Excerpt: ... fifth cause of achon for violation of Labor Code section 2802 based on the Firm's alleged failure to reimburse expenses he claims he is owed. Plaintiff moves for summary adjudication of the fifth cause of action. The motion is not opposed. Legal Standards for Ruling on Defendant's Mohon for Summary Judgment Under Code of Civil Procedure section 437c(c), a motion for summary judgment "shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that there i...

Excerpt: ... complaint on August 15, 2023 alleging the following causes of action arising from her tenancy at an apartment complex located at 3400 Richmond Parkway, in Richmond: (1) tortious breach of the implied warranty of habitability; (2) breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment; (3) contractual breach of the implied warranty of habitability; (4) breach of contract; (5) retaliation in violation of Civil Code secton 1942.5; (6) private nuisance; (7) prem...

Excerpt: ...lleges a violation of Government Code sections 65587 and 65751 based on the City's failure to adopt an updated Housing Element by the statutory deadline of January 31, 2023. (Petn. "1 2, 3, 16-19,25, 26, 33-37.) Petitioner is identified in the petition as "California Housing Defense Fund" ("Cal Housing' for convenience) which Petitioner alleges is "a California nonprofit public benefit corporation and 501(c)(3) public charity." (Petn. 5.) It alle...

Excerpt: ..."Dr. Mbadikeobiora")'s Fifth Amended Complaint for (1) breach of contract (billing services agreement), (2) breach of contract (PCP agreement), (3) accounting, (4) breach of fiduciary duty, (5) aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, (6) breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, (7) intentional and negligent misrepresentation, and (8) declaratory relief. Defendants demur to Plaintiff's causes of action for (2) breach of con...

Excerpt: ..., (h).) Defendant's demurrer is sustained, without leave to amend. Summary of Allegations Plaintiff purchased real property located at 324 Coronado Court, Discovery Bay, California (the "Property"). In April 2004, Plaintiff refinanced her mortgage with a loan from World Savings Bank, secured by a deed of trust against Property. (Defendant's Request for Judicial Notice ("RJN"), Ex. A.) In October 2004, Plaintiff obtained a home equity line of cred...

Excerpt: ...), but the plaintiff must set forth the essential facts of his or her case "with reasonable precision and with particularity sufficient to acquaint [thel defendant with the nature, source and extent" of the plaintiff's claim. (Doheny Park Terrace Homeowners Assn., Inc. v. Truck Ins. Exchange (2005) 132 Cal.App.4th 1076, 1099.) A complaint must be "liberally construed" and a demurrer "overruled if any cause of acton is stated by the plaintiff." (A...

Excerpt: ..., 1390.) "In 'public' or business property, liability has been allowed when there is something foreseeably dangerous about the nature of activity conducted on the property or the property itself which fixes SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 01/19/2024 on the landowner the duty to take some sort of precaution." (Eric J. v. Betty M. (1999) 76 Cal.App.4th 7...

Excerpt: ... to exercise its discretion to reconsider the prior arbitration ruling at this point, for two reasons. First, while plaintiff has accurately described the state of the law, the legal issue must be regarded as unsettled in light of the pending Supreme Court review. And second, it is unclear that it would make practical sense to reverse only part of the prior ruling at this juncture, in light of the pendency and progress in the arbitration proceedi...

Excerpt: ...e administrator has mailed notices to 283 class members. After follow-up, no notices were non-deliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant operates an oil refinery in Martinez. Plaintiffs are employed there as Operators. The original complaint was filed on July 2, 2020 as a class and PAGA action. It was amended twice, including deletion of one named plain...

Excerpt: ... solicited funds from him for purchase of Structured Assets. (ld. at 10.) According to Plaintiff, Defendant "represented to Plaintiff that Plaintiffs retirement funds would be loaned to individuals and in exchange the individuals would secure payment to Plaintiff from their monthly vested Federal Government Pension payments. Adao further advised Plaintiff that he could purchase options from a Performance Arbitrage company, Inc. SUPERIOR COURT OF ...

Excerpt: ...general negligence; (2) medical malpractice; and (3) premises liability. For the following reasons, the motion for summary judgment is denied. The alternative moton for summary adjudication is granted in part and denied in part. It is granted as to the premises liability claim (count 3), but denied as to the medical malpractice claim (counts 1 and 2, treated as a single claim). Legal Standard Code of Civil Procedure S 437c(o)(1) and provide the r...

Excerpt: ...RNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 01/18/2024 5 All matters included in Atlantic Casualty's first set of requests for admissions (served on or about June 21, 2023) are deemed admitted. In its Order After Hearing, Atlantic Casualty should spell those matters out verbatim to avoid any ambiguity as to what is so deemed. Plaintiff is further ordered to serve complete responses, verifie...

