Excerpt: ...ation t hat he was retained by defendant on June 27, 2023. Defendant counsel left a message for Plaintiff and faxed a letter to Plaintiff on July 11, 2023. Defense counsel heard nothing from Plaintiff until he received a copy of the request for default in the mail around August 21, 2023. On August 22, 2023, Defendant attempted to file an answer that was rejected by the court because default had been entered. Defendant moves to set aside the defa...

Excerpt: ...for atto rney's fees pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5. Under section 1021.5, a court may award fees “to a successful party … in any action which has resulted in the enforcement of an important right affecting the public interest if: (a) a signifi cant benefit, whether pecuniary or nonpecuniary, has been conferred on the general public or a large class of persons; and (b) the necessity and financial burden of private enfor...

Excerpt: ...l of th e party's intention to contest, specifying the issues to be contested. As stated in last week's tentative ruling, however, even if there is no contest, counsel are to appear (Zoom okay) to discuss scheduling and the future course of this case. The Court va cated last Friday's scheduled Issue Conference/Mandatory Settlement Conference in light of its not having decided this motion yet. Moreover, the Court predicted last week that the prese...

Excerpt: ..., CON TRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 27 JUDICIAL OFFICER: TERRI MOCKLER HEARING DATE: 04/17/2024 The plaintiff filed this action for negligence on February 27, 2023, alleging injuries caused by an unleashed dog in Calistoga, California on June 2 1, 2021. The defendants propounded Form Interrogatories Set One, Special Interrogatories Set One, and Request for Production of Documents Set one on April 11, 2023, with responses due May 13, 2...

Excerpt: ... to th is evidence prior to a ruling on the motion. Plaintiff shall file and serve a response to this evidence, not exceeding five (5) double -spaced pages, by April 23, 2024. Background While walking for exercise, plaintiff Felicia Sonnier fell and sustained sev ere injuries on May 24, 2020. (Separate Statement of Undisputed Material Facts, hereinafter “SSUMF,” Fact Nos. 1 and 3, and plaintiff's responses.) The City contends the location o...

Excerpt: ...URT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA C OSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 27 JUDICIAL OFFICER: TERRI MOCKLER HEARING DATE: 04/17/2024 liability. Only the first and fourth causes of action are alleged against Defendant City of Oakley. Defendant demurs to Plaintiff's first cause of action p ursuant to Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”) § 430.10(e) on the grounds that Plaintiff's general negligence cause of action against the City is improper and the Cour...

Excerpt: ...laint Plaintiff Emeziem & Others is a law firm that represented seven individuals – Melondy Spears, Candace Spears, Kela Spears, Olajuwon Spears, Shante Ray Jackson, LaShanda Ray, and Latondiwe Hasty (collectively, the “Beneficiaries”), in a Wills and Trust case filed in Contra Costa County (Case no. P21 -00824). (¶ 10.) The matter pertained to a Trust established by the parents/grandparents of the Beneficiaries – Willie L. Spears St...

Excerpt: ...y judgment direc ted toward the first amended complaint. Procedural Background Plaintiff filed his Complaint on November 10, 2021. Defendant Oakwood Athletic Club, LLC (“Oakwood”) filed its Answer on January 26, 2022. Thereafter, Defendant filed its MSJ on May 5, 2023. T he MSJ was set for hearing on August 17, 2023. On July 17, 2023, the Court continued the hearing 24 25 until November 16, 2023. On November 9, 2023, the Court continued t...

Excerpt: ...care), and add additional allegations regarding certain loan distributions. Defendant Albert D. Seeno Jr. opposes the motion on several grounds including legal futility and inexcusable delay. For the following reasons, the motion is granted. The First Amended Complaint is deemed filed as of April 15, 2024. Plaintiff is directed to electronically file a new copy of the Second Amended Complaint by April 19, 2024. Analysis A trial court has discre...

Excerpt: .... (Second Am . Comp. (“SAC”) 1st C/A, ¶¶ 1-30.) Kilarr was previously a party to litigation with Plaintiffs the Menascos, specifically the case James Kenneth Menasco, et al. v. Jerry Kilarr, et al., Contra Costa Superior Court Case No. MSC16 -01460 (the "Prior Litigatio n"). The Prior Litigation was resolved by settlement. This lawsuit arises out of the settlement and other events related to the Prior Litigation. 21 After this acti...

