Excerpt: ...ns shall be in boldface type. To deny the motion for sanctions. Explanation: Demurrer The first cause of action is for breach of contract. "A cause of acton for breach of contract requires proof of the following elements: (1) existence of the contract; (2) plaintiff's performance or excuse for nonperformance; (3) defendant's breach; and (4) damages to plaintiff as a result of the breach." (CDF Firefighters v. Maldonado (2008) 158 Cal.App.4th 1226...

Excerpt: ... amend. (Code Civ. Proc. S 430.10, subd. (e).) To overrule the demurrer on all other grounds. (Code Civ. Proc. S 430.10, subd. (e),(f).) Plaintiff shall file and serve an amended complaint within ten (10) days of the date of service of this order. All new allegations shall be in boldface. If oral argument is timely requested, such argument will be heard at 2:30 p.m. on June 28, 2023, in Department 501. Explanation: On August 22, 2022, plaintiff f...

Excerpt: ...to the prevailing party, then the party who is determined to be the party prevailing on the contract, whether he or she is the party specified in the contract or not, shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees in addition to other costs." (Civ. Code, S 1717, subd. (a).) Also, under Code of Civil Procedure section 1033.5, subdivision (a)(10)(A), attorney's fees are recoverable as an item of costs when fees are authorized by contract. Here, de...

Excerpt: ...pleading shall be filed within 30 days of the clerk's service of this order. New or different allegations in the first amended complaint are to be set in boldface type. To deny plaintiff's motion for leave to file punitive damages pleadings. To deny plaintiff's application for sanctions. Explanation: Demurrer/strike "To withstand a demurrer, a complaint must allege ultimate facts, not evidentiary facts or conclusions of law." (Logan v. Southern C...

Excerpt: ...ion under Code of Civil Procedure secton 1021 and Section XXV, subdivision (G) of the franchise agreements, dated December 3, 2010 and April 11, 2012, between the parties (the "Franchise Agreements"). "Except as attorney's fees are specifically provided for by statute, the measure and mode of compensation of attorneys and counselors at law is left to the agreement, express or implied, of the parties, but parties to actions or proceedings are enti...

Excerpt: ...iv. Proc., S 2023.010, subd. (g); 2030.290, subd. (c); 2031.300, subd. (c).) To strike the complaint and dismiss the action. To grant and to award monetary sanctions in the total amount of $735 against plaintiff David Herrera and his attorney of record, Justin B. Toobi, jointly and severally, payable within 20 days of the date of this order, with the time to run from the service of this minute order by the clerk. To grant and to award monetary sa...

Excerpt: ...son, the court considers the likelihood that the moving party will prevail on the merits at trial, and the interim harm that the moving party is likely to sustain the injunction were denied as compared to the harm that the opposing party is likely to suffer if the preliminary injunction were issued. (IT Corp. v. County of Imperial (1983) 35 Cal.3d 63, 69-70.) In considering these factors, the court "balances the relative hardships." (Ibid.) The s...

Excerpt: ...lanation below), with the time to run from the clerk's service of the minute order adopting this Tentative Ruling. Explanation: In this partition action, an interlocutory judgment issued on December 22, 2020, which ordered the subject property to be sold by the appointed referee, with the proviso that $20,000 of the sale proceeds would be impounded to cover later costs of partition. A further order was entered on February 3, 2022, confirming the ...

Excerpt: ...ute order by the clerk. To deny the motion for relief from sanctions. Explanation: Defendants Springs SPE, LP (erroneously sued as The Springs), and Apartment Management Consultants, LLC (collectively "defendants") generally demur to the eighth cause of action, for public nuisance, for failure to state facts to support the cause of action. The present demurrer is the third challenge to the same cause of action, based on the same deficiencies alle...

Excerpt: ...red by the agreement. The party opposing the motion must then prove by a preponderance of evidence that a ground for denial of the moton exists (e.g., fraud, unconscionability, etc.) (Hotels Nevada v. LA. Pacific Center, Inc. (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 754, 758.) Written Agreement Unless there is a dispute over authenticity, the mere recitation of the terms is suffcient for a party to move to compel arbitration. (Sprunk v. Prisma LLC (2017) 14 Cal.Ap...

Excerpt: ...ssues the parties have not agreed to arbitrate." (Garlach v. Sports Club Co. (2012) 209 Cal.App.4th 1497, 1505) "Thus, in ruling on a motion to compel arbitration, the court must first determine whether the parties actually agreed to arbitrate the dispute." (Mendez v. Mid-Wilshire Health Care Center (2013) 220 Cal.App.4th 534, 541.) The party moving to compel arbitration bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence the existence...

Excerpt: ...prior to the subject incident to the present. To deny both parties' requests for monetary sanctions against each other. Plaintiffs shall serve further responses within 10 days of the date of service of this order. Explanation: Request for Production number 18 requests "A true and complete copy of all WRITINGS related to disability benefits received by Mr. Shire, including, but not limited to, the applications for such benefits, medical reports, d...

