Excerpt: ...murrer to the fourth cause of action and to sustain the general and s#cial demurrers as to the first, second, third, and sixth causes of action, with thirty (30) days leave to amend, which will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. New allegations/language must be set in boldface type. Explanation: General and Special Demurrers The basis for this demurrer is that the complaint, in its entirety, fails to state facts sufficient to cons...

Excerpt: ...d no later than November 28, 2023. If a timely request for oral argument is made, such argument will be entertained on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. Explanation: Plaintiffs move the court for leave to file a second amended complaint following the death of plaintiff Parmjit Sekhon after the filing of this action. The motion is brought pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 473 and seeks to add Jasbir Sekhon (originally decedent's g...

Excerpt: ...ng's Commercial Transfer, Inc. ("YCT) filed the instant action and were later named as defendants in Fresno County Superior Court Case Number 22CECG01986, which was consolidated with this lead case. Both cases arose out of a head-on motor vehicle accident involving two big rigs at the intersection of Highway 33 and Panoche Road, in Fresno County. Prior to the collision, another big rig, operated by defendant Harjot Singh, allegedly failed to heed...

Excerpt: ...y be amended within 10 days of service of the order by the clerk. All new allegations shall be in boldface type. If a timely request for oral argument is made, such argument will be entertained on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. Explanation: The motion provided for in this section may only be made on one of the following grounds: (A) If the moving party is a plaintiff, that the complaint states facts sufficient to constitute a cause or c...

Excerpt: ...d claims are barred by the economic loss rule, as the defendants/cross-complainants have only alleged that they suffered financial harm due to plaintiffs' alleged breach of their contractual duties. Plaintiffs contend that, because defendants only allege economic harm from a contract breach, they cannot reccwer in tort as well. It is true that "[a] person may not ordinarily recover in tort for the breach of duties that merely restate contractual ...

Excerpt: ...s, Angel Gomez and Tomas Gomez who owned the property as joint tenants, and accomplished the transfer through a Grant Deed from Angel Gomez to himself and a Grant Deed from defendant Tomas to plaintiff executed by attorney Thornton Davidson as Attorney-in-Fact for defendant. (Complaint, '14.) Plaintiff has not submitted evidence to support these asserted facts to establish his right to legal title to the property. The evidence plaintiff has submi...

Excerpt: ...letion of arbitration. If a timely request for oral argument is made, such argument will entertained on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. Explanation: Plaintiff Kelly Roberts ("plaintiff") brings a single cause of action under PAGA on behalf of herself and all aggrieved employees under Labor Code section 2698 et seq. Defendants Sally Beauty Holdings, lnc„ and Beauty Systems Groups LLC (together "defendants") now seek an order com#lling p...

Excerpt: ... justifying the exercise of jurisdiction." (Vons Companies, Inc. v. Seabest Foods, Inc. (1996) 14 Cal.4th 434, 449.) Once the plaintiff meets their burden of establishing minimum contacts, the burden shifts to the defendant to demonstrate that exercising jurisdiction would be unfair or unreasonable. (Secrest Machine Corp. v. Superior Court (1983) 33 Cal.3d 572.) Personal jurisdiction is either general, where the nonresident's contacts with the fo...

Excerpt: ...ions as set forth below. To grant the motion to compel further verified response to Demand for Production, Set One. Within 20 days of service of the order by the clerk, plaintiff shall provide a second amended response to each document demand and produce all responsive documents, if they have not pr(Nluced already. To impose $3,120 in monetary sanctions against plaintiff Megan Zupancic and in favor of Platinum Coast Inc., to be paid to Platinum C...

Excerpt: ..., "The court may, in furtherance of justice, and on any terms as may be proper, allow a party to amend any pleading or proceeding by adding or striking out the name of any party, or by correcting a mistake in the name of a party, ora mistake in any other respect; and may, upon like terms, enlarge the time for answer or demurrer. The court may likewise, in its discretion, after notice to the adverse party, allow, upon any terms as may be just, an ...