Excerpt: ...a's motion is continued to that date to ascertain compliance. This is a lawsuit by plaintiff Nichols alleging defective home repair work. The contracts attached to the complaint are unclear as to whether the contracting entity was CalProHome or Bina personally, but it is uncontested that Bina was the principal of CalProHome. Bina, suing as "doing business as CalProHome", filed a small claims case against Nichols. ay order of SUPERIOR COURT OF CAL...

Excerpt: ...IA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 27 (925)508- 1127 JUDICIAL OFFICER: TERRI MOCKLER HEARING DATE: 01/17/2024 John Muir Health ("JMH") and John Muir Health Foundation, seeking compensation for the injuries she sustained from the fall. Legal Standards for Ruling on Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment under Code of Civil Procedure section 437c(c), a motion for summary judgment "shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that...

Excerpt: ...egligence; (3) Negligent Misrepresentation; and (4) Negligence. A demurrer to the complaint was partially sustained and plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint ("FAC") with the same causes of action and substantially the same facts. Plaintiffs allege an oral contract by which they retained SDE to visually evaluate framing in the attic of a home they sought to purchase prior to closing escrow. (Index of Evidence in Support of Motion, Amended Co...

Excerpt: ...party September 28, 2023. Non-party Brothers Smith opposes primarily on the basis that the motion to compel is untimely under Code of Civil Procedure 2025.480 and that plaintiff has not complied with the meet and confer requirement of Code of Civil Procedure 2016.040. For the reasons stated below, plaintiff's motion to compel is granted in part. The litigation in this matter has been going on for years. Plaintiff is the former spouse of defendant...

Excerpt: ...he 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 sufficient to acquaint [the] defendant with the nature, source and extent" of the...

Excerpt: ...anufactured by Defendant Zero Motorcycles, Inc. (the "Motorcycle"). The form complaint alleges a cause of action for Products Liability— broken down into three counts: (1) strict liability — based on (i) manufacturing defect, (ii) design defect, and (iii) warning defect; (2) negligence; and (3) breach of warranty — implied and express written. The Complaint alleges that Defendant designed and manufactured the Motorcycle, and that it was bei...

Excerpt: ... defective design and installation of a fire suppression sprinkler system at the residence they built on their property located at 2 Crane Court, Orinda, California (the Property). Plaintiffs allege they engaged defendant and cross-complainant Advanced Automatic Sprinkler, Inc. to design and install the fire sprinkler system. Advanced filed a cross-complaint on January 27, 2022 and added Supreme Glass Company by Roe amendment as Roe No. 26. (UMF ...

Excerpt: ...01/11/2024 31 supplemental declaration as stated herein. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is in the home warranty business. Plaintiff worked there as a non-exempt employee from September 2016 to December 2020, although her job description is not provided. The original complaint was filed on April 12, 2021 as a class- action and PAGA case. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $285,000. The class representative payment...

Excerpt: ...ts, and representative payment. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 68 class members. 3 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 3 new addresses, leaving none nondeliverable. No objections were received, and only one class member opted out. The motion is granted, with a modification. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant provides safety monitoring services for utility lines an...

Excerpt: ...inistration costs, and representative payment. The moton is granted. A. Background of the Case and Terms of Settlement This is a PAGA case (not a class action), alleging a variety of violations of the Labor Code concerning failure to provide rest and meal breaks, failure to pay minimum wages and overtime, and cascading SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 01/1...

Excerpt: ... to the first and eleventh causes of action. If plaintiff contests this tentatve to seek leave to amend those counts, he should come to the hearing prepared to discuss in detail how he proposes to amend, and how that will suffice. Because this is the first challenge to the complaint, plaintiff is given leave to amend as to all remaining causes of acton. Plaintiff shall file and serve any amended complaint by February 8, 2024. Should plaintiff ele...

Excerpt: ...fficient to constitute a cause of action (Code of Civil Procedure S 430.10(e). They also demurrer to the second cause of action separately claiming that it "is not properly justiciable", without citing any statutory source for that basis of the demurrer. Cross-Defendants' demurrer is overruled for the reasons set forth below. Factual Allegations and Background This matter pertains to a property dispute between two neighbors. Plaintiffs own proper...

Excerpt: ...he arbitration award (or this Court's order confirming it) operates as res judicata as such, because the claims and defendants involved were different from those now asserted in the SAC against Budde. However, may operate as collateral estoppel. Is there authority supporting or rejecting the argument that a confirmed arbitration award establishes collateral estoppel binding the losing party to all legal conclusions reached in the arbitration awar...

Excerpt: ...ry 27, 2021, alleging one cause of action for negligence against defendant Nearon Enterprises. Nearon is the owner of a building where Plaintiff worked when she alleges she was locked in a bathroom. She asserts a claim for personal injuries she alleges she suffered trying to obtain help and escape the bathroom. Nearon filed its initial cross-complaint against Schlage Lock Company LLC for indemnity, contribution and declaratory relief on May 26, 2...