Excerpt: ... by Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.16, subdivision (e). Mr. Hoppe attests to having provided the contents of the file as requested by his client with the exception of a February 14, 2023 email from Jeff Williams, in-house counsel for Zenith, and emails sent after his representation of TJ & Sons ended on March 1, 2023. (Hoppe Decl. "1 9-10.) The author of the emails, Mr. Williams, asserted the work product privilege regarding the February 1...

Excerpt: ...fendants Folmer and Kearney: First, to the extent that plaintiff seeks to compel further responses from defendants Corrine Folmer and Kevin Kearney, plaintiff has not shown that she ever served these defendants with discovery requests or that they provided inadequate responses to the requests. Therefore, there is no basis for her to compel them to provide further responses to discovery, as they were apparently never served with any discovery requ...

Excerpt: ...be (1990) 219 cal.App.3d 1527, 1529; Nicholson v. Barab (1991) 233 cal.App.3d 1671, 1681.) The reply brief makes clear that plaintiff seeks summary judgment based on the parties' oral agreement, only, and not based on that agreement plus the email he sent to defense counsel later in the day after the mediation. However, this only complicates the issue, since the complaint includes a PAGA claim, and plaintiff's counsel's email included a term allo...

Excerpt: ...es, Set One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set One. The truth of all matters specified in the Request for Admissions, Set One, are deemed admitted. (Code Civ. Proc., S 2033.280, subd. (bj.) To impose reasonable sanctions in the sum of $3,001.50 against JOM and in favor of plaintiffs Miguel Lopez and Maria Lopez, to be paid to plaintiffs' counsel within 30 days of service of the order by the clerk. To grant the motion to compel depositi...

Excerpt: ...the order entered by the court on the request for pretrial discovery conference. To grant plaintiffs motions to compel defendant to provde further responses to the disputed form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and requests for production of documents. Defendant shall provide supplemental responses, without objections, within 10 days of the date of service of this order. To grant plaintiff's request for monetary sanctions against defenda...

Excerpt: ...0 days' leave to file a second amended answer. The time in which the first amended answer can be amended will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. All new allegations in the second amended answer are to be set in boldface type. To deny the motion to strike affirmative defenses 1-7, 9-25, and 27-28, as moot in light of the ruling on the demurrer. To deny the motion to strike the request for attorney's fees due to a failure to provide...

Excerpt: ...lease and breach of guarantee. The first cause for breach of lease is brought against Daphne's Restaurant-Fresno, lnc„ and the cause of achon for breach of guaranty is brought against defendants Mosa Gazali and Husein Alamoodi. "A cause of action for breach of contract requires proof of the following elements: (1) existence of the contract; (2) plaintiff's performance or excuse for nonperformance; (3) defendant's breach; and (4) damages to plai...

Excerpt: ...g 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 settlor's financial condition and insurance policy limits, if any; and 6) eviden...

Excerpt: ...ancement payment to plaintff Eric Garcia is $5,000. A revised proposed order shall be submitted to this department within 5 days of the clerk's service ofthis order. To set a hearing at June 13, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 503 as a hearing date for an Amended Judgment pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 384. A verified report of payouts of settlement funds and a proposed amended judgment shall be submitted no later than May 30, 2024....

Excerpt: ...court intends to deny plaintiff's motion to the extent that plaintiff seeks a determination that the settlement does not affect its claims against the non-settl-ng defendants, as such a determination is beyond the scope of section 877.6. Also, the court intends to deny plaintiff's moton to the extent it seeks to declare the settlement null and void and vacate the judgment. Explanation: Under Code of Civil Procedure section 877.6, subdivision (a),...

Excerpt: ...uest for Court Judgment. (Cal. Rules of rule 3.1800(a); Holloway v. Quetel (2015) 242 cal.App.4th 1425, 1432.) This alone requires the denial of the application. The specific relief requested must be indicated on Form CIV- IW, and the relief must list the categories of damages. Second, the present application further fails to submit a declaration of nonmilitary status for each defendant against whom judgment is sought. (Cal. Rules of rule Federal...

Excerpt: ...creditor of a lesser sum in full satisfaction of the judgment." (Code Civ. Proc., S 724.010, subd. (a).) "For the purposes of subdivisions (b) and (c), the date a money judgment is satisfied in full or in part is the earliest of the following times: (2) The date satisfaction is tendered to the judgment creditor or deposited in court for the judgment creditor." (Code Civ. Proc., S 585.030, subd. (d)(2).) Upon satisfaction of the judgment, the judg...

Excerpt: ...for judgment on the pleadings is a nonstatutory but well-established procedure with the purpose and effect of a general demurrer. Because the motion is, in effect, a general demurrer, the same rules apply. Thus, to prevail on a motion for judgment on the pleadings, a defendant must show a complaint fails to state a cause of acton. (Sofas v. Bank of America (1985) 172 Cal.App.3d 583, 586, citations omitted.) "'A motion for judgment on the pleading...

