Excerpt: ... defendant served formal responses to the discovery, objecting to all requests and interrogatories principally on the ground that defendant's arbitration motion was pending (although, for preservation, defendant also stated a number of other boilerplate objections). Thereafter, plaintiff's opposition to the arbitration motion convinced defendant that the motion would be denied, and defendant withdrew it. Defendant then assured plaintff that it wa...

Excerpt: ...023. Background Plaintiff generally alleges that after his spouse passed away, he was denied his community property SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 08/24/2023 interest in assets formerly held in accounts in his spouse's name at Principal Securities, Inc. Plaintiff sued his spouse's daughter Anita L. Budde, the financial firms that held or were otherwise affil...

Excerpt: ... costs, administrative costs, and a class representative payment. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 27 class members. After follow- up, only one notice was non-deliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. A. Prior Rulings and Judicial Comment When plaintiff's preliminary approval moton first came up for hearing, the Court indicated generally that the set...

Excerpt: ... issue is the amount. To calculate the appropriate lodestar in this action, one must determine the reasonable hourly rate and multiply that figure by the reasonable number of hours spent. Graham v. DaimlerChrysler Corporation (2009) 34 Cal.4th 563, 579-580. To determine the total hours spent, the court not only considered all of the papers submitted, but also its own experience evaluating a multitude of Anti-Slapp fee motions. "The experienced tr...

Excerpt: ... SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 08/24/2023 Defendants. Defendant's Demurrer is hereby overruled. Discussion Legal Standard "The function of a demurrer is to test the sufficiency of the complaint as a matter of law." (Holiday Matinee, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (2004) 118 Cal.App.4th 1413, 1420.) A complaint "is sufficient if it alleges ultimate rather than evident...

Excerpt: ...cluding any SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 08/24/2023 supporting declaration or request for judicial notice, neither brief shall exceed eight pages. Parties are asked to directly address the analytical framework articulated in County of Alameda v. Janssen (1940) 16 Cal.2d 276 and whether the challenged portion of AB218 served a "public purpose." It is well s...

Excerpt: ...tion, which include detailed procedural and substantive requirements for bringing those motions. Plaintiffs motion is denied on that basis, without prejudice to Plaintiff filing a motion for summary judgment and/or summary adjudication in conformity with the Statute and Rules of Court. The party moving for summary judgment has the burden of persuasion to show there is no triable issue of material fact and thus it is entitled to judgment as a matt...

Excerpt: ...ubject to any additional issues to be addressed after the hearing and after taking oral testimony, Plaintiff shall lodge a proposed order for judgment pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement, consistent with Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6(a) and applicable authority which shall set forth the terms of the Settlement Agreement in full as stated in the agreement or shall incorporate and make the Settlement Agreement in full the judg...

Excerpt: ...se number QI-01689 present common questions of law and fact. (See MPA iso Mohon at p. 3:13.) For the following reasons, the Motion is denied. Brief Factual and Procedural Background July 10, 2019. Plaintiff files her initial complaint for general negligence and negligent hiring against Defendants Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries dba Higgins Chapel, Defendant Yen Tom, and Defendant Misty Lynn Cicerello. The gravamen of Plaintiff's claim is an alleged a...

Excerpt: ...leged former landlords, defendants Deanna Graves (individually and as trustee of her family trust) and her daughter Rashida Graves. The Graveses filed a cross-complaint against Ellis only. The cross-complaint asserts two causes of action — the first for breach of contract (non-payment SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 08/17/2023 2 of rent), and a cause of...

Excerpt: ...ff alleges claims arising out of a real property loan by Bank of America secured by a mortgage on Plaintiffs real property, with a loan number ending 9666 ("Loan 9666"). His FAC, which is 74 pages long, exclusive of the 35 exhibits attached, alleges six causes of acton against the bank: breach of contract, violation of Civil Code secton 1785.25 pertaining to a creditor making reports to a credit reporting agency; breach of the implied covenant of...

