce to settle by arbitration a controversy thereafter arising out of such contract or transaction, or the refusal to perform the whole or any part thereof, … shall be valid, irrevocable, and enforceable, save upon such grounds as exist at law or in equity for the revocation of any contract. (...

Excerpt: ...Procedure section 426.50 in support of her motion to amend, section 426.50 only applies to motions to amend crosscomplaints. Code of Civil Procedure section 426.26 is part of Article 2 of Title 6 of Part 2, which sets forth the procedures applicable to compulsory cross -complaints. Therefore, section 426.50 is not the applicable code section when seeking leave to amend a complaint. The correct code section is Code of Civil Procedure section 473, ...

Excerpt: ...ldface type. Explanation: Defendants IEC Corporation and IEC/AAI Holdings, Inc. dba UEI College (hereinafter, together “UEI College”) demur to the fourth, sixth and seventh causes of action alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation and intentional misrepresentation on the ground that plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to state a cause of action. The essential elements of a count for intentional misrepresentation are (1) a misrepresen...

Excerpt: ...pursuant to the terms of the settlement.” It also provides that the parties may request that the court “retain jurisdiction over the parties to enforce the settlement until performance in full of the terms of the settlement.” (Code Civ. Proc. § 664.6.) Due to the summary nature of the statute authorizing judgment to enforce a settlement agreement, strict compliance with its requirements is prerequisite to invoking the power of the court to...