Excerpt: ...intiffs attach an email from Mr. Rosado wherein he asks counsel to use a new address. However, as the court instructed counsel in the Tentative Ruling issued on April 18, 2023, when service to Mr. Rosado is made by mail, plaintiffs must include service at his address of record, even if they also wish to serve him at a different address. It is the duty of the litigant (including a self-representing litigant) to serve all parties with a written not...

Excerpt: ... defend the action, the court is empowered to grant relief from a default. (Code Civ. Proc„ S 473.5.) Defendant Bhupinder Singh ("Defendant") argues that he was never served the summons in this case. Though the filing of a proof of service creates a rebuttable presumption that service was proper (Lebel v. Mai (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 1154, 1163), "a declaration of non-service if credited by the trial court can rebut the presumption of proper serv...

Excerpt: ...laremont Capital Partners, LLC dba Ocean Grown Extracts dba Evidence ("Claremont LLC"), and four new causes of action relating to these parties' interference with the business and contractual relations between plaintiff and defendant Latchkey Pioneers, LLC ("Pioneers"). Plaintiff has met the formalities required of a motion to amend the Complaint, and has given due notice to all appearing defendants. Motions for leave to amend pleadings are direc...

Excerpt: ... vehicle ensued which form the basis of the complaint for damages. Plaintiff brought four causes of action against each of defendant Lithia NC, Inc., dba Lithia Nissan of Clovis ("Lithia"), and the moving defendant Nissan North America, Inc. ("Nissan"), for violations of the Song-Beverly Act regarding warranties. Compel Arbitration Nissan moves to com#l arbitration on an arbitration clause in a retail installment sales contract ("RISC") made betw...

Excerpt: ...sis of the instant complaint for damages. Plaintiff brought a single cause of action against defendant, for an express violation of warranties afforded through the Song-Beverly Act. Though the complaint characterizes the agreement as a lease, is undisputed that the agreement is a retail installment sales contract ("RISC") made between plaintiff and a non-party, Toyota of Clovis. Compel Arbitration A trial court is required to grant a motion to co...

Excerpt: ...parties are ordered to appear so that the court may determine whether such an interested party exists and if so, set a new court trial date. Explanation: Burden on Summary Judgment As the party moving for summary judgment, plaintiff bears an overall burden of persuasion that there is no triable issue of material fact and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850; Woodridge Es...

Excerpt: ...e Judicial Council complaint form, but filed only the first three introductory pages and failed to attach the pages required to comprise the causes of action. Even so, plaintiff did check the box for "general negligence" at Item 10b (page 3), and also added the following at the "other" box at Item 10f: "Missing the Statue [Sicl of Limitations, Not Keeping Copies of Client File, Failure to Perform, Failure to Communicate, Improper Withdraw." Const...

Excerpt: ...tacking the same pleading, set to be heard over a month apart. In the interests of judicial economy, the court continued Dr. Montgomery's motions to be heard jointly with Dr. Smith's motion on June 13, 2023. Because plaintiff's counsel failed to cooperate with defendants' efforts to meet and confer in connection with their challenges to the original Complaint, on October 4, 2022, the court ordered: "In light of plaintiff's counsel's refusal to me...

Excerpt: ... amend. (Code Civ. Proc. S 430.10, subd. (e).) To overrule the demurrer on all other grounds. (Code Civ. Proc. S 430.10, subd. (e),(f).) Plaintiff shall file and serve an amended complaint within ten (10) days of the date of service of this order. All new allegations shall be in boldface. Explanation: On August 22, 2022, plaintiff filed suit against defendants California Department of State Hospitals ("CDSH"), Robert Withrow, Brandon Price, Stanf...

Excerpt: ...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 diffculty or inability in proving the allegations of his complaint. (Highlanders, Inc. v. Olsan (1978) 77 Cal.App.3d 690, 697.) In assessing the sufficiency of the complaint against ...

Excerpt: ... only the evidence on reply may be filed by plaintiff no later than on Friday, June 16, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. A response to plaintiff's briefing may be filed by PVB no later than on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Explanation: A defendant who prevails on an ant-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) motion is entitled to attorney fees. (Code Civ. Proc., S 425.16, subd. (c)(l).) Even where the plaintiff dismisses the action o...

Excerpt: ...") for indemnity and declaratory relief, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 426.50. Defendant contends that it seeks to state a claim against plaintiff for issues arising out of the same facts and incidents alleged by plaintiff in the first amended complaint. As defendant seeks to state a claim against plaintiff related to plaintiff's causes of action, the cross-complaint is compulsory. (Code Civ. Proc. S 426.30, subd. (a).) Where a prop...