Excerpt: ...ranty of habitability; (3) breach of contract; (4) breach of quiet enjoyment; (5) private nuisance; (6) premises liability; (7) negligence; (8) violation of California's Just Cause Statute; (9) violation of California's Rent Control Statute; (10) unfair business practices (violation of California Business and Professions Code S 17200 et seq.); (11) retaliation; and a claim for exemplary damages. Defendant demurs to all Plaintiffs' causes of actio...

Excerpt: ...RA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 08/17/2023 (3) Reasonable value of services. cross-Defendant demurrers to the first cause of action on the basis that it fails to state facts sufficient to state a cause of action (CCP 5430.10(e)), and that Cross-complainant does not have the legal capacity to sue (CCP 431.10(b).) She also demurs to the second and third causes of action on the basis that those ...

Excerpt: ...strict Court. Plaintiff initially filed this achon in July 2021 contending, inter alia, that the City of Hercules lacked authority to tow his vehicle. Defendants City of Hercules, Elmer Najarro and William Imboden ("City Defendants") filed a Notice of Removal in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The District Court granted a motion to dismiss brought by the City Defendants, and denied reconsideration of that...

Excerpt: ...resses, leaving only one non-deliverable. No objections have been received, and only one class member has opted out. The motion is granted. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is in the shipping business. Plaintiff was employed as a driver. This case is unusual among wage-and-hour cases, in that its sole focus is on a failure-of-reimbursement claim rather than any allegations as to payment for time worked. Plaintiff alleges that defendant f...

Excerpt: ... advice of Paul Bork", and "Internal document with legal advice of Paul Bork". CBE acknowledges that Bork is an inhouse attorney at Dow, and apparently does not dispute that Bork's legal advice is protected work product. CBE fails to state any basis for doubting the accuracy of these descriptions; nor for doubting that Bork's advice is attached, repeated, discussed, or incorporated into the challenged documents. 12. 9:00 AM CASE NUMBER: MSC21-020...

Excerpt: ... 128.7 is denied. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 08/17/2023 Fairfield shall prepare and submit a proposed order consistent with this ruling. Fairfield shall then serve and file notice of entry of order. Relevant Background On June 30, 2020, Plaintiffs Sandra Hernandez-Perez and Jenilee Perez, individually and as successors in interest to Jesus Berrios II, fi...

Excerpt: ...s. Plaintiff was employed there during the class period, though his job duties and dates are not provided. The original complaint was filed on December 22, 2021 as a class action. Plaintiff filed a separate PAGA acton on September 21, 2022. That action was dismissed and the PAGA claims amended into the class case to facilitate settlement. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $200,000. The class representative payment SUPERIOR CO...

Excerpt: ...partment. It started in a Whirlpool gas range (the "Range") which she purchased from Costco Wholesale and which was delivered and installed by moving Defendants Lopex and XPO (collectively the "Moving Defendants"). The Complaint alleges causes of acton for: (1) general negligence, (2) premise liability, (3) product liability, (4) general negligence, and (5) breach of contract. Only two of the causes of action are asserted against the moving Defen...

Excerpt: .... Plaintiff alleges that there were conflicts of interest between Plaintiff and Beverly and that Defendant continued to represent both of them. Defendant brings this motion to strike the requests for emotional distress and punitive damages that are sought in connection with the breach of fiduciary cause of action. (Comp. "19, 20.) The acts alleged to constitute a breach of fiduciary duty are (1) defendant prepared a document to amend an irrevocab...

Excerpt: ...en ("the Milways") for declaratory relief (causes of achon one, two and three) and nuisance (causes of action four and five). The three declaratory relief claims seek declarations regarding different property disputes: (1) the boundary line between 1000 Homestead and 20 Alwin Road properties, (2) ownership of the 28Ft wide strip that consttutes Alwin Road and (3) whether the Milways can quiet title on the 11 ft easement located on 1000 Homestead....

