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...

Excerpt: ...er 20, 2023. I. Factual Background Plaintiffs, Rani Devi and Ritesh Kamal, allege they checked in at Extended Stay America, a hotel owned and operated by defendants, on or about September 13, 2020, and on or about September 14, they began experiencing an itching sensation. (Complaint, "5- 7, 15-16.) Plaintiff Devi soon began to develop a rash which they later discovered was due to a bedbug infestation in their hotel room, which plaintiffs reporte...

Excerpt: ...nt 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 as to the causes of action for motor vehicle negligence and products liability and without leave to amend as to the cause of action for general negligence. 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. (20...

Excerpt: ...rack" based on the conservatorship filings submitted by Plaintiff) alleges a single cause of action for negligent hiring, training, and supervision against Monte Nido, a residential care facility. (FAC 2.) Plaintiff was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and bulimia and was admitted to Monte Nido on June 21, 2021 for further treatment of her condition. (FAC "1 6, 7.) She alleges Monte Nido was provided a "clinical packet" including information abou...

Excerpt: ... under the pseudonym "C.W.," was a student at Kensington Elementary School in West Contra Costa Unified School District ("District"). (SAC, "11-2.) Plaintiff alleges that from approximately 1971 to 1973, plaintiff suffered the sexual assault and abuse of his special education teacher, who was employed by the District. (SAC, 919.) The acts of sexual abuse and assault took place in the classroom and at a local riding and gun club. (SAC, 919.) Plain...

Excerpt: ...dants: (1) intentional interference with ex#cted inheritance; (2) financial elder abuse; (3) aiding and abetting financial elder abuse; and (4) imposition of constructive trust and accounting. Defendants demurrer to causes of action 1, 2, and 4. Meet and Confer Requirement Before filing a demurrer, the "demurring party shall meet and confer in person or by telephone with the party who filed the pleading that is subject to the demurrer...." (Cal. ...

Excerpt: ... farmers and members of PCFMA since 1997. Plaintiffs have participated in the PCFMA farmers market in Union City since that time by paying to occupy a selling area and selling their vegetables to the general public. The problems that underly the instant lawsuit began in 2017 when a new Market Manager started working at that location. At that time, the new Manager demanded that Plaintiffs move their vegetable display tables under their tents. Plai...

Excerpt: ..., wherein plaintiff articulates such facts. Background Plaintiff alleges that, while she was a high school student at Harry Ells High School, between approximately 1974-1975, she was sexually abused and assaulted by a teacher who was employed by West Contra Costa Unified School District ("District"). (TAC, "17-19.) These assaults occurred approximately once or twice weekly for a year, both at school in the classroom and at the perpetrator's apart...

Excerpt: ...d alleging that Etienne created a fraudulent quitclaim deed, forging Plaintiff's signature, which Etienne then used to transfer Plaintiff's interest in real property unbeknownst to Plaintiff. The original complaint contained causes of action for slander of title, quiet title and declaratory relief. (See April 19, 2021 Complaint.) Six months later, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint setting forth the same factual allegations and claims against E...

Excerpt: ...is case against defendant, Michael Dobbs, doing business as Arclight Corporation, on August 23, 2022. The complaint contains claims for (1) breach of written contract, (2) breach of oral contract, (3) conversion, (4) money had and received, (5) unjust enrichment, and (5) intentional interference with contractual relations. Among the requested remedies, plaintiff seeks injunctive relief regarding who is entitled to possess the property at issue he...

Excerpt: ...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 cause of action cannot be separately established, even if that element is separately pleaded. Section 437c(p)(2) provides, in relevant part: A defendant or cross-defendant has met his or her ...

Excerpt: ...evard exit in Walnut Creek, California. Plaintiff was driving a 2017 Toyota Sienna, California License Number 7ZEP704. The Defendant vehicle is alleged to SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 11/06/2023 be a 2018 Isuzu pickup truck, California License Number 23060M2 (the "Isuzu"). The Complaint, filed on November 2, 2020, alleges two causes of action agains...