Excerpt: ...ere preference is to be granted based on age, medical reasons, in the interests of justice, or based on time for trial. Here, plaintiff and cross-defendant are requesting preference based on the Code of Civil Procedure section 36, subdivision (a). Subdivision (a) provides: (a) A party to a civil acton who is over 70 years of age may petition the court for a preference, which the court shall grant if the court makes both of the following findings:...

Excerpt: ... minute order, a order consistent with the court's summary adjudication ruling. Explanation: Successive Motions for Summary Judgment/Adjudicabon "A party shall not move for summary judgment based on issues asserted in a prior motion for summary adjudication and denied by the court unless that party establishes, to the satisfaction of the court, newly discovered facts or circumstances or a change of law supporting the issues reasserted in the summ...

Excerpt: ... notice of motion, or other similar paper, an attorney or unrepresented party is certifying that to the best of the person's knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances, all of the following conditions are met: (1) It is not being presented primarily for an improper purpose, such as to harass orto cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation. (2) The claims, defenses, an...

Excerpt: ... 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, upon giving notice in the manner provided in subdivision (b) of Section 1005." (Code Civ. Proc., S 877.5, subd. (a)(l).) A determination that the settlement was made in good faith bars any other joint tortfeasor or co-obligor from further claims against the settling tortfeasor or...

Excerpt: ...e the second amended complaint. The time to file the second amended complaint will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. Explanation: Defendant Farmers Insurance demurs to the sole cause of action stemming from a motor vehicle accident, contending that the First Amended Complaint ("FAC") fails to state cause of action, there is a nonjoinder or misjoinder of parties, the FAC is vague and ambiguous, and the cause of action is time-barr...

Excerpt: ...murrer Generally 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) 77 Cal.App.3d 690, 697....

Excerpt: ...noticed by Defendants County of Fresno and Fresno County Sheriff's Offce ("County Defendants") of plaintiff, Dale Blickenstaff, and/or other witnesses identified in those depositions. (Code Civ. Proc. S 2033.300, subd. (c).) To deny Defendants County of Fresno and Fresno County Sheriff's Office's motion for summary judgment. (Code. Civ. Proc. S 437c, subd. (p)(2).) Explanation: Plaintiff's Motion to Withdraw Admissions Deemed Admitted Plaintiff m...

Excerpt: ...ssue exists as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ. Proc., S 437c, subd. (c).) In moving for summary judgment, a "defendant has met his or her burden of showing that a cause of action has no merit if the party has shown that one or more elements of the cause of achon „ cannot be established, or that there is a complete defense to the cause of action." (Code Civ. Proc. S 437c, subd. If ...

Excerpt: ... grant preliminary approval of the proposed settlement. An agreement of the parties is not sufficient to establish a class for settlement purposes. There must be an independent assessment by a neutral court of evidence showing that a class acton is proper. (Luckey v. Superior Court (2014) 228 Cal. App. 4th 81 (rev. denied); see also Newberg, Newberg on Class Actions (T.R. Westlaw, 2017) Section 7:3: "The parties' representation of an uncontested ...

Excerpt: ...ward. Explanation: 1. Legal Standards "When, as here, a class settlement is negotiated prior to formal class certification, there is an increased risk that the named plaintiffs and class counsel 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) ...

Excerpt: ... which the complaint may be amended will run from service of the order by the clerk. In light of plaintiff's counsel's refusal to meet and confer prior to the filing of the demurrer, the court will require plaintiff to initiate and conduct a telephonic or in-person conference of the parties prior to amending the complaint. (See Cade Civ. Proc., S 430.41, subd. (c).) Plaintiffs counsel shall file with the amended complaint a declaration describing...

Excerpt: ...ls to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action[.l " (Dem., p. 2:15-17, citing Code Civ. Proc., 5430.10, subd. (e).) Any valid cause of action overcomes a general demurrer. (Quelimane Co., Inc. v. Stewart Title Guarantee Co. (1998) 19 Cal.426, 38-39.) The court must overrule a general demurrer if the complaint states a cause of action under any possible legal theory. (Sheehan v. San Francisco 49ers, Ltd. (2009) 45 Cal.4th 992, 998.) ...

Excerpt: ...anguage must be set in boldface type. Explanation: The Fair Employment and Housing Act ("FEHA") exempts religious associations or corporations which are not organized for private profit. (Gov. Code, S 12926, subd. (d).) Plaintiff concedes that the religious exemption in FEHA would normally apply to defendant, but that defendant's acts of displaying ant-discriminatory posters constitutes a waiver of the religious organization exemption and that de...

Excerpt: ...y is certain, the motion may be renewed. To overrule the objections of Amazing Energy Partners, Inc. Explanation: Interpleader, Generally "When a person may be subject to conflicting claims for money or property, the person may bring an interpleader action to compel the claimants to litigate their claims among themselves." (City of Morgan Hill v. Brown (1999) 71 Cal.App.4th 1114, 1122.) "An interpleader action is an equitable proceeding. [Citatio...