Excerpt: ...vek Bansal MD, Inc. from approximately SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 (925) 608-1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 08/16/2023 2016 through 2018. (Amended Separate Statement of Material Fact in Support of Plaintiff's Motion, hereinafter "Plaintiff's SSUMF," Fact No. 1, and defendants' response.) Defendant Vivek Bansal is the sole owner and CEO of defendant Vivek Bansal M.D., Inc. (Plain...

Excerpt: ...CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 08/14/2023 Procedural Background Defendant originally filed her Motion on April 11, 2023. The Court issued a tentative ruling on August 13. The tentative ruling noted there were "several procedural problems as well as substantive issues with both Parties' positions." This includes a number of owners of property adjacent to Defendant's Property which ...

Excerpt: ...es and costs upon the initation of the action." Plaintiff's form complaint asserted one cause of action for breach of contract. (Pl. Compl.) As part of that single cause of action, plaintiff averred: "...Defendant materially breached its obligation under the terms of the contract between the parties which it drafted, Defendant's obligation to pay all wages when due." (Pl. Compl. p. 7, Attachment BC-2.) "In accordance with this rule of statutory c...

Excerpt: ... the Court's decision was its conclusion that the ruling in Felisilda v. FCA US LLC (2020) 53 Cal.App.5th 486 applied to this case. Plaintiff does not address the status of arbitration in brief. Defendant states in their memorandum that "the Parties are already actively engaged and near the conclusion of arbitration with Judicate West." (Opposition p.2.) The Court previously continued this matter so that the parties could included declarations on...

Excerpt: ...aint was filed with Trey Briggs as the plaintiff. 80th complaints allege that Trey broke his arm at a school event in 2018, but Trey continued to experience problems and required surgery in 2022 and 2023. 80th the complaint and first amended complaint stated that the plaintiff had complied with the applicable claims statute. The District brings this moton for sanctions against Plaintiff's attorney based on the failure to submit a government claim...

Excerpt: ..."Kulwant"), Dhanwant Singh Malhi's ("Dhanwant") (collectively "Defendants") Special Motion to Strike Pursuant to C.C.P. S 425.15. Allegations of Complaint Plaintiff is a member of the Sikh faith and attends the Sikh Temple — El Sobrante (the "Temple"). He is involved in the Temple's administrative activites and teaches Gatka (Sikh Martial Arts) at the Temple. He has been attending and teaching at the Temple since 2009. The Complaint sets forth ...

Excerpt: ... the petition to invalidate Veglnvest's third party claim is denied, and judgment is granted for Veglnvest on the validity of its third party claim that it holds a superior interest in the Attached Funds, as set forth below. Defendant as the prevailing party shall file a proposed order/judgment consistent with this ruling in accordance with the Local Rules of this Court. Background Plaintiff sought and obtained an ex parte order for a right to at...

Excerpt: ...gust 18, 2023. Factual and Procedural Background This matter pertains to a meeting (the "Midnight Meeting") that occurred in the wee hours of August 3, 2018 when Defendant David Marcotte called a family meeting to execute a series of documents pertaining to the family business ("RJMLLC"), which was formed by the Parties' father Rene J. Marcotte ("Decedent"). The alleged purpose of the meeting related to a tax saving strategy that was designed to ...

Excerpt: ...21 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 08/09/2023 breach of governing documents; (2) breach of fiduciary duties; and (3) declaratory relief. For the following reasons, the MSJ is granted. Legal Standard Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") SS 437c(o)(1) and 437c(p)(2) provide the relevant legal standard for deciding the MS]. Section 437c(o)(1) provides, in relevant part: A cause of action has no merit if one or more of the elements of the ca...