Excerpt: ...ining c laims. Plaintiffs may amend their complaint to include a wrongful foreclosure cause of action at a later date should it become necessary. WFB shall answer the FAC no later than April 29, 2024. The Complaint This case arises out of the claim of plaintiffs Steven V. Schnier and Ana Maria D. Schnier that defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (WFB) moved forward with foreclosing on plaintiffs' residence despite their application for a loan modifi...

Excerpt: ...t moved to intervene in t he action as of the date of the hearing or within seven days of the date of the hearing, the Court will appoint a guardian ad litem for Plaintiff under Code of Civil Procedure sections 372 and 373(c) as set forth below. Background In the SAC, Plaintiff Chl oe Lauren Zebrach alleges a single cause of action for negligence against Monte Nido, a residential care facility. (SAC ¶ 2.) Plaintiff was diagnosed with bi -polar d...

Excerpt: ...ENT 18 JUDICI AL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 04/12/2024 their first amended complaint is granted but the Court does not "deem" the first amended complaint filed. Rather, Plaintiffs shall file their First Amended Complaint with the Court and serve the amended pleading on Defendant's counsel by April 22, 2024 Background This case involves a dispute between parents and their daughter/step - daughter over the parties'...

Excerpt: ...does, review document s in its own file without the need for taking judicial notice thereof. Factual Allegations This matter generally relates to issues arising from the construction and sale of real property located at 2030 Hoover Avenue in Pleasant Hill (the “Property”). The Sellers of the Property purchased the Property and performed improvements thereon, which were completed by March 2018. (¶ 16.) On or about March 7, 2018, Plaintiffs p...

Excerpt: ... 2023 she, as tenant, entered into a written agreement with defendant Starwood Enterprises, LLC (Starwood), as landlord, to rent the premises located at 1907 Hoffman Boulevard in Richmond. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMEN T 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 04/12/2024 (Complaint, ¶ 9.) Plaintiff alleges the premises suffers from substantial habitability defects, including “rodents/ins...

Excerpt: ...injur ed while skating at a skatepark owned by the City on February 5, 2021. Plaintiff was born in 1987 and thus, was over 12 years old when the accident occurred. (Roark depo. 6:17 -18.) The City is a public entity and owns and maintains the skatepark. (Helfenbe rger ¶2.) The skatepark has a bowl structure for people to skate. (Helfenberger ¶3.) In the center of the lowest part of the bowl is a drain. (Helfenberger ¶3.) According to the City'...

Excerpt: ...e agreed u pon SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 04/12/2024 forum. For the reasons set forth, the motion is granted as to Plaintiff's second, third, fourth, and sevent h cause of actions asserted against Defendant Garda, and the sixth cause of action against Defendants Garda and Poppy Bank in the FAC; further, this action shall be stayed pending the outc...

Excerpt: ...ment a nd settlement agreement on the grounds that “the judgment was entered into in the absence of a trial on the merits and as the result of fraud in the inducement, surprise, mistake, inadvertence and excusable neglect and as to the fraudulent acts of Defendan t, including tax evasion, serving to void the transaction based upon the extrinsic fraud of the Defendants.” The Court has carefully reviewed the papers submitted by Plaintiff in sup...

Excerpt: ...parties have made , given that there have been both multiple “settlement agreements” entered into since the original one, and multiple recitations to the Court of unresolved issues requiring further negotiation and agreement. The motion before the Court purports to say that the settlement to be enforced is the one that was “agreed to at the Mediation conducted in this matter on October 15, 1998 in front of Mediator Hon. Mark Eaton”. That ...

Excerpt: ...ote") secured by a deed of trust on Plaintiffs' single - family residence located at 1452 Club View Drive in El Cerrito. (First Amended Complaint (with errata) ("FAC") ¶¶ 1, 4, 12 -15; P. Pan Decl. Exh. C [deed of trust].) Defendants Peter Pan and Jenny Pan (the "Pans" fo r convenience) are the lenders under the Note. On March 22, 2022, the Pans issued a Notice Pursuant to California Civil Code § 2966 ("Section 2966...