Excerpt: ...e clerk of the minute order. New allegations/language must be set in boldface type. To find plaintiffs' moton for leave to amend moot. Explanation: JUDGEMENT ON THE PLEADINGS A motion for judgment on the pleadings has the same function as a demurrer, but is made after the time for demurrer has passed. Civ. Proc., S 438; Prickett v. Bonnier Corporation (2020) 55 Cal.App.5th 891, 896.) The grounds for the motion must appear on the face of the chall...

Excerpt: ...dard for Awarding Attorney's Fees Probate Code section 4545 provides that when a challenge is made to a power of attorney by someone other than the attorney in fact, "the court may in its discretion award reasonable attorney's fees" to the attorney in fact, if the court determines that the proceeding was commenced without any reasonable cause." The Probate Code does not define reasonable cause" as it is used in section 4545. However, California c...

Excerpt: ...d Avenue, Fresno, California 93726 (the "Property"). Plaintiff alleged having exclusive, complete, open, continuous and notorious possession of the property for more than five years. Plaintiff now seeks summary judgment. A party may move for summary judgment in an action if is contended that there is no defense to the action. (Code Civ. Proc. S 437c, subd. (a)(l).) Notice of the motion and supporting papers shall be served on all other parties to...

Excerpt: ....App.4th 224, 240; see Dunk v. Ford Motor Co. (1996) 48 Cal.App.4th 1794, 1803, fn. 9.) The trial court has a "fiduciary responsibility" as the guardian of the absentee class members' rights to decide whether to approve a settlement of a class action. (Luckey v. Superior Court (2014) 228 Cal.App.4th 81, 95.) A precertification settlement may stipulate that a defined class be conditionally certified for settlement purposes. The court may make an o...

Excerpt: ...ney, jointly and severally, payable no later than 30 days from the date of this order, with the time to run from the service of this minute order by the clerk. Civ. Proc. SS 2030.31W, subd. (d), 2023.010, subd. (h).) Explanation: A motion to compel further responses lies where the responses to the interrogatories are deemed improper by the propounding party, i.e., meritless or overly general objections, evasive or incomplete answers. (Code Civ. P...

Excerpt: ...ent with the court's summary judgment order. Explanation: As the moving party, defendant bears the initial burden of proof to show that plaintiffs cannot establish one or more elements of their cause of action or to show that there is a complete defense. Civ. Proc., S 437c, subd. Only after the moving party has carried this burden of proof does the burden of proof shift to the other party to show that a triable issue of one or more material facts...

Excerpt: ... claims from arbitration. To dismiss the plaintiff's class claims. To stay the litigation of the PAGA claim until the arbitration has been resolved. Explanation: Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure secton 1281.2, "On petition of a party to an arbitration agreement alleging the existence of a written agreement to arbitrate a controversy and that a party thereto refuses to arbitrate such controversy, the court shall order the petitioner ...

Excerpt: ...ries (Set One), Special Interrogatories (Set One), and Request for Prtxluction of Documents (Set One). Plaintiff Dwayne Williams is ordered to serve verified responses, without objections, to defendant within 30 days of service of the minute order by the clerk. To grant defendant Jaene Ojeda Mendoza's requestto deem Requests for Admissions admitted. The truth of the matters specified in the Requests for Admissions, Set One, are to be deemed admit...

Excerpt: ...equests for Production, Set One. (Code Civ. Proc. S 2031.320, subd. (a).) The documents shall be served no later than 30 days from the date of this order, with time to run from the service of this minute order by the clerk. To deny the request for sanctions pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.310, subdivision (h). Explanation: The motion at bench was calendared as a motion to compel initial responses to discovery. However, the moving...

Excerpt: ...h 995, 999; see also Templo v. State of Calif. (2018) 24 Cal.App.5th 730, 735 ["'motion for judgment on the pleadings is equivalent to a demurrerml.) The purpose of the Government Claims Act ("Claims Act") is "to give the public entity the opportunity to investigate and settle the claim without the cost of litigation[l" (Le Mere v. Los Angeles Unified School DIst. (2019) 35 Cal.App.5th 237, 247), and accordingly courts typically view the "present...