Excerpt: ...y logistical history since then. The parties missed their originally scheduled date for final approval in February 2023. The notice to the class was sent, but it was discovered that it had been sent to an overbroad list including salaried employees. This required a stipulation to send out corrective notices. The parties then found themselves in a Catch-22 where they couldn't send the notices until they had a hearing date for final approval, but t...

Excerpt: ...e motion is denied, as discussed below. Relevant Background Plaintiffs are a group of landowners who contend they are entitled to reformation of their deeds because their deeds do not include certain adjacent land that should have been included. Two of the plaintiffs, Greg and Jennifer Jerum, purchased 523 Santa Fe Avenue, Richmond, from the moving defendant, First Group, in March of 2018. (Separate Statement of undisputed Material Facts, hereina...

Excerpt: ...d. Overview of Complaint 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). (q 10.) The matter pertained to a Trust established by the parents/grandparents of the Beneficiaries — Willie L S...

Excerpt: ...a notice of application and hearing; and (3) a copy of the application and any affidavit in support thereof. (CCP S 512.030.) The file reflects service of the summons, complaint, notice of application, and application upon Defendants Amandeep Singh and NAVI Transport, Inc.. As a result, the court addresses the merits of the applications. Pursuant to CCP section 512.010(b), the application must be submitted under oath and include: (1) Plaintiffs b...

Excerpt: ...t Bell, Defendant Moreno began to make sexual remarks towards Plaintiff. This escalated to the point where, on December 10, 2022, Defendant Moreno physically assaulted Plaintiff and told her he wanted to have sex with her—on Bell grounds. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 12/29/2023 on or about December 11, 2022, Plaintiff attended a meeting, accompani...

Excerpt: ... adjudication of the second affirmative defense to the cross complaint is treated as a moton for judgment on the pleadings and granted with leave to amend. Summary judgment is denied. Background This is an action for breach of contract arising from a home equity line of credit extended to Stephenses by National City Bank and secured by a second position Deed of Trust to their former residence at 2418 Santa Cruz Court, Byron, CA 94514. (undisputed...

Excerpt: ...4U and Defendant Jeffery Lee Klaus (collectively, "Defendants"). Plaintiffs also seek to dismiss a settled party, Defendant Suretec Insurance Company, and the Ninth Cause of Acton for Recovery of Contractor's Bond. Defendants oppose the motion on several grounds: delay, prejudice, failure to state a cause of action, statute of limitations, and substantive challenges to the cause of action for fraud. For the following reasons, the motion is grante...

Excerpt: ...oster care system when he was abused at facility (Tahoe Turning Point) where he was placed by the County as his legal custodian. (Compl. Intro„ 2, 3.) He alleges that between 1998 and 2000 when he was in foster care at the facility, a staff member of the facility sexually abused him multiple times. (Compl. 25-27.) He alleges that the defendants knew or should have known about the perpetrator's unfitness for his position and his sexual misconduc...

Excerpt: ... 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 operative Second Amended Complaint (SAC) was filed on July 18, 2023. It sets forth two causes of action against the Moving Defendants: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18...

Excerpt: ..., brought by Plaintiff against Defendant Complete Solar, Inc. ("Complete" or "Defendant"). Complete is in the business of installing solar systems on residential and business buildings. In November 2020, GNR and Complete entered into a contract wherein GNR would sell solar energy systems to consumers on behalf of Complete in return for a commission paid to GNR for each system sold. In other words, GNR would do the groundwork for the sale, and Com...

Excerpt: ...each of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. This resulted in a jury award of damages which was later reduced in the Final Judgment. The jury awarded $5,000 in punitive damages. Judge Baskin issued a statement of decision on September 7, 2022 and entered Final Judgment on September 16, 2022. The Judgment mandated the sale of the real property underlying parties' dispute unless plaintiff could buy out the defendants. It also let stand an a...

Excerpt: ...d serve a second amended complaint. 2 Background This is a legal malpractice action. Plaintiff is Security Offcers & Investigations LLC (Sol). Defendants are Bradley Kass, an Individual (Kass), The Estate of Bradley Kass and Richard Kass as Executor of the Estate of Bradley Kass (the Estate), and (4) Kass & Kass Law Offices (the Firm). Sol's malpractice claim arises from the Firm's representation SOI in an underlying trial and appeal in Dodson v....

Excerpt: ...he grounds that he is a resident of Maryland. Plaintiff opposes on the grounds that the Court has specific personal jurisdiction over Gawad. 17 For the following reasons, the motion to quash is granted. Request for Judicial Notice Plaintiff requests judicial notice of documents from the California Secretary of State, a printout from the Maryland Bar Association website, and a printout from the LinkedIn website. The request is unopposed. The reque...