Excerpt: ...or concer ts and similar events. Plaintiffs state that they were employed in non -exempt positions, though their job descriptions and employment dates are not provided. Plaintiff King filed her original complaint as a PAGA case on March 7,2023. She filed a parallel c lass action on May 15, 2023. The class action was amended in December to combine the two cases and to add plaintiff Hill. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $80...

Excerpt: ...E: 04/11/ 2024 23 A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is in the business of providing extended vehicle service programs and ancillary finance and insurance products. This class -action case arises from its alleged former practice of recording consumer pho ne calls, made on cellular or wireless phones, without proper consent or notification. Plaintiff made two such calls in October and November 2022. The original complaint was filed on...

Excerpt: ..., administr ation costs, and representative payment. The motion is granted. A. Background of the Case and Terms of Settlement The total settlement payment is $275,000. Out of this is to come attorney's fees of $91,667 (one -third of the recovery); $22,305 in litigation costs, and $3,950 in costs to the settlement Administrator. The This a PAGA case (not a class action), alleging a variety of violations of the Labor Code concerning failure to prov...

Excerpt: ...May 10 in which to file and serve a second amended complaint, if they choose to. In the event that they elect not to amend, defendants Puri and Compass are given to June 7 in which to answer the surviving contract count of the complaint. (If there is no amendment there will remain no claim pending against defendant Mehringer. There will also remain no live claim being asserted by plaintiff Kandola.) The Court further observes that although it is...

Excerpt: ...e defenses. For the following reasons, Plaintiff's Demurrer to Defendants First, Second, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Affirmative Defense is overruled, and Plaintiff's Demurrer to Defendant's Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh and Fifteenth Affirmative Defense is sustained, with leave to amend as to all but the fifteenth affirmative defense. Legal Standard Code of Civil Procedure § 430.20(a) provides for...

Excerpt: ...her verified responses to Form Interrogatory 17.1 and for sanctions on January 3, 2024. No opposition has been filed to the motion. The motion to compel and request for sanctions is granted for the reasons set forth below. The plaintiff, Niyogi Linzie, filed this action on November 17, 2021, alleging premises liability and damages for injuries sustained when she tripped and fell in the parking lot at the Willows shopping center in Concord, Cal...

Excerpt: ...tion of FEHA; (3) Retaliation in Violation of FEHA; (4) Failure to Prevent Discrimination, Retaliation, and Harassment in Violation of FEHA; (5) Negligent Hiring and Retention; (6) Constructive Discharge in Violation of Public Policy; (7) Failure to Pay Overtime; (8) Failure to Provide Accurate Wage Statements; and (9) Waiting Time Penalties. Plaintiff argues that the FAA applies to the 2017 Employment Agreement because the Supremacy Clause prohi...

Excerpt: ...form of judgment, separate from any order on the motion, for submission to the Court. I. Background According to the complaint filed by plaintiffs Pedro Gomez III and Brianda Gomez (collectively plaintiffs and individually referred to by first name for convenience only, no disrespect intended), on or about November 2, 2019, Pedro fell and sustained severe injuries. At the time, he was working on scaffolding at the Phillips 66 Rodeo Refinery. T...

Excerpt: ...eet his burden in opposition to raise a triable issue of fact. Background Plaintiff Klaus Kubler dba Klaus Kubler Construction (Kubler or plaintiff) filed this action for breach of a construction contract filed on April 27, 2022. Plaintiff alleges he is a licen sed general contractor and in July 2017 entered into a written home improvement contract with defendants James Knight and Paige Tomaselli (defendants), for the construction of improvemen...

Excerpt: ... for leave to amend Code of Civil Procedure § 473(a)(1) provides the Court discretion to permit a party to amend its pleadings. There is “a policy of great liberality in permitting amendments to the complaint at any stage of the proceedings, up to and including tria l [citations]…” (Magpali v. Farmers Group (1996) 48 Cal.App.4th 471, 487.) Leave to amend can be denied where there is “‘inexcusable delay and probable prejudice to the opp...

