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: ...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: ...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: ...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: ...s entered into after a verdict and judgment were entered. Explanation: Under Code of Civil Procedure section 877, “Where a release, dismissal with or without prejudice, or a covenant not to sue or not to enforce judgment is given in good faith before verdi ct or judgment to one or more of a number of tortfeasors claimed to be liable for the same tort, … it shall have the following effect: … It shall discharge the party to whom it is given f...

Excerpt: ...tion: D efendant American Family Connect Property & Casualty Insurance Company (“Defendant”) specially demurs the second cause of action for breach of contract of the Complaint by Plaintiffs Rawiah Alqadhi, and Akram Alqadhi, Sarah Alqadhi and Sumpula Alqadhi, by and through their guardian ad litem, Rawiah Alqadhi (collectively “Plaintiffs”) on the grounds of uncertainty. Defendant further generally demurs to the second cause of action fo...

Excerpt: ...ust provi de affidavits and other authenticated documents demonstrating competent evidence of jurisdictional facts. (BBA Aviation PLC v. Superior Court (2010) 190 Cal.App.4th 421, 428 -429.) If this is met, the defendant then has the burden of demonstrating that the exercise of jurisdiction would be unreasonable. (Snowney v. Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (2005) 35 Cal.4th 1054, 1062.) California courts may exercise personal jurisdiction over out -...

Excerpt: ...ose 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. a. Settlement Legal Standards “Wh en, 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 ob...

Excerpt: ...third an d fourth causes of action, without leave to amend. Defendant is directed to submit to this court, within 7 days of service of the minute order, a proposed judgment dismissing the third and fourth causes of action as to this defendant. Explanation: The fun ction 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...

Excerpt: ...dants , without leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) To continue plaintiff's motion for leave to file the Fifth Amended Complaint to Wednesday, June 5, 2024, to allow time for the limited purpose of allowing plaintiff to lodge a revised propo sed pleading, deleting any and all reference to defendants Hmong Cultural New Year Celebration, Inc., Mitch Herr, Vilay Lee, Cher Yang, Xang Moua, Kayasit Ly, Vang Chong Thao, Michael He...

Excerpt: ...fraud cause of action (cause of action “2B”), for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, without leave to amend. To sustain the demurrer to the slander cause of action, without leave to amend. To deny the motion to strike the allegations of paragraphs 11, 12, 19, and 20. To grant the motion to strike paragraphs 16, 17, 21, 22 (second sentence only), and 38 (first sentence only) from the first amended complaint. T...

Excerpt: ...in the amount of $1,605.00, to be paid within twenty (20) calendar days from the date of service of the minute order by the clerk. Explanation: Unverified Responses Resulting in Motions to Compel A propounding party may move for an order compelling response to its propounded interrogatories and/or demand. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.290, 2031.300.) For a motion to compel initial responses, no meet and confer is required. All that needs to be sho...

Excerpt: ... of law. (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (p)(2); see also Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850.) The moving party's papers are construed strictly and the opposing party's liberally, and “any doubts as to the propriety of granting the moti on [are resolved] in favor of [the opposing party].” (Ibid.) Defendant contends that a pre -fire transaction discharged plaintiffs' loan and effectively terminated their insurable ...

Excerpt: ... as it pertains to punitive damages, specifically on page 3, Item No. 14(a)(2), without leave to amend. (Gov. Code, § 818.) Plaintiffs are granted 20 days' leave to file the Second Amended Complaint. The time in which the Second Amended Complaint can be amended will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. All new allegations in the Second Amended Complaint are to be set in boldface type. Explanation: Demurrer Plaintiffs' operative c...

Excerpt: ... (1967) 66 Cal.2d 738, 746.) An order staying discovery until expiration of the criminal statute of limitations allows plaintiff to prepare his or her action “while alleviating [defendant's] difficult choice between defending either the civil or criminal cas e.” (Pacers, Inc. v. Superior Court (1984) 162 Cal.App.3d 686, 690.) Fifth Amendment - parallel civil and criminal actions Pursuant to both the United States and California constitutions,...

Excerpt: ...der the Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) as defined by Labor Code section 2698 et seq., on behalf of herself and all aggrieved employees. Defendant Family Tree Farms, Inc. (“Defendant”) now seeks an order compelling Plaintiff to private arbitration of her in dividual claims, to dismiss the class action components, and to stay the representative portion of the PAGA claim. A trial court is required to grant a motion to compel arbitrat...

Excerpt: ...ortions of the First Amended Cross -Complaint To sustain the demurrer to the third cause of action, with leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (g).) To sustain the demurrer to the fourth and fifth causes of action, with leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (e).) To grant the motion to strike the prayer for attorney fees, with leave to amend. Explanation: Cross -Defendants Skyrunner Drone Light Shows, LLC, Noah Furhman, D...

Excerpt: ...ction with leave to amend. The plaintiff is granted leave of 10 days to file a fourth amended complaint, which will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. New language must be set in boldface type. Explanation: Late -Filed Opposition Although it has disc retion to refuse to consider a late filed paper (Cal. Rule of Court, rule 3.1300(d)), the court notes that plaintiffs offer a reasonably plausible excuse (see Reply to Notice of Non...

Excerpt: ...s further responses are to be served no later than April 26, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. To find moot the motion for further response to Amended Request for Production No. 76. Explanation: A motion to compel must “set forth specific facts showing good cause justifying the di scovery sought by the inspection demand.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.310 (b)(1).) Absent a privilege issue or claim of attorney work product, that burden is met simply by a fact -...

Excerpt: ...he Comp laint by plaintiffs Daniel Ricky Blanco and Oscar Rudolfo Blanco (collectively “Plaintiffs”). The Complaint states two causes of action: (1) motor vehicle accident, as to defendant Edsel Antunez; and (2) negligence, as to Defendants. A trial court shall gr ant 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. Citi...

Excerpt: ...req uires certification of a preliminary 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 c lass; and any other matters deemed 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 ...

Excerpt: ...tion. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10, subd. (e).) Plaintiff is granted 10 days' leave to file the First Amended Complaint, which will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. New allegations/language must be set in boldface type. To deny the motion to strike th e allegations regarding the Italian property and alleged Real Property Agreement. To find the motion to strike the allegations and prayer for punitive damages and treble damages mo...

Excerpt: ...deny the petition for reinstatement. Explanation: Confirm Arbitration Award Cross -Complainant Shashi Sharma (“Sharma”) seeks to confirm an arbitration award in the above matter under Code of Civil Procedure section 1285. Any party to an arbitration in which an awar d has been made may petition the court to confirm the award. (Code Civ. Proc. § 1285.) The petition shall set forth the substance of or have attached a copy of the agreement t...