Excerpt: ...atus of the Probate Proceeding and its implications for this case on or before March 11, 2024. Background Plaintiff Jnbud Dawod Hadu ("Hadu" or "Plaintiff") alleges she is the "successor in interest" of her sister Sabiha Campbell ("Campbell" or "Decedent") who died on July 27, 2022. (Third Amended Complaint ("3AC") 2.) The 3AC attaches a "Second Declaration of Amaal Kozicki, re CCP S 377.32" in support of Plaintiff's alleged standing. Plaintiff a...

Excerpt: ...s indicated below. Factual Summary On or about September 28, 2016 Plaintiff leased two storage units from Security Public Storage — Hapvard ("SPS — Hayward"), located at 24873 Huntwood Ave., Hayward, California. (9 4, Ex. 1.) In approximately February 2019, Plaintiff began noticing rat droppings, food and candy wrappers, and dead rats within her storage units. (910-14.) Plaintiff's property stored within the units was damaged by the rodents, ...

Excerpt: ...iff which allegedly had undisclosed structural damage. Defendant contends that the Court should quash the service of summons because Plaintiff failed to serve the summons in accordance with statutory requirements. Statutory Requirements of Service Code Civ. Proc., S 416.90 provides that "[a] summons may be served on a person not otherwise specified in this article by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to such person orto a pers...

Excerpt: ...tion to dismiss as a motion for judgment on the pleadings. A defendant may make a motion for judgment on the pleadings on the grounds that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against that defendant. (CCP S 438(c)(1)(B)(ii); Prickett v Bonnier Corp. (2020) 55 Cal.App.5th 891, 896.) Moreover, a court may grant a motion for judgment on the pleadings where a party lacks standing to bring the suit. A plaintiff...

Excerpt: ... notice. (Donabedian v. Mercury Ins. Co. (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 968, 994.) A demurrer tests the pleadings alone and not the evidence or other extrinsic matters. (SKF Farms v. Superior Courts (1984) 153 Cal.App.3d 902, 905.) Therefore, it lies only where the defects appear on the face of the pleading or are judicially noticed. (CCP SS 430.30, 430.70.) The only issue a demurrer is concerned with is whether the complaint, as it stands, states a caus...

Excerpt: ...r 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 made in February 2016. (3AC 9, 10, 13, 14.) Disputes arose and continued from 2017 through 2019 between Plaintiffs and USAA cwer the replacement flooring installed based on that insurance claim. (3AC 14-27.) Plaintiff...

Excerpt: ...n January 5, 2024. The Complaint The complaint is six pages long and asserts two causes of action: for breach of an oral contract and for unjust enrichment. Plaintiff Orison alleges as follows. In 2011, Orison and Palecek entered into an oral agreement (the "Agreement") providing that Orison would serve as Palecek's independent sales representative to promote the sale of its products and solicit orders from customers and potential customers in a ...

Excerpt: ... are suing their homeowners 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 after they made a claim under Plaintiffs' homeowners' policy in 2016. (3AC 13, 14.) Disputes arose and continued from 2017 through 2019 between Plaintiffs and USAA over the replacement flooring installed based on that insur...

Excerpt: ...ion. Plaintiff's motion is denied. As the Court will explain, Plaintiff's argument skips a step and cannot establish as a matter of law that defendants have no right to discharge storm water into the Park because they have no easement. Procedural Objections The Court rejects Defendants' objections. They are contrary to the express directions of the Court at pretrial conferences. Defendants point out that in seeking a ruling on what Plaintiff cont...

Excerpt: ...tz. He first argues, with no citation to authority or other rationale, that discovery must be strictly limited to the issue of class certification. Who says so? First, the complaint includes non-class claims. Second, even if class certification were denied or abandoned, there would remain individual and representative claims to litigate. And in any event, this case has now been pending for over three years. If the parties have not gotten started ...

Excerpt: ...ung, filed suit as a qui tam plaintiff, alleging violations of the California False Claims Act (also "CFCA") and violations of the unfair Competition Law. After an initial demurrer was sustained, she filed the FAC, abandoning the LICL claim and only alleging false claims. On behalf of the City of Walnut Creek and the State of California (collectively, "Government Plaintiffs"), plaintiff alleges defendants "knowingly concealed and decreased their ...

Excerpt: ...general demurrer to the first cause of action for failure to state facts suffcient to state that causes of action against Duggan — sustained, without leave to amend; and (c) Duggan's general demurrers to second, third and fourth causes of action and Districts general demurrers to all causes of action for failure to state facts sufficient to state those causes of action - overruled. Background Plaintiff began her employment with defendant San Ra...

Excerpt: ...ARTMENT 21 (925)608-1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 12/13/2023 Plaintiff James Grimes worked for westcat since approximately October 2009. (UMF 1.) Effective February 14, 2022, WestCat implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy (the "Policy") that required all WestCat employees to either: (1) provide a medical or religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement ("Exemption Form") by February 28, 2022; or (2) provide p...