Excerpt: ... cognizable claims against Reyes. Defendant's motion to strike punitive damages allegations is granted with leave to amend. Plaintiffs shall have until April 29, 2024 to file and serve a first amended complaint. If plaintiffs cannot amend their punitive damages claim again st Reyes within the time stated, they may move to amend the complaint at a later time. The Complaint Plaintiffs Pamela Cooper and Carl Kelly filed their complaint on May 10,...

Excerpt: ...d Proced ural Background On January 2, 2024 Plaintiff Matthew Andrade filed this action against his employer, Defendant Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District and Chris Petlock (whom the Complaint describes as an administrator of Pleasant Hill). The First Amended Complaint alleges age discrimination and harassment toward Plaintiff among other claims. On January 16, 2024, Defendants filed a special motion to strike allegations from the FAC rel...

Excerpt: ...rty damages and personal injuries as to defendants Asghar, as well as references in the complaint to hospital/medical expenses, general damages, and references to injuries to her person on the basis that the complaint states that the personal injury claim relate d to the impact has been settled. Defendants also move to strike requests for attorneys fees and costs since plaintiff alleges no statutory authority for such an award. The motion to stri...

Excerpt: ...poses the motion to compel but agrees to produce a privilege log. The court denies the motion to compel and the request for sanctions but does order plaintiff to serve a privilege log by close of business on May 3, 2024. The plaintiff filed this action for bre ach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. Plaintiff is a pharmacist and she entered into an agreement with defendant Jeff Morgridge to run a pharmacy in Moraga. The defendants, allege...

Excerpt: ...e, but in which Judge Devine granted defendant's motion to designate plaintiff as a vexatious litigant. The present suit is not technically barred by that prefiling- screening order due to the overlapping timing; this suit was filed while the vexatious -litigant moti on was pending, but before it was granted. Nevertheless, this suit appears clearly to constitute a continuation of the same abusive litigation misconduct that caused Judge Devine t...

Excerpt: ...nd amended cros s-complaint by April 19, 2024. This is a lawsuit between two former cohabitants, previously involved romantically and otherwise with each other; the female plaintiff is substantially younger than the male defendant. The male party has filed a first amende d cross-complaint against the female. This is her demurrer to his FAXC. The Court had previously sustained a demurrer to the original cross -complaint. The grounds for that rul...

Excerpt: ...remaining counts. Plaintiff alleges that she was rear -ended in a traffic accident by defendant Renee Thomas. Ms. Thomas said she was calling the Brentwood police, but the officer who actually showed up was a CHP officer who falsely identified himself as Officer Spe ars. Plaintiff alleges that in fact “Officer Spears” was Officer Donnie Thomas, Renee Thomas's husband. Officer Thomas engaged in various investigative steps such as taking plain...

Excerpt: ...tions. F or that reason the Court does not view this as cause for recusal. Plaintiff Nicole Paris moves for preliminary approval of her class action and PAGA settlement with defendant Allergy & Asthma Medical Group of the Bay Area, Inc.. The motion is granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is a medical group treating patients in the specialty of allergies. Plaintiff was employed as a non -exempt employee, though her dates of employ...

Excerpt: ...eged breach of confidential data. The proposed settlement terms involve an array of offered curative steps rather than the more typical cash payments. And, refreshingly, the items usually to be deducted from the gross settlement amount (such as attorney's fees, administrative costs, and representative payments) are being funded directly by the defendant outside of the settlement fund. A. Background , Subject Matter, and Course of Proceedings Cli...

Excerpt: ...oyed ther e as nurses – two of them from 2016 to 2020, though the third plaintiff's dates are not provided. The original complaint was filed on October 1, 2021 as a class action. Plaintiff Hudson separately filed a PAGA action on the previous day. The parties stipul ated to consolidate the actions. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $3,000,000. The class representative payments to the plaintiffs would be $10,000 each. Atto...

