Excerpt: ...Civil Procedure section 377.32, by October 19, 2023. Background Plaintiff Jnbud Dawod Hadu ("Hadu' or "Plaintiff') alleges she is the sister and sole sibling ofSabiha Campbell ("Campbell" or "Decedent") who died on July 27, 2022. (Second Amended Complaint ("2AC") 3.) Plaintiff alleges she is "an intestate heir [of Decedent] whose interest is affected" by the action, "but for" the defendants' allegedly unlawful conduct. (2AC '1 3.) Campbell moved ...

Excerpt: ...al dissolution. There are three other cases to which Robert and Madeline are or were parties: (1) Serafin v. Serafin, Contra Costa Superior Court Case No. 021-02739, (2) Burden v. Serafin, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case No. 4:22-cv-25 03479 DMR, and (3) Serafin v. Serafin, Contra Costa Superior Court Case No. C23-00131. Robert filed his complaint in this action on March 30, 2023. The complaint asserted the follow...

Excerpt: ...he proof of service for the summons and complaint. She avers that she was not home on Monday, November 6, 2017, at 1:55 p.m„ but instead ata work training. Additionally, she notes that the physical description of the person served is not a description of defendant herself. According to defendant, she weighed more at the time of service than the we-ght of the individual indicated by defendant. When a motion is made on grounds that the default ju...

Excerpt: ...P S 1281.4 in light of the Court's order on May 1, 2023 6 granting Plaintiff's moton to compel insurance appraisal pursuant to Insurance Code S 2071. The insurance appraisal process under Insurance Code S 2071 is a form of arbitration and subject to the rules governing arbitration. (Louise Gardens of Encino Homeowners' Assn., Inc. v. Truck Ins. Exchange, Inc. (2WO) 82 Cal.App.4th 548, 658; Lambert v. Carneghi (2008) 158 Cal.App .4th 1120, 1131.) ...

Excerpt: ... may be judicially noticed, it appears that a party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ. Proc. S 438 (d); Saltarelli & Steponovich v. Douglas (1995) 40 Cal.App.4th 1, 5; Weil & Brown, Civ. Pro. Before Trial (The Rutter Group 2010) p. 7:292.) As such, a moton for judgment on the pleadings inwlves the same type of procedures that apply to a general demurrer. (Richardson-Tunnell v. School Ins. Program for Employees (2007) 157 Cal.A...

Excerpt: ... from his job at Mechanics Bank for sexually harassing Pacheco and others. Pena filed this acton against Mejia on February 1, 2021. Pena alleges that Mejia has subjected Pena and his family members to harassment, including threats of violence. Pena alleged the following causes of action in his complaint: (1) libel; (2) intentional infliction of emotional distress; (3) violation of the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act; and (4) false impersonation in viol...

Excerpt: ...oval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 816 class members. 50 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 35 new addresses, leaving 15 nondeliverable. 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: 09/21/2023 2 A. Background and settlement Terms The sett...

Excerpt: ...irfield Belmont. Defendant is given 30 days in which to answer. Demurrer Standards A demurrer for sufficiency tests whether the complaint states a cause of action. (Hahn v. Mirda (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 740, 747.) In a demurrer proceeding, the defects must be apparent on the face of the pleading or via proper judicial notice. (lonabedian v. Mercury Ins. Co. (2004) 116 Cal.App.4th 968, 994.) "A demurrer tests the pleading alone, and not on the evid...

Excerpt: ... also moves for approval of plaintiff's attorney's fees, litigation costs, administration costs, and representative payment. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 317 class members. 6 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 3 new addresses, leaving 3 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motions are granted. E. Background and Settlement Terms ...

Excerpt: ... resulted in 23 new addresses, leaving 30 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant Rubicon is in the business of manufacturing and wholesaling baked goods. Plaintiff Lucas was previously employed at Rubicon as a maintenance worker. Plaintiff Miles was formerly employed at Rubicon as a sanitation worker. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA CO...

Excerpt: ...cted with Synctruck to provide delivery services in California and Utah. The Plaintiffs are drivers employed by Synctruck, and allegedly by Amazon as a joint employer. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 09/21/2023 23 Plaintiffs also move separately for approval of their attorney's fees, litigation costs, administration costs, and representative payments. The...

Excerpt: ...l complaint was filed on March 19, 2021. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $950,000. The class representative payment SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 09/21/2023 38 to the plaintiff would be $10,000. Attorney's fees would be $316,667 (one-third of the settlement). Litigation costs would not exceed $20,000. The settlement administrator'...

Excerpt: ...eir first amended complaint against defendant Evangelista. Background and Summary of the Case Defendant Evangelista operates a dentistry business. Plaintiffs Rozenberg and Puen formerly worked as dentists in one of defendant's offices. In the first cause of action in the FAC they contend that they were employees, not independent contractors, and Evangelista failed to reimburse them for certain employment-related expenses. Their second cause of ac...