Excerpt: ...ended interlocutory judgment for partition, regarding a single-family residence. At the time of the interlocutory judgment, the owners of the fee simple interest in the property were Plaintiff 50% and Defendant 50%. Subsequent to the interlocutory order, Defendant Mattie B. Edwards passed away. Thereafter, Odette Crawford moved to substitute the Estate of the Decedent in place of Deceased Defendant pursuant to CCP S 377.32. The Court granted the ...

Excerpt: ...t all times relevant" she was an employee of Lyft, Inc. and "a beneficiary under an insurance policy" purchased by Lyftfrom Allstate. (Compl. '12.) She alleges an actual controversy has arisen under the insurance policy as to the rights of Plaintiff and Allstate in that she contends she is entitled to benefits under Lyft's policy based on an accident that occurred on November 7, 2021 on the 1-80 freeway. (Comp'. 3.) Standards Governing Demurrer I...

Excerpt: ...The complaint was personally served on defendant Lisa Johnson on September25, 2023. On October 23, 2023, Johnson brought the current motion. Johnson argues the action is a SLAPP, in other words a strategic lawsuit against public participation—a suit arising from defendant's acts in furtherance of her right of petition or free speech. Johnson supports the motion with her own declaration. Johnson states plaintiff is her ex-husband and father of h...

Excerpt: ...end the judgment to add Matrai's former spouse, Michele Uriarte, as an alter ego judgment debtor under CCP section 187.1. Brar contends that Uriarte is in possession of funds belonging Goodwood Properties which could be used to satisfy the judgment. Plaintiff applied for an order of third- 18 party examination of Uriarte to answer concerning property of the judgment debtors in her possession or control but was unable to serve Uriarte with the ord...

Excerpt: ...ngs. For his breach of contract cause of action he asserts that he made an agreement with AmaWaterways on April 8, 2022, and a copy of the agreement is attached as Exhibit A to the complaint. Exhibit A is a guest invoice, and one page of an apparent several page contract. AmaWaterways asserts that Mr. Orvis is a retired attorney. AmaWaterways contends that the full contract includes a mandatory forum provision, stating that Basel, Switzerland was...

Excerpt: ... right to appear at the scheduled hearing on the motion, make oral argument, and present evidence. (Code Civ. Proc. S 391.2; Bravo v. Ismaj (2002) 99 Cal.App.4th 211, 225.) For the reasons set forth, the Court's tentative ruling is as follows: (1) the motion is granted in part insofar as it seeks (a) an order designating Plaintiff Malaya Taylor Keys a vexatous litigant under Code of Civil Procedure section 391(b)(1), and (b) a prefiling order pro...

Excerpt: ...ins and Petitioner Collins (collectively, "Petitioners)'s writ of mandate requesting that Respondents vacate the August 20, 2021 coroner decision ruling Angelo Quinto's death an "accident" and amend the record to rule his death a "homicide." Respondents demur to Petitioners' writ pursuant to CCP SS 430.10(e) 430.50(a) on the grounds that Petitioners lack standing to sue pursuant to CCP S 1086, that issuance of a writ will not grant any effectual ...

Excerpt: ...en Accounts; and (4) Common Counts — For Work and Labor Furnished. Defendants' demurrer to the whole complaint on the ground that it fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of acton (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. S 430.10(e). They also demurrer to the second cause of action separately claiming that the failure to record and serve a Notice of Pendency of Action (Lis Pendens) as required by Civil Code S 8461 renders the recorded Mechanic's L...

Excerpt: ...ound and Mohon Plaintiffs, Sabrine Finau and her husband Soli Finau, filed their complaint on February 18, 2021. They allege that on February 23, 2019, 45-year old Sabrine Finau attended a cross fit class on the premises of Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Antioch ("Church"). The cross fit class, parties agree, did not offer what the "CrossFit" brand offers, but rather the term was used to mean "fitness training." Ms. Finau was an invited guest o...

Excerpt: ... Fernandes and Andrew Fernandes), to add a cause of action for aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and an equitable claim for imposition of constructive trust against Cross-Defendant Viramontes, and to remove copyright claims that must be brought in federal court. Cross-Defendants oppose the motion on several grounds. For the following reasons, the motion is granted. Analysis Code of Civil Procedure S 473(a)(1) provdes the Court discreti...

Excerpt: ...n April 21, 2023. As such, any response was due on or before May 22, 2023. On May 15, 2023, Defendant filed a motion to extend time to respond to the Complaint. The Court granted this request, holding the Defendant "may have until August 24, 2023, to answer in this SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 12/08/2023 matter." The Court also made clear that "No f...