Excerpt: ...lass Certification The court has already granted the motion for preliminary approval and certification of the class and found that the class is sufficiently numerous and ascertainable to warrant certification for the purpose of approving the settlement. There is no reason for the court to reconsider its decision granting certification of the class. Therefore, the court certifies the class for the purpose of final approval of the settlement. 2. Se...

Excerpt: ...'s fees and court costs as may be Þxed by the court.” (Health & Saf. Code, § 17980.7, subd. (c)(11).) Also, “[i]f the court Þnds that a building is in a condi
Ÿon which substan
Ÿally endangers the health and safety of residents pursuant to Sec
Ÿon 17980.6, upon the entry of any order or judgment, the court shall do all of the following: … Order the owner to pay all reasonable and actual costs of the enforcement agency including, but n...

Excerpt: ... Explanation: Plaintiff Jeff Reich individually and doing business as The Reich Law Firm (together "Reich"), filed suit on July 19, 2021, to collect fees due for litigation services provided to Lucille Srabian and Morris Srabian in a prior lawsuit. Lucille Srabian ("Srabian") filed a Crosscomplaint against Reich. Srabian filed no opposition to the demurrer. Grounds for Demurrer to Cross-complaint Srabian's Cross-complaint has three causes of acti...

Excerpt: ...Explanation: Under Government Code section 911.2, subdivision (a), a plaintiff alleging a claim against a government entity must present their claim within six months of the accrual of the cause of action. "A cause of action for childhood sex molestation generally accrues at the time of the alleged molestation." (Rubenstein v. Doe No. 1 (2017) 3 Cal.5th 903, 910.) In Shirk v. Vista Unified School District (2007) 42 Cal.4th 201, the California Sup...

Excerpt: ...nia Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Offcers in State Employment ("Plaintiff") brings one cause of action for declaratory relief against defendants California Department of Human Resources and Eraina Ortega as Director for the California Department of Human Resources (collectively "Defendants"). Plaintiff seeks a judicial declaration of its rights as affected by Defendants' interpretation of certain state law. This court previousl...

Excerpt: ...injured on the job while working for an electrical subcontractor on September 25, 2019 at a constructon site at 570 N Magnolia Ave., Clovis, California 93611. Defendants Perch Construction, Inc. and Frontline Plastering were the general contractor and subcontractor, respectively. Perch's cross-complaint against Frontline seeks to enforce the defense and indemnity provisions of their subcontract pursuant to which Frontline agreed to provide plaste...

Excerpt: ...names of the arbitrators; and (c) set forth or have attached a copy of the award and the written opinion of the arbitrators, if any. Misaghi has complied with these requirements. Thus, unless pro#rly moves to vacate, correct or dismiss the petition, the court must confirm the arbitration award and enter judgment thereon. (Code Civ. Proc., SS 1286; 1287.4; Eternity Investments, Inc. v. Brown (2W7) 151 Cal.App.4th 739, 744-45.) Deli Delicious agree...

Excerpt: ...11-16.) The court disagrees. The court granted plaintiff an order shortening tme at the ex parte hearing, with the added proviso that "[nlew filings will flow from the new hearing date." However, this did not require plaintiff to refile his motion. Rather, the court's order effectively advanced plaintiff's hearing date from January 18, 2024, to October 17, 2023 (which was then continued again to October 19, 2023). The court's direction regarding ...

Excerpt: ...efendant's failure to obey the court's order entered on March 29, 2023, which issued from plaintiff's unopposed motion to compel initial responses to discovery. The order required defendant Hollly-Ray to serve initial responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and Request for Production of Documents (all set one), and required defendant and her attorney, Brian Folland, to pay (jointly and severally) monetary sanctions in the amou...

Excerpt: ...dant Clinica Sierra Vista. Within thirty (30) days of service of the order by the clerk, plaintiff Najeeb K. Ansari, M.D. shall pay the sanctions to defendant Clinica Sierra Vista's counsel. In the event of a timely request for oral argument, such argument will be entertained on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 501. Explanation: On January 19, 2023, the discovery at issue was served on plaintiff Najeeb K. Ansari, M.D. ("Plai...