Excerpt: ...o contnue the demurrer to June 28, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 501. The deadlines for opposition and reply papers will remain the same as for the original hearing date. Explanation: On 12/23/22, a motion to dismiss was filed by defendants Bank of America, N.A. (for itself and as successor by merger to BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP and Recontrust Company, N.A.), Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., MERSCORP Holdings, lnc„ and The ...

Excerpt: ...s may be determined by the court to be in "good faith." If the court does so, this bars any other joint tortfeasor from any further claims against the settling defendant for equitable comparative contribution, equitable indemnity or comparative fault. (Code Civ. Proc„ S 877.6, subd. Tech-Bilt v. Woodward-Clyde & Associates ("Tech-Bilt") provided the following non-exclusive list of factors for the court to consider in determining the "good faith...

Excerpt: ...nse on or before June 20, 2023. The supplemental briefs shall not exceed five pages in length. Explanation: The County of Fresno demurs to the complaint on several grounds, including a contention that the complaint is uncertain as to plaintiffs identity. Plaintiff cites Starbucks Corp. v. Superior Court (21%8) 158 Cal.App.4th 1436 (Starbucks), wherein the court noted the " judicial use of I Doe plaintiffs' to protect legitimate privacy rights has...

Excerpt: ...iego (2020) 59 Cal.App.5th 63, 72.) Government Code section 911.2, subdivision (a), provides that such a claim is to be presented no later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action. (Gov. Code, S 911.2; Munoz v. State of California (1995) 33 Cal.App.4th 1767, 1776.) The policy behind the requirement to file a timely claim is threefold, as it 1) gives the entity an opportunity to promptly remedy the condition, 2) allows the entity t...

Excerpt: ...s "[dlisobeying a court order to provide discovery" a "misuse of the discovery process," but sanctions are only authorized to the extent permitted by each discovery procedure. Once a motion to compel answers is granted, continued failure to respond or inadequate answers may result in more severe sanctions, including evidence, issue or terminating sanctions, or further monetary sanctions. (Code Civ. Proc. SS 2030.290, subd. (c); 2031.300, subd. (c...

Excerpt: ...5 and Exhibit A. To overrule plaintiffs remaining objections. To reserve the issue of sanctions. If oral argument is timely requested, the matter will be heard on Friday, June 2, 2023, 3:30 p.m. in Dept. 403. Explanation: Notice Counsel is required to provide notice to the opposing party when issuing a third party subpoena for business records. (See Code Civ. Proc„ S 2025.220, subd. (b); California Shellfish Inc. v. United Shellfish Company (19...

Excerpt: ...es, Set One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set One. Plaintiff Melinda Frias is ordered to serve verified responses, without objections, to plaintiff Sylvia Kissing's Form Interrogatories, Set One, Special Interrogatories, Set One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set One, 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 impose monetary sanctions in favor ...

Excerpt: ...over and CA Slover Trucking's motion for summary judgment. To grant defendants Slover and CA Slover Trucking, joined by defendants Freshko Produce Services, LLC and Barnes, motion for summary judgment of the Complaint. The prevailing parties are directed to submit to the court, within 5 days of service of the minute order, a proposed Judgment consistent with the court's summary judgment order. Explanation: Defendants Slover and CA Slover Trucking...

Excerpt: ... motion for leave to amend. To deny the motion for interlocutory judgment of dismissal of the entirety of the first amended complaint. To deny the alternative relief sought for interlocutory judgment of dismissal of the seventh and eighth causes of action of the first amended complaint. Explanation: Plaintiffs Lennice Muhammad and Julia Dudley (collectively "plaintiffs") seek leave to file an amended complaint. Defendants Tylar Property Managemen...

Excerpt: ...are incurred to enforce that contract, shall be awarded either to one of the parties or to the prevailing party, then the party who is determined to be the party prevailing on the contract, whether he or she is the party specified in the contract or not, shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees in addition to other costs." (Civ. Code, S 1717, subd. (a).) Also, under Code of Civil Procedure section 1033.5, subdivision (a)(10)(A), attorney's...

Excerpt: ...eighth, and ninth causes of action, with leave to amend. To sustain cross-defendant Guardian Angel's Adult Day Health Care, LLC's demurrer to the fourth and fifth causes of action, without leave to amend. To overrule on all other grounds. Cross-complainant shall serve and file her second amended cross-complaint within ten (10) days of the date of service of this order. All new allegations shall be in boldface Explanation: Cross Complaint Generall...

Excerpt: ...reasonable ground for believing it to be true." (Civ. Code, S 1710, subd. (2).) "The Supreme Court has held: 'Negligent misrepresentation is a separate and distinct tort, a spec:ies of the tort of deceit. "Where the defendant makes false statements, honestly believing that they are true, but without reasonable ground for such belief, he may be liable for negligent misrepresentation, a form of deceit." The Court of Appeal has held: 'The elements o...