Excerpt: ...0865, which was consolidated with the present matter for all purposes on September 18, 2023. The Oliva Complaint was filed on April 21, 2022, and alleges three causes of achon against Defendants: (1) general negligence, (2) premises liability, and (3) res ipsa loquitor. Defendant moves for judgment on the pleadings as to the entire complaint, contending that each of the causes of action are barred by the applicable statute of limitations. Defenda...

Excerpt: ...by Plaintiff Praveen Gupta. For the follow-ng reasons, the Mohon is granted. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 12/07/2023 26 Legal standard lis pendens is recorded by someone asserting a real property claim, to give notice that a lawsuit has been filed which may, if that person prevails, affect title to or possession of the real property described in the no...

Excerpt: ...in addition to whatever other costs it may be entitled to. Background and Substance of the Case Plaintiff filed this lawsuit against two residents to compel them to correct a number of what plaintiff said were violations of the HOA rules concerning defendants' unit and common areas. To make a long story short, after some litigation and extensive discussion, plaintiff now acknowledges that defendants have taken all the corrective actions that plai...

Excerpt: ... action. The other, No. C23-01484, is filed as a PAGA-only case, but asserts essentially the same set of violations of the law. In both cases, defendants bring substantially the same motion to compel arbitration, based on an arbitration agreement found in Wynn's employment contract. (See Line 12.) Although the two motons would call for slightly different treatment if they were to be granted, they raise essentially the same issues; the parties' ar...

Excerpt: ... by unspecified forms of cyber harassment and traumatization by agents of the Chinese government on account of plaintiffs' political opposition to the Chinese regime. The events giving rise to this complaint occurred in June 2020. Plaintiff Yue Ma admitted herself to an emergency psychiatric facility in Santa Clara County for trauma allegedly induced by the repressive acts of the Chinese government. She was transferred to John Muir Health Behavio...

Excerpt: ...twice during each calendar month, on days designated in advance by the employer as the regular paydays." Defendant demurs. The demurrer is overruled. Defendant is given 28 days in which to file and serve its answer. Demurrer Standards "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...

Excerpt: ...s shall file their first amended general denial by no later than December 15, 2023. Background This case involves a neighbor dispute over the removal of plants along a fence between Plaintiffs' and Defendants' residences. Plaintiffs Shannon Coccimiglio and Nicholas Coccimiglio ("Coccimiglios") filed a complaint for trespass and other relief against James Watt and Kathryn Watt ("Watts") on May 4, 2022. The Watts filed an answer consisting of a gen...

Excerpt: ...ovenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing; (5) Breach of Fiduciary Duty; (6) Negligence; (7) Negligent Misrepresentation; (8) False Promise; (9) Rescission of Contract; (10) Violation of Bus. & Prof. Code S 17200 et seq.; (11) Quantum Meruit — For Work, Labor and Services; (12) Quantum Meruit— For Money Due on an Open Book Account; and (13) Account Stated. M&S, Inc. demurrers to each of the nine causes of action alleged against it (all except Co...

Excerpt: ...lings. On or about December 16, 2018 their mother, Dolores Murray, passed away. Plaintiff, Rosemary, and their brother John were all beneficiaries in a trust created by their mother, to which virtually all her property and assets were transferred upon death. Upon Dolores' death, Rosemary became the successor trustee. One of Dolores' primary assets was a house located in San Francisco, which was transferred into the trust. After Rosemary became tr...

Excerpt: ...pany") to perform construction work on her home. She alleges the work was defective. She asserts in a judicial council form complaint two causes of action for negligence and breach of contract against both the Company and Jeffrey Klaus. Defendant Klaus generally demurs to both causes of acton. Standards Governing Demurrer In ruling on the demurrer, the Court must accept as true all well- pled factual allegations of the complaint, but not legal or...

Excerpt: ...21. Factual and Procedural Background In August 2022 following shoulder surgery, plaintiff Nancy Lowenstein was admitted to Legacy Post Acute Care, a skilled nursing facility operated by defendant Sycamore Healthcare Associates (hereinafter "Legacy"). Plaintiff alleges Legacy withheld care and failed to prevent her from developing serious pressure sores while in Legacy's care. One sore, located on plaintiff's heel, reached her bone and Achilles t...

Excerpt: ...to CCP section 473(b) are granted. Pipia's motion to quash service of the summons and cross complaint is denied. Cross Defendants shall answer the cross-complaint no later than December 15, 2023. 5 Background This is a debt collection case filed by LVNV Funding, LLC (LVNV) against Defendant Mark T. Walker on March 22, 2023. Walker answered on May 2, 2023, at which time Walker also filed a putative class acton cross-complaint against Mandarich Law...

Excerpt: ...rovide such services. After a dispute arose between the Parties, Curia initiated arbitration related to the dispute. Curia ended up prevailing at the arbitration. Curia then moved to have the Court confirm the arbitration award. The instant motion to seal relates to portions of the motion to confirm, along with statements made in documents related to the underlying arbitration, including in the demand for arbitration and the partial final award. ...