Excerpt: ...a PAGA claim, but it appears that the complaint may be amended to add a PAGA claim in the future. (Comp. "34-36.) Whether the arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. S 1, et seq. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 09/21/2023 12 (FAA) or by the California Arbitration Act, Code of Civil Procedure S 1280 et seq. (CAA), the thr...

Excerpt: ...case.) The motion is granted. This arbitration motion is unprecedented, in this Court's experience, in one respect: Not only is there an arbitration already in existence and going forward, covering the same set of claims— but indeed, that arbitration proceeding was initiated by plaintiff himself. The Court confesses itself mystified as to why plaintiff, having filed and prosecuted that arbitration, then filed this lawsuit— and even more mysti...

Excerpt: ...graph 71 that states "then attempt to blame Cross-complainants for their decision to live in filth" are stricken; the motion is otherwise denied. Background This dispute arises out of a lease of a residential property in Pittsburg to Plaintiffs and CrossDefendants (the "Tenants" for convenience). (X-Compl. 8 (p. 2, II. 13-15), 1, 2.) On April 24, 2023, the Tenants filed a complaint alleging, among other claims, tortious breach and contractual bre...

Excerpt: ... had failed to prov-de plaintiff with notice of the hearing date. Now that the defendant has properly alerted plaintiff to the hearing date, defendant cannot complain about plaintiff opposing the moton. The court will consider plaintiff's properly filed opposition. The court also continued the motion so that defense counsel could attempt to properly comply with CRC 2.550. For example, the Court asked defense counsel to provide a declaration which...

Excerpt: ...which arises out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences as the cause of action which the plaintiff alleges in his complaint." (Code Civil Procedure S 426.10 (c).) "A moton to file a cross-complaint at any time during the course of the action must be granted unless bad faith of the moving party is demonstrated where forfeiture would otherwise result. Factors such as oversight, inadvertence, neglect, mistake o...

Excerpt: ...r the following reasons, the is sustained, with leave to amend. 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 alleges ultimate rather than evidentiary facts" (Doe v. City of Los Angeles (2(m) 42 Cal.4th 531, 550 ("Doe")), but the plaintiff must set forth the essential facts of his o...

Excerpt: ...ecific dollar amounts (Prayer A). Punitive Damages In order to obtain punitive damages, the facts alleged must show fraud, oppression or malice. (Civil Code section 3294.) Subdivision (c) of the statute contains the following definitions: "(1) 'Malice' means conduct which is intended by the defendant to cause injury to the plaintiff or despicable conduct which is carried on by the defendant with a willful and conscious disregard of the rights or ...

Excerpt: ... issued an order to show cause ("OSC"). The OSC hearing was held on January 18, 2023. Plaintiff's counsel failed to appear again. As a result, the Court dismissed the matter with prejudice. Standard Defendant moves to set aside the default judgment pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") SS473(b). Code of Civ-l Procedure 473(b) provides, in relevant part: The court may, upon any terms as may be just, relieve a party or his or her l...

Excerpt: ...ating trial on Plaintiffs claims for alter ego and successor liability (causes of action seven and eight of the Third Amended Complaint) from their remaining claims, with the alter ego claims to be heard first and the remaining claims and cross claims to be heard 90 days later. For the reasons set forth below, the moton is denied. Brief Factual and Procedural Background This case arises from Plaintiffs' purchase of a refurbished home that turned ...

Excerpt: ...ed Services, Inc. ("Premier"), and ADA Services Corporation, formerly known as H&R Block Mortgage Corporation ("ADA"). The motion is not opposed by Plaintiff. The Court rules as follows: (1) the motion to strike from the Prayer for Relief for the third cause of action paragraph 13, p. 38, line 23 ("For exemplary damages as may be shown at trial") as to defendants Premier, and ADA only is granted, and as to defendant Sand Canyon, the motion is den...

Excerpt: ...declaration documenting efforts to meet and confer is insufficient in that it indicates the "means by which" counsel met and conferred with the plaintiff was email. Such efforts must be "in person or by telephone." (Code Civ. Proc„ S 430.41 (a) and see also S 435.5 [re moton to strikel.) Plaintiff's opposition points this out. (Opposition, 4:6-7.) However, plaintiff does not indicate how the failure affected the merits of the motions. Failure t...

Excerpt: ...that they are both duplicative of the first cause of action. Plaintiffs Request for Judicial Notice, relating to documents filed in Contra Costa Superior Court Case No. P20-01100 is granted. (Cal. Evid. Code S 452(d).) Summary of Allegations This matter pertains to alleged mistakes made by Defendant Brian Dennis Young relating to work performed by him for Plaintiff. Such work was performed in his professional capacity as an attorney and concerned...