Excerpt: ...rsuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 384, subdivision (b), so that the judgment can be amended and the distribution of any cy pres funds can be ordered. Documentaton as to the amount paid to class members must be filed on or before April 17, 2024. Explanation: Final Approval of Settlement California Rules of Court, rule 3.769(g) states: "Before final approval, the court must conduct an inquiry into the fairness of the proposed settlement." S...

Excerpt: ...hether the proposed class meets the requirements for certification before it can grant preliminary approval of the proposed settlement. An agreement of the parties is not suffcient to establish a class for settlement purposes. There must be an independent assessment by a neutral court of evidence showing that a class action is proper. (Luckey v. Superior Court (2014) 228 Cal. App. 4th 81 (rev. denied); see also Newberg, Newberg on Class Actions (...

Excerpt: ...2031.300, subd. (a) [production of documents), 2033.280, subd. (a) [admissions].) Explanation: Defendant Ranthisi Rowel's discovery responses (Form Interrogatories, Requests for Admissions, Special Interrogatories, and Requests for Production of Documents, all Set One) were served three days late. Plaintiff had granted two extensions of time, with the final extension making the responses due on November 28, 2022. The responses were finalized on N...

Excerpt: ...rocedure section 473, subdivision (b). That statute provides that "[t]he court may, upon any terms as may be just, relieve a party or his or her legal representative from a judgment, dismissal, order, or other proceeding taken against him or her through his or her mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. Application for this relief shall be accompanied by a copy of the answer or other pleading proposed to be filed therein, otherwise...

Excerpt: ...n equitable proceeding. (Southern California Gas Co. v. Flannery (2014) 232 Cal.App.4th 477, 485.) It provides a procedure where a person holding funds or property, to which conflicting claims are made by others, can force claimants to litigate their claims to the funds or property among themselves. (Code Civ. Proc., S 386; City of Morgan Hill v. Brown (1999) 71 Cal.App.4th 1114, 1122.) Once the person admits liability and deposits the funds with...

Excerpt: ...ontract; (2) breach of implied covenant of faith and fair dealing; (3) interference with prospective economic advantage; (4) fraud; and (5) injunction. The court notes the unusual timing of the present motion, which the court finds materially affects the consideration of the moton. A party may move for summary judgment at any time after 60 days have elapsed since the general ap#arance in the action or proceeding of each party against whom the mot...

Excerpt: ... his PAGA claim aga-nst defendants, and dismiss the representative portion of the PAGA claim. Explanation: A trial court is required to grant a motion to compel arbitration "if it determines that an agreement to arbitrate the controversy exists." (Code Civ. Proc., S 1281.2.) However, there is "no public policy in favor of forcing arbitration of issues the parties have not agreed to arbitrate." (Garlach v. Sports Club Co. (2012) 209 Cal.App.4th 14...

Excerpt: ...he amount of $167,650.00. To grant administrator costs in an amount of $4,630.00. To grant plaintiff Jesse Cruz, class representative, an incentive award in the amount of $5,000.00. The court will sign the proposed judgment submitted. Notice of the judgment is to be given to class members by an insert with the checks distributed to them, which insert refers the class to the Court's Odyssey search link and gives the case number for this case. (Cal...

Excerpt: ...dant Martin R'Nha to provide verified responses to form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and requests for production of documents. To order defendant to pay sanctions of $1,005. Defendant shall serve his verified responses without objections within 20 days of the date of service of this order. Defendant shall pay sanctions to plaintiff's counsel within 30 days of the date of service of this order. To grant the motion to compel defendants...

Excerpt: ..., subdivision (b). 1 On application, the court may, on any terms as may be just, relieve a party from a default taken against it due to mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. (Code Civ. Proc., S 473, subd. (b).) This is defendant's second motion to set aside his default. Defendant's first motion was denied by the court, without prejudice, pursuant to the minute order adopting the Tentative Ruling on November 10, 2022 ("Prior Rulin...

Excerpt: ...om service by the clerk of the minute order. Explanation: Demurrer The function of a demurrer is to test the suffciency 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 Belf with the issue of plaintiff's possible difficulty or inability in proving the allegations of his complaint. (Highlander...

Excerpt: ...f an undertaking. Explanation: A right to attach order, stating the amount to be secured by the attachment, shall issued if the court finds all of the following: 1. the claim upon which the attachment is based is one upon which an attachment may be issued; 2. the plaintff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based; 3. the attachment is not sought for a purpose other than the recovery on the claim upon wh...

Excerpt: ...to the first amended complaint within 10 days of the date of service of this order. Explanation: Meet and Confer: First of all, it does not appear that defendant complied with the meet and confer requirement for demurrers and motions to strike before bringing the present motions. under Code of Civil Procedure section 430.41, "[b]efore filing a demurrer pursuant to this chapter, the demurring party shall meet and confer in person or by telephone w...

