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: ...tain discov ery within the scope delimited by Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2017.010), and subject to the restrictions set forth in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2019.010), for the purpose of perpetuating that person's own testimony or that of another natura l person or organization, or of preserving evidence for use in the event an action is subsequently filed.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2035.010, subd. (a).) “The methods available...

Excerpt: ...grant p laintiff's alternative motion to tax costs in the amount of $19,450. (Ladas v. Calif. State Auto. Assn. (1993) 19 Cal.App.4th 761, 774.) Explanation: Untimely Filing “A prevailing party who claims costs must serve and file a memorandum of costs within 15 d ays after the date of service of the notice of entry of judgment or dismissal by the clerk under Code of Civil Procedure section 664.5 or the date of service of written notice of ent...

Excerpt: ...ricken. Plaintiffs are granted 20 days' leave to file the first amended complaint. The time in which the complaint can be amended will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. All new allegations in the first amended complaint are to be set in boldface type. Explanation: A motion to strike can be used to cut out any irrelevant, false or improper matters or a demand for judgment requesting relief not supported by the allegations of th...

Excerpt: ...de of Civ . Proc., § 2017.010; Williams v. Superior Court (2017) 3 Cal.5th 531, 541), and “[a]ny party may obtain discovery … by taking in California the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.010.) Proper servi ce of a notice of deposition compels any deponent to attend, to testify, and to produce documents if requested. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.280, subd. (a).) Where a party deponent...

Excerpt: ...prove by a preponderance of evidence that a ground for denial of the motion exists (e.g., fraud, unconscionability, etc.) (Rosenthal v. Great Western Fin'l Securities Corp. (1996) 14 Cal.4th 394, 413 -414; Hotels Nevada v. L.A. Pacific Ctr., Inc. (2006) 144 Cal .App.4th 754, 758; Villacreses v. Molinari (2005) 132 Cal.App.4th 1223, 1230.) There is a strong policy in favor of arbitration. (AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion (2011) 563 U.S. 333, ...

Excerpt: ...owing that “the health of the party is such that a preference is necessary to prevent prejudicing the party's interest in the litigation.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 36, subd. (a)(2).) According to plaintiffs' attorney, Mr. Cleveland “suffers from age -related decline in health, suffers from increasing deterioration of his spinal column having had microdisectomy with a fusion surgery scheduled sometime in the summer 2024 and is in the final stag...

Excerpt: ...ent 403. Explanation: A plaintiff may request a continuance by filing a declaration explaining why further discovery is essential to opposing the motion for summary judgment and why additional time is needed. (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (h); Combs v. Skyriver Communications, Inc. (2008) 159 Cal.App.4th 1242, 1270.) The declaration must show facts that establish a likelihood that evidence may exist which would create a triable issue of fact,...

Excerpt: ... powe r of attorney may bring an action on behalf of his principal only as guardian ad litem. (In re Marriage of Caballero (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 1139, 1152.) Here, it is apparent that the real party in interest is Carolina Cruz and that Antonio Cruz would be a n appropriate guardian ad litem for Carolina Cruz. The court grants leave to amend the complaint to name the real party in interest as the plaintiff and to address the issue of a guardian a...

Excerpt: ...on (d). Plainti ff submits a partially executed settlement agreement declaring Plaintiff as the prevailing party, entitling her to seek fees and costs. The settlement agreement is not subscribed by defendant Mercedes -Benz, USA, LLC (“Defendant”), against whom Plaintiff se eks to enforce this provision. In opposition, Defendant does not appear to contest the execution of the settlement agreement. The court finds that Plaintiff sufficiently s...

Excerpt: ... Cal.App .4th 995, 999.) As in demurrers, grounds for the motion must appear on the face of the challenged pleading or on facts which the court may judicially notice. (Saltarelli & Steponovich v. Douglas (1995) 40 Cal.App.4th 1, 5.)1 When reviewing a pleading, a demurrer or motion for judgment on the pleadings admits the truth of all material allegations and a court will “give the complaint a reasonable interpretation by reading it as a whole a...

Excerpt: ...s Associat ion (“POA”), (collectively “Defendants”) move for summary judgment of plaintiff's complaint on the basis that the undisputed material facts demonstrate defendants have a complete affirmative defense to the action, that the plaintiffs have failed to proffer evidence to support their claims, and that there is no merit to their causes of action. Defendants move in the alternative for summary adjudication of each cause of action wi...

Excerpt: ...es for a n order directing the sheriff to seize 31 items of property (mostly shipping containers and helicopter manufacturing equipment) from Hiller at 925 M Street in Firebaugh, California. This noticed motion was followed the denial of plaintiff's ex parte applic ation for the same relief. The motion is brought pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 699.030, which provides, The judgment creditor may apply to the court ex parte, or on notic...

Excerpt: ...es she su ffered “severe and permanent injury to the body and nervous system” … (Complaint ¶ 20.) In her discovery responses, plaintiff states that she suffered a tear in her right knee's lateral meniscus, as well as injuries to her back, left arm, bilateral shoulde rs, neck, hip, head, and upper back. (Response to Defendant Form Interrogatories, Set One (“Form Rog”), No. 6.2.) Plaintiff also states that she continues to suffer con...

Excerpt: ...d. (b).) Legacy's default may not be taken during the 30 -day leave to amend period. The time in which the answer may be amended will run from service by the clerk of the minute order. Explanation: The court previously continued plaintiff's motion to strike to allow time fo r the parties to meet and confer on the issue. Plaintiff's counsel, Stephanie J. Schiern, has filed a declaration indicating that the parties have properly met and conferred....

Excerpt: ...otion t o compel responses from defendant Abigail Abel. To deny the motion to compel responses from defendant Rich Villapando as moot. To impose monetary sanctions in the amount of $44.50, in favor of plaintiff Jackie York and against defendant Rich Villapando. Within thirty (30) days of service of the order by the clerk, defendant Rich Villapando shall pay sanctions to plaintiff Jackie York. Explanation: Motion to Compel Responses – Abigail Ab...

Excerpt: ...ction within 30 days after service of notice of the transfer order. The demurrers and motion to strike are taken off calendar, but are subject to be recalendared in the proper court upon the transfer of the action. Explanation: County of Tulare moves to change t he venue of this action on the ground that County of Fresno is an improper venue and County of Tulare is the only proper venue. “It is a long established rule that a motion for change o...

Excerpt: ...urrer 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 co ncern 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.) In asses...

Excerpt: ...e to amend, defendant's general demurrer to the First Amended Complaint's fifth cause of action for “Fraudulent Inducement -Concealment” on the basis that plaintiff had insufficiently pled a relationship with defendant General Motors, LLC to give rise to a duty to dis close the alleged concealed material facts regarding plaintiff's vehicle. On December 14, 2023 plaintiff filed the Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) which is now the subjec...

Excerpt: ...nt the motion to strike. (Code Civ. Proc., § 436.) To deny plaintiff's motion to quash. To deny imposition of sanctions. Explanation: Demurrer and Motion to Strike “Ordinarily, negligence may be pleaded in general terms and the plaintiff need not specify the precise act or omission alleged to constitute the breach of duty.” (Lopez v. Southern Cal. Rapid Transit Dist. (1985) 40 Cal.3d 780, 795.) Nevertheless, claims falling under the Tort Cla...

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: ...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: ... 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: ...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...