Excerpt: ...Procedure S 391 et seq. Plaintiff opposes the motion. For the following reasons, the motion is granted with respect to declaring Plaintiff a vexatious litgant. Defendant's request that Plaintiff post a security is also granted. Plaintiff is to post a security of $11,000. This matter is stayed pending payment ofthe security or "until 10 days after the required security has been furnished and the moving defendant given written notice thereof." (Cal...

Excerpt: ...s granted. Legal Standard "In an employment or consumer arbitration that requires, either expressly or through application of state or federal law or the rules of the arbitration provider, that the drafting party pay certain fees and costs during the pendency of an arbitration proceeding, if the fees or costs required to continue the arbitration are not paid within 30 days after the due date, the drafting party is in material breach of the arbitr...

Excerpt: ...eement, the agreement by its own terms excludes the present dispute from its scope, because the law in existence at the time of contracting did not allow for arbitration agreements for individual PAGA claims. That law has since changed, but the contract itself excludes "claims that are not subject to arbitration under current law" — meaning the aw of 2019. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFF...

Excerpt: ...filed a Cross-complaint against Plaintiff and Payroll Masters. In March 2018, Jones Law sought leave to amend the Cross-complaint, which was granted. Thereafter, Jones Law's First Amended Crosscomplaint was filed, which added Cross-Defendant Sandra Vella-Andrade as a partyto the action. Ms. Vella-Andrade demurred to the FACC — as well as the subsequently filed Second Amended Crosscomplaint. This led to the filing of a Third Amended Cross-compla...

Excerpt: ... to 175 class members. 32 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 15 new addresses, leaving 17 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 11/02/2023 28 A. Background and Settlement Terms Despite its clever name, Rodd & Gunn is not a sporting goods business but a retail s...

Excerpt: ... The moton is granted. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 407 class members. 31 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 27 new addresses, leaving 4 nondeliverable. No objections have been received, and only one request for exclusion. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is in the business of providing clinical outpatient intervention to autistic teens, and their SUPERIOR...

Excerpt: ... their attorney's fees, litigation costs, administration costs, and representative payments. The motion is granted. A. Background of the Case and Terms of Settlement This 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 derivative violations. This case was first filed on February 23, 2021 as a class acti...

Excerpt: ...y November 27, 2023. This is a lawsuit between two former cohabitants, previously inwlved romantically and otherwise with each other; the female plaintiff is substantially younger than the male defendant. The male party has filed a cross-complaint against the female. This is her demurrer to his cross- complaint. Legal Standards for Ruling on Demurrer In ruling on the demurrer, the Court must accept as true all well-pleaded factual allegations of ...

Excerpt: ...TRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 11/02/2023 11 Medical care as to FAC in its entirety and all causes of action — sustained with leave to amend; (b) additionally and/or alternatively, general demurrers to FAC in its entirety and all causes of action by Tele Care and Medical Care based on failure to allege facts as to employer status in light of Exhibits A and B to FAC Exhibit 1— sustai...

Excerpt: ...djudication. The anti-SLAPP special moton to strike is denied. The motion for judgment on the pleadings is construed as a demurrer to the cross-complaint and, so construed, is granted with leave to amend. Defendants shall file and serve any amended crosscomplaint by November 13, 2023. I Background Plaintiff (also referred to as "Giuffrida"), a surgeon, previously worked for defendants, Vivek Bansal, MD, and Vivek Bansal MO, INC. (collectively "de...

Excerpt: ...confusion) alleges 26 causes of action against approximately 23 defendants in her 5AC. NAT is named as defendant "Doe 2." The targets of Plaintiffs claims include her former spouse Laurence Alamillo ("Larry"), the family company Alamillo Rebar, Inc. ("ARI") in which Janice and Larry jointly hold an approximate 53% interest through their family trust, other of the Alamillo family who are owners, officers and/or directors of ARI, another officer of...

Excerpt: ...FORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 10/30/2023 Factual Allegations and Positions of the Parties The Court issued a tentative ruling on Defendants' Moton to Strike on August 14, 2023. That tentative ruling laid out in detail the factual allegations of the Complaint, as well as the positions of the various Parties in some detail. Please see that earlier tentative ruling for a ful...