Excerpt: ...s. (Code Civ. Proc., S 2025.450, subd. (c)(l).) In the event that plaintiff refuses to agree upon a date then the date shall be unilaterally set by defendants' counsel. To deny the request to impose $713M in monetary sanctions (as a cost reimbursement) because due process requires that the request appear on the caption page of the notce of moton. Explanation: The motion is brought pursuant to Code Civ. Proc., S 2025.450. Subdivision (a) thereof p...

Excerpt: ...: Demurrer — General Principles 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., S 430.10, subd. (e); Estate of Moss (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 521, 535 [ "'A demurrer can be utilized where the complaint itself is incomplete . [Citations.]" l.) In essence, "to withstand a demurrer, a complaint must allege ultimate facts, not evidentiary facts or co...

Excerpt: ...]he superior court shall review and approve any settlement of any civil action filed pursuant to [PAGA]. The proposed settlement shall be submitted to the agency at the same time that it is submitted to the court." (Lab. Code, S 2699, subd. (i)(2).) representative action under PAGA is not a class action% and is instead a 'type of qui tam action', a standard requiring the trial court to determine inde#ndently whether a PAGA settlement is fair and ...

Excerpt: ...n: Under Government Code section 911.2, subdivision (a), a plaintiff alleging a claim against a government entity must present their claim within six months of the accrual of the cause of action. "A cause of action for childhood sex molestation generally accrues at the time of the alleged molestation." (Rubenstein v. Doe No. 1 (2017) 3 Cal.5th 903, 910.) In Shirk v. Vista Unified School District (2W7) 42 Cal.4th 201, the California Supreme Court ...

Excerpt: ...t be set in boldface type. Explanation: The function of a demurrer is to test the sufficiency of a plaintiff's pleading by raising questions of law. (Plumlee v. Poag (1984) 150 Cal.App.3d 541, 545.) The test is whether plaintiff has succeeded in stating a cause of action; the court does not concern itself with the issue of plaintiff's possible difficulty or inability in proving the allegations of his complaint. (Highlanders, Inc. v. Olsan (1978) ...

Excerpt: ...ounsel will breach the fiduciary obligations they owe to the absent class members. As a result, such agreements must withstand an even higher level of scrutiny for evidence of collusion or other conflicts of interest than is ordinarily required under Rule 23(e) before securing the court's approval as fair." (Koby v. ARS National Services, nc. (9th Cir. 2017) 846 F. 3d 1071, 1079.) "[lln the final analysis it is the Court that bears the responsibi...

Excerpt: ...ruling. Explanation: A plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment if they have met their burden that '"each element of' the 'cause of action' in question has been 'proved,' and hence that 'there is no defense' thereto." (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2CM) 25 Cal.4th 826, 8%'.) "A plaintiff has met his or her burden if that party has proved each element of the cause of action entitling the party to judgment on the cause of action. Once the pla...

Excerpt: ...furcated as follows: should a jury find liability on the cause of action for defamation and liability for punitive damages, the parties will then present evidence on punitive damages. (Civ. Code S 3295, subd. (d).) To deny defendant's motion for to require plaintiff to post security for costs. (Code Civ. Proc. S 1030.) Explanation: Motion to Bifurcate Punitve Damages Civil Code section 3295, subdivision (d) provides in relevant part: "The court s...

Excerpt: ...fendant's Person Most Knowledgeable ("PMK") and for production of documents. Plaintiff's counsel asserts that defendant was served with a deposition notice on January 6, 2023. However, the notice attached to counsel's declaration is signed November 14, 2022 for a deposition scheduled for February 23, 2023. (Kreymer Decl., 2 and Exh. 1.) Notably, no proof of service accompanies this notice. Defense counsel asserts that November 14, 2023 plaintiff ...

Excerpt: ...on: Defendant Stella Villagomez moves for summary judgment, or adjudication of the first amended complaint against her. Although moving defendant denies having taken, secreted, appropriated, obtained or retained any property from the plaintiff or the assistance of another of the same, plaintiff has demonstrated there is a dispute of these material facts. As a result, the motion is denied. Statute of Limitations and Plaintiff's Status as an "Elder...