Excerpt: ...age in viol ation of Labor Code § 1194(a), and the fourth cause of action for failure to provide timely paystubs in violation of Labor Code § 226(e). Plaintiff's MSA is granted as to the fourth cause of action. As to the first cause of action, the motion is continued to April 11, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. for consideration of a supplemental and corrective submission by plaintiff as to the damages calculations. Request for Judicial Notice In support of...

Excerpt: ...t by Denh am, LLC, Nikta, LLC, and Manning- NextBay Venture, LLC, and against the City of Richmond, is denied. Background In 2017, after the voters of Richmond passed the Richmond Hills Initiative, which limited development of Petitioners' property. (AR, Den2_00107. ) Petitioners filed a lawsuit, Case No. MSN170669, challenging the adoption of the Initiative (hereinafter “Denham I”). After finding that the City's general plan was inconsiste...

Excerpt: ...nfident ial legal and business analyses that would jeopardize plaintiffs' rights in this contractual dispute between plaintiffs, as tenants, and defendant, as the landlord. For the reasons laid out below, the motion is denied. Background This motion is in the c ontext of a Second Amended Complaint (SAC) alleging three causes of action: 1) declaratory relief; 2) reformation of contract for mistake, fraud and in equitable conduct; and 3) reformati...

Excerpt: ... acility. Ms. Lily was a resident at defendant Sunrise Senior Facility as a memory care patient from 2/12/21 to 4/1/22. She developed a severe case of decubitus while in the facility and this condition ultimately led to her death. Plaintiffs filed a wrong ful death, elder abuse, and negligence action in September 2022. Presently, plaintiffs have filed seven separate motions to compel. For the reasons stated below, all seven motions are denied. ...

Excerpt: ...Counsel for plaintiff agreed to file supplemental responses. Plaintiff's counsel did serve supplemental responses on the defense on December 22, 2023. Plaintiff's counsel was served with this motion to compel on December 28, 2023. Defense counsel concede s in an email dated January 19, 2024, that the amended responses “satisfy her” and states she will file a declaration with the court to this effect. As of March 15, 2024, no such declaratio...

Excerpt: ...s of ac tion. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 27 JUDICIAL OFFICER: TERRI MOCKLER HEARING DATE: 03/27/2024 Defendant's Request for Judicial Notice is granted. (Evid. Code § 452(c).) Defendant's Demurrer is sustained in part and overruled in part. Allegations in the Complaint In April 2020, Plaintiff 3150 Garrity Way DE, LLC entered into a written Emergency Occupancy Agreement (“Agreement”) with the Co...

Excerpt: ...ate a cause of action and on uncertainty. (See, Defendant's points and authorities p.2.) In addition, Plaintiffs filed a substantive opposition. The Court will excuse the failure to file a demurrer because the points and authorities state the basis for the demurrer. S till, the section referencing Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10 states that Defendant is challenging the complaint, not specific causes of action. Thus, if there is any vali...

Excerpt: ...r the fol lowing reasons Construction West's petition to vacate is denied. Construction West's petition to correct is denied. One Nine's petition to confirm the arbitration award is granted. Factual Background On February 21, 2021, PLAINTIFF submitted a proposal a nd was awarded a contract (“Contract”) as a general contractor for the construction of a car wash located on the commercial properly commonly referred to as 1755 Market Street, Con...

Excerpt: ... Implie d Contract, Breach of Written Contract, and Unfair Competition causes of action on the basis that they are uncertain and fail to state a claim. (Demurrer p. 2: 5 -13.) For the following reasons, the Demurrer is sustained with leave to amend. 16 Meet and Confer Requirement Defendant satisfied its meet and confer requirement regarding their demurrer in detailing their meet and confer efforts with Plaintiff in the Declaration of Jason Julia...

Excerpt: ...relevant h istory of this action, Plaintiff filed his complaint on October 7, 2020 alleging causes of action against Defendants Vinnie's Bar & Grill and David Marcos Perez for (1) battery, (2) false imprisonment, (3) negligent hiring, retention and supervision, (4) n egligence and (5) violation of the Bane Act (Civ. Code § 52.1). At the first Case Management Conference (CMC) on February 24, 2021, Plaintiff's counsel did not appear, and an Orde...