Excerpt: ...ntiff. There are a number of pleadings filed in this case, including another complaint which was consolidated with this action, as well as a number of cross-complaints. Only the pleadings relevant to the current Mohon will be discussed. Plaintiff filed her initial Complaint on December 9, 2021, naming Defendants Decker Bullock Dreyfus, Inc. (dba Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty, Inc.) and William Leone ("Defendants"). The Defendants wer...

Excerpt: ... Pursuant to Code of Civ-l Procedure 5654.6 ("Motion"). For the following reasons, Plaintiffs' Motion is granted. Procedural Background This matter relates to a construction defect action involving the owners of eight homes in Pittsburg, California. Plaintiffs sued the builders and general contractor of their homes consisting of several entities, including Seecon Built Homes, Inc., Albert D. Seeno Constructon Co., Inc., Cyrus Land Investments, LL...

Excerpt: ...ing Agreement Dated as of April 1, 2002, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital I Inc. Trust 2002-NC2 ("Cross-Defendant" or "US Bank as Trustee")'s motion for summary judgment. For the following reasons, Cross-Defendant's Motion is granted. Brief Factual and Procedural Background This case concerns the real property located at 27 Sunset Drive, Kensington, CA 94707 (Complaint at '1 4) and a related prior lawsuit entitled John Elkins v. Provident, U.S....

Excerpt: ...ners insurance carrier defendant USAA General Indemnity Company ("USAA") and defendant Masters Distribution, Inc. dba Masters Wholesale ("MDI") for failure to properly install replacement hardwood flooring based on a claim under their homeowners' policy. (2AC "1 3, 7, 11.) Plaintiffs allege USAA has denied coverage for the defects in the replacement flooring under a policy exclusion. (2AC '1 24.) Plaintiffs sued USAA and MDI on multiple theories....

Excerpt: ...s an employment discrimination case. Plaintiff Richard Van Koll, age 65, alleges he is employed by Defendant Contra Costa County as a Non-aenefitted Senior Inspector assigned to the Real Estate Fraud unit of the District Attorney's Office. Defendant alleges he was denied various promotions from 2016 to 2021 due to his age and in retaliation for taking medical leave and complaining of age discrimination. The FAC filed on January 25, 2023 asserts t...

Excerpt: ...ry McCord for breach of contract and breach of guaranty. Schafer filed a cross-complaint against both RAP and McCord for (1) breach of contract, (2) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, (3) fraud and deceit and (4) negligent misrepresentation. RAP demurrers to each claim in the cross-complaint based on the failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action and as to the first and second causes of action ba...

Excerpt: ...mployed from April 2019 to January 2022 as a field service technician. The original complaint was filed on February 28, 2022. It is a class-action and PAGA case. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 08/03/2023 2 The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $725,000. The class representative payment to the plaintiffs would be $10,000. Attorney's fees ...

Excerpt: ...notification of LWDA of the settlement. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant operates two car washes located in Concord and Fremont. Plaintiff has been employed there as a car washer since the mid-2000s. The original complaint was filed on March 23, 2022. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $437,800. The class representative payment to the plaintiffs would be $10,000. Attorney's fees would be $145,933 (one-third of the ...

Excerpt: ...e 3, 2022, and amended shortly thereafter to add PAGA claims. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $250,000. The class representative payment to the plaintiffs would be $10,000. Attorney's fees would be $83,325 (one-third of the settlement). Litigation costs would not exceed $10,000. The settlement administrator's costs are estimated at $5,350. PAGA penalties would be $7,500, resulting in a payment of $5,625 to the LWDA. The net...

Excerpt: ... action is stayed pending the completion of arbitration proceedngs. (CCP S 1281.4.) (2) A post-arbitration status conference is scheduled for February 5, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. The parties are required to file a status report or reports at least 10 calendar days before the conference. Background Plaintiffs Lindsay Jo Schutte Crittendon and Zachariah Bonsignore Crittendon filed this action for breach of a residential construction contract on April 3, 2...