Excerpt: ... causes of action. To deny the moton to strike portions of the complaint, in its entirety. To deny the motion to deem the matters in the requests for admission, sets one and two, to be admitted, as plaintiff has now served code-compliant responses. To grant sanctions against plaintiff's former counsel, Brian Folland, in the amount of $800. Mr. Folland shall pay sanctions to defendants within 30 days of the date of service of this order. If oral a...

Excerpt: ...ivative claims on behalf of Williams & Doris Land & Energy and Oil City LLC (referred to collectively as the "WLDE Defendants"). WLDE Defendants move to require plaintiff to post a $50,000 bond pursuant to Corporations Code section 17709.02, subdivision (b). Within 30 days after service of summons on a limited liability company, the company may move the court for an order requiring the plaintiff to furnish security. (Corp. Code, S 17709.02, subd....

Excerpt: ...ons of the First Amended Complaint ("FAC") pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 418.10, subdivision (a)(l). In the alternative, Defendant seeks to set aside the entry of default against her.l Code of Civil Procedure section 418.10, subdivision (a)(l) provides that a defendant, on or before the last day of his or her time to plead or within any further time that the court may for cause allow, may serve and file a notice of motion to quash s...

Excerpt: ...tiff cannot prevail on her first cause of action for harassment based on her disability because she was not subjected to any severe or pervasive conduct that would qualify as harassment during her employment with Saint Agnes. "In construing California's FEHA, this court has held that the hostile work environment form of sexual harassment is actionable only when the harassing behavior is pervasive or severe. This limitation mirrors the federal cou...

Excerpt: ...counsel shall call the court to take the demurrer as to defendant Person off calendar. If it does not resolve the issues, counsel for defendant Person shall file a declaration on or before November 1, 2023, stating, in detail, the efforts made. Defendant Fresno Unified School District's demurrer is continued in order to have the motions heard the same date. Explanation: Ctxle of Civil Procedure section 430.41, subdivision (a), makes it clear that...

Excerpt: ...he motion to strike without leave to amend. If oral argument is timely requested, it will go forward Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 3:30 p.m., in Dept. 403. Explanation: Self-represented plaintiff Victor M. Alvaro Garcia filed a three-page Judicial Council form complaint against defendant Carmen Elizabeth Tharp. The defendant demurs to the complaint on the ground that it lacks the necessary allegations to state a cause of action against her. Mee...

Excerpt: ... further responses to her requests for production of documents, set one, special interrogatories, set one, and form interrogatories — employment, set one. To deny plaintiff's request for monetary sanctions against defendant and its counsel. To grant monetary sanctions against plaintiff and her counsel, in the amount of $1,350. Plaintiff shall pay sanctions to defendant within 30 days of the date of service of this order. Explanation: Under Code...

Excerpt: ...If a timely request for oral argument is made, such argument will be entertained on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. Explanation: Meet and Confer Plaintiffs assert that defendants failed to comply with Code of Civil Procedure section 435.5. Specifically, plaintiffs argue that defendants failed to meet and confer with plaintiffs regarding the issues raised by the motion to strike, though defendants still had ample time to meet and confer ...

Excerpt: ...efendant California Department of Transportation ("Defendant") seeks to stay the present matter in favor of allow-ng a parallel proceeding between it and plaintiff Maisa Kurdi ("Plaintiff") to proceed. An application for a stay is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court. (Thomson v. Continental Ins. Co. (1967) 66 Cal.2d 738, 746.) In exercising its discretion, the court should consider the importance of, among other things, avoiding ...

Excerpt: ... matters specified in the Requests for Admission, Set Two, are to be deemed admitted unless each defendant serves, before the hearing, a proposed response to the Requests for Admission that is in substantial compliance with Code of Civil Procedure section 2033.220. (Code Civ. Prcyc., S 2033.280, subd. To grant monetary sanctions against defendants Harpreet Singh and Nijjar Cargo Solutions, Inc., in the amount of $940.00 as to each defendant. Mone...