Excerpt: ...ulative. To overrule all of defendant's remaining objections to the expert declaration provided by plaintiff. To overrule all of plaintiff's objections to the expert declaration provided by defendant. Explanation: Declarations by expert witnesses are generally required when expert witness testimony would be required at trial (such as on the issue of the standard of care in a professional malpractice case). (See e.g. Kelley v. Trunk (1998) 66 Cal....

Excerpt: ...fth causes of action. Code of Civil Procedure section 437c, subdivision (f)(l), provides that "[a] party may move for summary adjudication as to one or more causes of action within an acton if that party contends that there is no affirmative defense thereto A motion for summary adjudication shall be granted only if it completely disposes of a cause of action ..." Plaintiff must "prove[ ] each element of the cause of achon entitling the party to j...

Excerpt: ...ion). Plaintiff brings a complaint against defendant Hyundai Motor America for breach of express and implied warranties concerning this vehicle under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Civ. Code, SS 1790, et seq.). Defendant moves to compel plaintiffs to arbitrate these claims based on the Retail Installment Sales Contract ("RISC") they signed when they purchased the subject vehicle. No Automatic Stay Now in Place Defendant's Notice of Motio...

Excerpt: ...esponses to Special Interrogatories, Set Three, Nos. 75, 78, and 86. To grant and compel further responses to Request for Production of Documents, Set Two, Nos. 21 and 26, and order plaintiffto all relevant documents, within 20 days of service of the order by the clerk. To impose monetary sanctions in the total amount of against plaintiff Grupo Comunitario de San Miguel Cuevas, in favor of defendant Harmony Communities, Inc., payable no later tha...

Excerpt: ...the merits of the issues, but merely discovers, through the medium of affdavits or declarations, whether there are issues to be tried and whether the parties possess evidence that demands the analysis of a trial. (Melamed v City of Long Beach (1993) 15 cal.App.4th 70, 76; Malko v Holy spirit Ass n (1988) 46 cal.3d 1092, 1107; Schwoerer v Union Oil Co. (1993) 14 Cal.App.4th 103, 110.) In short, the motion is not a substitute for a bench trial. A s...

Excerpt: ...rder and Code of Civil Procedure section 872.720. The court intends to appoint a partition referee pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 873.010 in the interlocutory judgment, however the name of the referee shall be left blank so that the court can determine who should be appointed. To grant all requests for judicial notice. Explanation: Burden on Summary Judgment As the party moving for summary judgment, plaintiff bears an overall burden ...

Excerpt: ...f action for premises liability, without leave to amend. Explanation: In January 2022 plaintiff Manuel Salazar suffered severe personal injuries in an accident that occurred while he was riding his dirt bike in the Kings River riverbed. He alleges a gap in a mountain of dirt created by Stoney's caused him to fall off his bike. In addition to the operator, Stoney's Sand & Gravel LLC (Stoney s), he has sued Carol Evans and Michael Evans (the Evans ...

Excerpt: ..., and number 14 (last sentence), but to overrule the rest of these objections. As to defendant's evidentiary objections, to overrule numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, and to sustain numbers 2 and 8. Explanation: The parol evidence rule is not merely an evidentiary rule, but is a rule of substantive law. (Alling v. Universal Manufacturing Corp. (1992) 5 Cal.App.4th 1412, 1433.) It "generally prohibits the introduction of any extrinsic evidence, whet...

Excerpt: ...cre walnut orchard is part of the larger parcel. To deny plaintiff's motion to exclude the expert testimony of Stephen Roach. Explanation: Moton to Exclude Expert Testimony: Plaintiff moves to exclude Mr. Roach's testimony under Code of Civil Procedure section 1260.040, which states, "If there is a dispute between plaintiff and defendant over an evidentiary or other legal issue affecting the determination of compensation, either party may move th...

Excerpt: ...'s prior order on a motion to compel further responses to inspection demands, entered on July 26, 2022. Plaintiff moves under Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.320, which states that "if a party fails to obey an order compelling inspection, copying, testing, or sampling, the court may make those orders that are just, including the imposition of an issue sanction, an evidence sanction, or a terminating sanction. (Code Civ. Proc. S 2031.320, sub...

Excerpt: ...oc., S 128.5.) To impose sanctions in the amount of $750 against defense counsel, David V. Roth, and his law firm, Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 177.5 for failing to appear at the April 12, 2023, hearing in violation of a court order. Sanctions are due and payable to the court within 30 days of the date of this order, with the time to run from the service of this minute order by the cler...

Excerpt: ...damages from the complaint. Defendants content that the complaint fails to state sufficient facts to support the prayer for punitive damages as to each of them. The court notes initially that there is a dispute as to the timeliness of the present motion. Code of Civil Procedure section 435, under which defendants move, allows for the filing of a motion to strike within the time allowed to respond to a pleading. (Code Civ. Proc. S 435, subd. (b)(l...