Excerpt: ...light). Defendant's motion argues that this suit is a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) because (1) defendant's statements / conduct was "in furtherance of [her] right of petition or free speech under the united States Constitution or the California Constitution in connection with a public issue," and because (2) plaintiff cannot establish a probability of prevailing. (Code Civ. Proc., S 425.16 (b)(l).) Specifically, defendan...

Excerpt: ... fact. Background Plaintiff, Robin Coupar, alleges that his uphill neighbor, defendant Gary Clyde Bush, caused property damage to plaintiff's property by way of irrigation leaks. Plaintiff alleges that he witnessed the water intrusion events, which occurred in or around September 2019 and August 2020. Plaintiff alleges these events caused erosion and damage to improvements on his property, including slate stone, wooden steps, two retaining walls,...

Excerpt: ... show SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 12/01/2023 they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law. As a result, the burden does not shift to plaintiff to provide any admissible evidence that would give rise to a dispute of material fact. Background The complaint alleges that plaintiff Muang Saechao was injured when her vehicle struck the vehicle of def...

Excerpt: .... Plaintiff was driving a 2017 Toyota Sienna, California License Number 7ZEP704. The Defendant vehicle is alleged to be a 2018 Isuzu pickup truck, California License Number 23050M2 (the "Isuzu"). The Complaint, filed on November 2, 2020, alleges two causes of action against Ryder: (1) Motor Vehicle and (2) General Negligence. On February 26, 2021, a "Doe Amendment" was filed naming BSP Shipping, Inc. and Restaurant Cheetah Group, Inc. as Dæs 26 ...

Excerpt: ...om breach of a vehicle lease. Plaintiff Wintrust Specialty Finance, N.A. ("Wntrust") seeks a deficiency judgment after selling the vehicle. Wintrust provides a declaration from its Vice President of Asset Management, with and control of its business records of the subject account, who states that the records show that Defendant Hassan AlJanaby entered into a written motor vehicle lease agreement with Wintrust's assignor for the use of a 2017 Cadi...

Excerpt: ...Whittley are the parents of a deceased minor Antoine Whittley (the "Minor"). (Amended Complaint ("FAC') 1.) The FACalleges three causes of action against yft for negligence, negligent hiring, retention or supervision, and wrongful death arising out ofa ride given to the Minor on February 10, 2021. (FAC '1 5.) Standards Governing Ruling on Demurrer In ruling on the demurrer, the Court must accept as true all well-pleaded factual allegations of the...

Excerpt: ...ration in support of the motion that addresses the requirements of California Rule of Court Rule 3.1324(b). Plaintiffs may, but are not required to, file a response to Defendants' supplemental pleading by December 1, 2023. Background SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 (925) 608-1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 11/22/2023 This case involves a neighbor dispute over the removal of plants an...

Excerpt: ...ral negligence, and her third cause of action for premises liability. Accordingly, summary judgment is also denied. The trial date previously set in Department 36 is no longer available because that Department is vacant. The trial date and all related dates are vacated, and the case is set for Case Management Conference and trial-setting in Department 12 on December 19, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. l. Background This is a wrongful death action. Plaintiff Re...

Excerpt: ... to file and serve a first amended complaint. In the event that he elects not to amend, FPI is given to January 5, 2024 in which to answer the surviving counts of the complaint. Legal Standard "The function of a demurrer is to test the sufficiency of the complaint as a matter of aw." (Holiday Matinee, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (2Cu) 118 Cal.App.4th 1413, 1420.) A complaint "is sufficient if alleges ultimate rather than evidentiary facts" (Doe v. City ...

Excerpt: ...nd defendant Erick Chavez entered into a written joint venture agreement ("JV Agreement") on 26, 2018, pursuant to which defendant was to propose which property to purchase and was to provide plaintiff with a full written analysis of each property that his company to purchase. (Separate Statement of undisputed Material Facts, "SSUMF," Fact Nos. 1-2.) Defendant was to coordinate "including, but not limited to, handling everything except providing ...

Excerpt: ...CIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 11/15/2023 briefing on the exhaustion of administrative remedies issues as follows: A. By no later than 2:00 p.m. on November 22, 2023, Plaintiff shall file and serve a supplemental brief addressing the following issues: Issue One: Why the Court should not find that Plaintiffs claims against Chief John Duggan are barred based on Plaintiffs naming Duggan as a defendant in her first amended complaint filed ...

Excerpt: ...ary 23, 2023 indicates that Defendant Barret Burkett was personally served on February 17, 2023. On March 23, 2023, Plaintiff requested entry of default, which was entered that SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 (925) 508 1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 11/15/2023 same date. on April 12, 2023, Plaintiff filed a request for court judgment. The prove-up hearing on the motion was scheduled...