Excerpt: ...ure to provide accurate itemized wage statements; (4) failure to produce employee file; (5) disability/perceived disability discrimination; (6) age discrimination; (7) work environment harassment; (8) retaliation; (9) failure to prevent harassment, discrimination, and retaliation; (10) retaliation; (11) failure to prov-de reasonable accommodation; (12) failure to engage in good faith interactive process; (13) unfair and unlawful business practice...

Excerpt: ...ection 430.10(e), the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Plaintiff alleges that he is a dependent adult and went to John Muir for severe back pain on October 12 at 9:49 a.m. (Comp. On October 14 at 12:45 p.m., Plaintiff had an MRI and saw a neurosurgeon who confirmed a large disc herniation at Ll-2 on the MRI. The neurosurgeon immediately recognized the need for back surgery to decompress Plaintiff's cauda ...

Excerpt: ...scussion Legal Standard "The function of a demurrer is to test the suffciency of the complaint as a matter of law." (Holiday Matinee, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (2004) 118 Cal.App.4th 1413, 1420.) A complaint "is sufficient if it alleges ultimate rather than evidentiary facts" (Doe v. City of Los Angeles (2007) 42 Cal.4th 531, 550), but the plaintiff must set forth the essential facts of his or her case "with reasonable precision and with particularity...

Excerpt: ...ction is protected by the anti-SLAPP statute, as discussed below. Background Plaintiffs Deepak Joshi and Diana Martinez filed their initial Complaint on December 30, 2022, alleging causes of action for (1) Defamation, (2) Malicious Prosecution, (3) Abuse of Pruess, (4) Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and (5) Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress. On February 25, 2023, they personally served the initial complaint on defendant. O...

Excerpt: ... against defendant Sukhdeep Kaur on September 17, 2019. With leave of Court, after engaging new counsel, Plaintiffs filed an amended verified complaint on March 3, 2023. Sukhdeep is the special administration of the estate of her deceased husband, Gurpinder Singh, who Plaintiffs allege was a member of their family who lived with them when he was 20 years old and who they treated like a son. (Am. Compl. 5, 12, 18, 20, 23.) (Because of the similari...

Excerpt: ...nostic testing to determine the cause of her headache. (Compl. 18, 19.) On May 2, 2011, plaintiff Mrs. Lewis was seen by a triage nurse and examined by a physician. (Plaintiff's Trial Brief at 4.) On May 3, 2011, plaintiff Mrs. Lewis was seen by a triage nurse and a physician assistant. (ld.) Plaintiff further alleges that on May 6, 2011, she returned to SOMC with extreme headache pain and she was denied adequate medical treatment in that the sta...

Excerpt: ...tion for judgment on the pleadings, defendants contend plaintiff exceeded the scope of that leave and accordingly, they also move to strike the added causes of action and punitive damages. 80th motions are granted. No further amendment will be permitted unless plaintiff comes to the hearing prepared to articulate facts that would justify amendment. Background The Court's previous order granting Defendants' moton for judgment on the pleadings reci...

Excerpt: ...t office, but that member was located by skip tracing. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 07/27/2023 9 Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is a public-school district. Plaintiff has worked for defendant as a school bus driver since 2013. The original complaint was filed on ...

Excerpt: ... 65 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 51 new addresses, leaving only 4 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. Background and Settlement Terms The two plaintiffs in this case initially filed separate actions in different counties. Kalaveras filed a class action in this County, and amended the complaint to add a PAGA claim. NCR removed the case to federal court b...

Excerpt: ...property (Gov. Code S 835); (3) negligent hiring, supervision, and retention, and (4) survival action. Defendant demurs to Plaintiff's causes of action for (1) negligence, (3) negligent hiring, and (4) survival action pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") S 430.10(e) on several grounds. For the following reasons, the Demurrer is sustained, with leave to amend. Request for Judicial Notice In opposition, Plaintiff requests judicial notice of ...