Excerpt: ... (Code Civ. Proc. S 396b, subd. (b).) Explanation: This is an insurance bad faith achon in which plaintiffs sued two corporations and multiple individual defendants. No defendant resides in Fresno County, though the underlying auto accident occurred in Fresno County. Moving party's headquarters and principal place of business are in Orange County; Andrea Condrey resides in Orange County; Alexander Morales resides in Los Angeles County; Timothy St...

Excerpt: ...fied in plaintiffs' Requests for Admission, Set Two, are deemed admitted, unless defendant serves, before the hearing, proposed responses to the requests for admission that are in substantial compliance with Code of Civil Procedure, Section 2033.220. Explanation: Compel Compliance with Deposition Subpoena Plaintiffs Sharon Vulich, individually, and as successor in interest to the Estate of Jerry Vulich, Nicole Vulich Miller, Crystal Vulish, and J...

Excerpt: ...e Company's Complaint. To deny summary judgment of Plaintiff Hallmark Specialty Insurance Company's Second Amended Complaint. Explanation: 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. S437c(c); Schacter v. Citigroup (2009) 47 Cal.4th 610, 618.) The issue to be determined by the trial court in consideration of a motion...

Excerpt: ... subdivision (c) provides: No pretrial discovery by the plaintiff shall be permitted with respect to [defendant's financial condition] unless the court enters an order permitting such discovery pursuant to this subdivision. Upon motion by the plaintiff supported by appropriate affidavits and after a hearing, if the court deems a hearing to be necessary, the court may at any time enter an order permitting the discovery otherwise prohibited by this...

Excerpt: ...First Amended Complaint. Explanation: Meet and Confer Code of Civil Procedure section 435.5 makes it clear that meet and confer must be conducted "in person or by telephone. (ld., subd. (a).) There are limited instances in which the meet and confer requirement does not apply: 1) for an unrepresented party who is incarcerated; 2) proceedings in forcible entry, forcible detainer, or unlawful detainer; 3) an ant-SLAPP motion; and 4) a motion less th...

Excerpt: ...e standard of care in a medical malpractice case requires that physicians exercise in diagnosis and treatment that reasonable degree of skill, knowledge and care ordinarily possessed and exercised by members of the medical profession under similar circumstances. ' "The standard of care against which the acts of a physician are to be measured is a matter peculiarly within the knowledge of experts; it presents the basic issue in a malpractice actio...

Excerpt: ...ification before it can grant preliminary approval of the proposed settlement. An agreement of the parties is not suffcient to establish a class for settlement purposes. There must be an independent assessment by a neutral court of evidence showing that a class action is proper. (Luckey v. Superior Court (2014) 228 Cal.App.4th 81 (rev. denied); see also Newberg, Newberg on Class Actions (T.R. Westlaw, 2017) Section 7:3: "The parties' representati...

Excerpt: ...adings in compliance with Code of Civil Procedure, section 439. Rather, he argues that meeting and conferring is not required to bring his motion, and even if so, any efforts would have been futile. The parties must engage in good faith meet and confer, in person or by telephone, as set forth in the statute. (Code Civ. Proc., S 439, subd. The moving party is not excused from this requirement unless he shows that plaintiff and cross-defendant Deli...

Excerpt: ...mplaint to allege that defendant Mostafa Heidari ("defendant Heidari"), his attorney Henry Nunez, and "others" misrepresented to plaintiff that he could not qualify to become an ARCO dealer because he did not have two years' experience, and, as a result, defendant Heidari needed to remain on title to both the staton and the land and plaintiff would have to work at the staton for two years to gain the requisite experience. Plaintiff seeks to alleg...

Excerpt: ...t One); and 5) for Monetary Sanctions Jointly Against All Defendants Tentative Ruling: To continue the hearing on the motions to Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 501, in order to allow the parties to meet and confer in person or by telephone, as required for the moton to strike. If this resolves the issues, plaintiff shall call the court to take the motion off calendar. If it does not resolve the issues, counsel for plaintiff s...

Excerpt: ...o deny all motions. Explanation: These motions were continued from April 11, 2023, because plaintiff's counsel had not attached to the motions defendants' discovery responses, which was necessary for the court to determine when and how the responses were served, and to determine if the responses were accurately stated in the Separate Statements for each motion. Plaintiff's counsel has now supplied the responses via three separate supplemental dec...

Excerpt: ...e remaining civil proceedings are stayed pending the outcome of this arbitration motion. Explanation: Defendants Cerca Trova Steakhouse, LP., Cerca Trova Steakhouse, Inc., Cerca Trova Restaurant Concepts, Inc., T-Bird Restaurant Group, Inc., and Out West Restaurant Group, Inc. move for an order compelling arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act, and request to dismiss, or alternatively, stay the action pending arbitration. Pursuant to the F...