Excerpt: ...ded Complaint. The time in which the First Amended 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: Defendants demur to each cause of action asserted in the complaint for failing to state facts sufficient to state a claim and uncertainty. First Cause of Action – Discrimination Government Code section 12940, subdivision...

Excerpt: ...rst Amended Complaint (“FAC”) without leave to amend. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) To grant JPMorgan Chase and Co. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.'s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings on the FAC (joined by U.S. Bank N.A.) without leave to amend. (Code Civ . Proc., § 438.) To grant plaintiff's motion to substitute Bank of America, N.A. (“BANA”) for ReconTrust Company, N.A. (Code Civ. Proc., § 368.5; Corp. Code, § 1107, subd....

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: ... 1207.) The cou rt does not decide the merits of the issues, but merely discovers, through the medium of affidavits 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; Molko 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...

Excerpt: ... nonmeritorio us litigation meant to chill the valid exercise of the constitutional rights to petition or engage in free speech. (Code Civ. Proc., §425.16, subd. (a).) Plaintiff/crossdefendant prevailed on her anti -SLAPP motion as to the defendants/cross -complainants' cross complaint. The prevailing defendant on a special motion to strike “shall be entitled” to recover his or her attorney fees and costs, and this fee award is mandatory. (C...

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: ...0 et seq. , may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs in the court's discretion. (Govt. Code §12965, subd. (c)(6).) Plaintiff prevailed at trial and moves for an award of attorney's fees and costs. In her motion for attorney's fees, plaintiff requests an award of fees in the amount of $130,672.50, reflecting a 1.5 multiplier applied to the lodestar of $87,115.00, and litigation costs in the amount of $2,723.61. Defendant does not oppo...

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: ...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 action is proper. (Luckey v. Superior Court (2014) 228 Cal.App.4th 81, 93- 95.) “Class certification requires proof (1) of a sufficiently numerous, ascertainable class, (2) of a well - defined community of interest, and (3) that certi...

Excerpt: ..., 2024, a t 3:30 p.m., in order to allow the parties to meet and confer in person or by telephone, as required. If this resolves the issues, plaintiff's counsel shall call the court to take the motion off calendar. If it does not resolve the issues, plaintiff's coun sel shall file a declaration, on or before Wednesday, May 1, 2024, stating the efforts made. To grant and to award monetary sanctions in the total amount of $680 against defendant Sa...

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: ...anati on: Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.010 defines “misuses of the discovery process” as including, “failing to respond or submit to an authorized method of discovery” and “disobeying a court order to provide discovery.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2023.010, su bds. (d) & (g).) Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.030 states, in relevant part: To the extent authorized by the chapter governing any particular discovery method or any o...

Excerpt: ...e Civ. Proc., § 583.310.) “An action shall be dismissed by the court on its own motion or on motion of the defendant, after notice to the parties, if the action is not brought to trial within the time prescribed in this article.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 583.360, sub d. (a).) “The requirements of this article are mandatory and are not subject to extension, excuse, or exception except as expressly provided by statute.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 58...

Excerpt: ...riefs, not to exceed seven pages, which must be filed no later than April 10, 2024. Plaintiff's “renewed” motion is also continued to April 18, 2024, pending further orders once the court rules on its sua sponte motion for reconsideration. Explanation: The court conti nued the hearing on January 17, 2024, to give defendant an opportunity to address the merits of the motion and present evidence that the court would weigh against plaintiff's e...

Excerpt: ...rds are presumed to be open.” (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.550(c).) “A record must not be filed under seal without a court order. The court must not permit a record to be filed under seal based solely on the agreement or stipulation of the parties.” (Cal. Rules of Cou rt, rule 2.551(a).) “A party requesting that a record be filed under seal must file a motion or an application for an order sealing the record. The motion or application...

Excerpt: ...etained. [¶] (2) Amend that party's expert witness declaration with respect to the general substance of the testimony that an expert previously designated is expected to give." (Code Civ. Proc. § 2034.610, subd. (a).) The motion must be made in sufficient time in advanc e of the completion of discovery. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2034.610, subd. (b).) A meet and confer declaration is required. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2034.610, subd. (c).) The co...

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...

Excerpt: ....App.4th 705, 713, quoting Code Civ. Proc. § 437c(c).) Summary judgment is properly directed toward the entire complaint and not portions thereof. (see Barnick v. Longs Drug Stores, Inc. (1988) 203 Cal.App.3d 377, 384; Khan v. Shiley, Inc. (1990) 217 Cal.App.3d 848, 858- 859.) Summary adjudication is the proper mechanism for challenging a particular, “cause of action, an affirmative defense, a claim for punitive damages, or an issue of duty.�...

Excerpt: ... es that “[a] person who is entitled to recover damages certain, or capable of being made certain by calculation, and the right to recover which is vested in the person upon a particular day, is entitled also to recover interest thereon from that day, excep t when the debtor is prevented by law, or by the act of the creditor from paying the debt. This section is applicable to recovery of damages and interest from any debtor, including the state...

Excerpt: ... a right of first refusal to buy the remaining properties owned by the Virginia Shubin Barnett Living Trust for $12,500. (Exhibit D to Mireles decl., p. 2, ¶¶ 5.1, 6.) Plaintiff was to pay off the delinquent taxes on the properties, including $97,842.04 payable to Fresno County, $28,078.00 to the federal government, and $4,057.00 to the state. (Ibid.) Plaintiff was to pay the remaining balance of $120,022.96 to the Trust over five years. (Ibi...

Excerpt: ...t Two, and for Monetary Sanctions To grant plaintiff's five motions to compel defendant Southern California District Council of the Assemblies of God to serve initial verified responses to the discovery requests, without objections, unless defendant serves verified responses to the discovery prior to the hearing. To grant plaintiff's request for monetary sanctions of $1,200 against counsel for defendant. Defendant shall serve its verified res...