Excerpt: ...aintiff's Additional Material Facts in Dispute and Supporting Evidence ("AMF") 1.) Plaintiff hit an "old style" upside down gate pot lid owned by Defendant East Bay Municipal utility District (EBMUD). (AMF 3.) A gate pot lid provides access to gate valves under the street. (AMF 5.) An "old school" or "old style" gate pot lid is a solid metal gate pot lid that cannot be secured in place with a screw as newer utility covers can. (AMF 6, 33.) Plaint...

Excerpt: ...ek (Sued as Doe 41) ("Defendant" or "Kubitschek")'s Motion to Quash Service of Summons and Complaint ("Motion"). The Motion is opposed by Plaintiff Christopher T. Willis ("Plaintiff' or "Willis"). For the followng reasons, Defendant's Motion is denied. Factual Allegations and Procedural History Plaintiff is the owner of real property located at 113 Canon Drive, Orinda, California. (Willis Decl. 93.) Plaintiff originally purchased the lot in 2010....

Excerpt: ...ckground On May 31, 2023, Plaintiff filed her Complaint for Breach of Contract, Negligence, Unfair Competition, and Negligent Misrepresentation against Defendant Golden State Inspections, Inc. Plaintiff asserts that she and Defendant entered into a written contract in 2017, whereby Plaintiff paid Defendant to inspect the real property to determine whether any material defects existed or needed further investigation prior to Plaintiff's purchase o...

Excerpt: ...ysis This action was filed on July 18, 2022. Default was entered against Defendants on November 17, 2022. CCP S473(b) Defendants seek relief under the mandatory provisions of CCP S 473(b). Applications under CCP S473(b) must "be made within a reasonable time, in no case exceeding six SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 11/13/2023 months, after the judgment...

Excerpt: ...ble evidence that would give rise to a dispute of material fact. Background Plaintiff, Robin Coupar, alleges that his uphill neighbor, defendant Gary Clyde Bush, caused property damage to plaintiff's property by way of irrigation leaks. Plaintiff alleges that he witnessed the water intrusion events, which occurred in or around September 2019 and August 2020. Plaintiff alleges these events caused erosion and damage to improvements on his property,...

Excerpt: ... amend, and the demurrer to the fourth cause of action is overruled. Background Plaintiff Renee Cotton alleges her claims individually "and/or as the surviving heir and/or dependent" of Dorothy Marshall, the decedent, "and/or as personal representative and successor in interest" of Dorothy Marshall. (FAC 2.) Plaintiff filed her original complaint on December 23, 2021. The FAC alleges three causes of action for professional medical negligence (1st...

Excerpt: ...(2015) 235 Cal.App.4th 385, 388.) A demurrer can be used only to challenge defects that appear on the face of the pleading under attack or from matters outside the pleading that are judicially SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K HEARING DATE: 11/13/2023 noticeable. (See Donabedian v. Mercury Ins. Co. (2004) 116 Cal.App.4th 968, 994.) For purposes of ruling on a demurrer, all fa...

Excerpt: ...e returned by the post offce. Follow up resulted in 12 new addresses, leaving 5 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant operates a number of addiction treatment clinics. Plaintiff was employed there as a nonexempt employee. The original complaint was filed on June 3, 2022, and amended shortly thereafter to add PAGA claims. The settlement will crea...

Excerpt: ...rmanent injunction. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 11/09/2023 5 Defendants demur to all Plaintiffs' causes of action for pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure S 430.10(e) on several grounds. For the follow-ng reasons, the Demurrer is overruled. Defendants are given to December 8 in which to file and serve their answer. Legal Standard "The function of a dem...

Excerpt: ...er is to test the sufficiency of the complaint as a matter of law." (Holiday Matinee, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (2W4) 118 Cal.App.4th 1413, 1420.) A complaint "is sufficient if it alleges ultimate rather than evidentiary facts" (Doe v. City of Los Angeles (2W7) 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 sufficient to acquaint [thel defendant with the n...

Excerpt: ...2(d).) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 (925) 608-1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 11/08/2023 For the following reasons, the MS] is granted. Factual Background The Complaint alleges that Plaintiff was injured on December 19, 2019 due to a traffic accident that occurred in Antic„ch, California. Defendant Michelle Palacios is alleged to have been driving the car owned by Defendant Alex...

Excerpt: ...judgment of Claim One as to defendant Cen Cal Insurance Services, LLC, denied; motion for summary adjudication of Issue One as to Cen Cal Insurance Services, LLC is granted; motion for summary judgment of Claim Two and moton for summary adjudication of Issues Two and Three as to defendant Zuman Acquisition, LLC are denied. Background Plaintiff Plaza San Ramon LLC ("Lessor" or "Plaza") is the lessor of commercial real property in San Ramon by an a...