Excerpt: ...inehart on June 23, 2023 are ordered vacated. Defendants shall file their answer to the complaint by no later than November 15, 2023. Plaintiff's requests for attorneys' fees and/or imposition of a penalty under Code of Civil Procedure section 473(c) are denied. Background Plaintiff Concentric Development Group, Inc. filed a complaint against defendants Exact Construction and Developers, Inc. and Ricky Rhinehart for breach of contract and convers...

Excerpt: ...ts forth a single cause of achon for negligence relating to an alleged physical altercation that took place between Defendant Peter Hilliard and Plaintiff on September 14, 2020. On March 18, 2022, moving Defendants propounded 17 requests for admission ("RFA") on Plaintiff. Plaintiff did not oppose the motion, and as a result the Court entered an order deeming the RFAs admitted on July 20, 2022. Thereafter, on September 6, 2022, moving Defendants ...

Excerpt: ...s initiated this achon by filing their Complaint on March 25, 2022. Plaintiffs entered into a lease agreement for residential property located at 317 Lester Avenue, #304 in Oakland, California. The Complaint alleges a number of tort and contract claims against defendants related to the lease and the condition of the property. Defendants filed their Answer on October 31, 2022. None of the Defendants filed a cross-complaint at SUPERIOR COURT OF CAL...

Excerpt: ...S 1291W, et seq.) — retaliation for engaging in protected activty; and (4) violation of FEHA (Government Code S 12940(j)) — quid pro quo sexual harassment). For the following reasons, the Motion 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 Motion. Section 437c(o)(1) provides, in relevant part: A cause of action has no merit if one or more of the el...

Excerpt: ...nt. The motions are granted. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notces to 152 class members. 5 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 2 new addresses, leaving 3 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 10/26/2023 2 A. Background and S...

Excerpt: ...to 3rd, 4th, and 5th C/As — overruled. Background Plaintiff alleges she was employed by defendant Orinda Country Club from December 2017 until she was constructively discharged on April 18, 2022. (Compl. 2, 17.) Her complaint includes 17 causes of action, alleging violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, Labor Code section 12940 et seq. ("FEHA"), including various forms of discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation, wag...

Excerpt: ..., defendant USA Equestrian Trust, Inc. ("Trust") has filed a partial opposition and partial request for joinder as to USEF's demurrer. The Court rules on these motions as follows and further discussed below: Joinder by Trust in the USEF demurrer is allowed. Both demurrers (by USEF and USPC) are overruled. The motions to strike are denied. A. Background Plaintiff, as a young equestrian training toward her goals of becoming an "A-Rated Pony Clubber...

Excerpt: ... the Plaintiff regarding additional complaints she received from patents regarding Defendant. Plaintiff requests a protective order to restrict questioning of Ms. Ozuna regarding her employment with Defendant and her alleged bias against Defendant. "Except as otherwise provided by statute, all relevant evidence is admissible." Evidence Code 5351. "Relevant evidence' means evidence, including evidence relevant to the credibility of a witness or he...

Excerpt: ...s a portion of Defendants' property in San Ramon. It is alleged that when the two adjacent properties were built in approximately 1965, a significant portion of Plaintiffs' driveway was actually built on Defendants' property. As the Plaintiffs, and their predecessors in interest, have using that area since the 1960's, is alleged that a prescriptive easement exists in favor of the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs initiated these proceedings by filing their ...

Excerpt: ...rth LLC. Defendants move on the grounds that the derivative claims (second through fifth causes of action) are barred because EBO has lost standing to sue on Taylor's after relinquishing its membership interest voluntarily, without wrongdoing by Defendants. Defendants also contend that the sixth cause of action for declaratory relief is barred EBO lost standing to seek declaratory relief under the Taylor operating agreement after relinquishing it...

Excerpt: ...ded Complaint. For the reasons set forth, the moton is denied. Background Plaintiffs Jeffrey R. Kenny and Lekhini Joshi-Kenny as Trustees of their living trust ("Plaintiffs" or the "Kennys" for convenience) purchased a home in Danville in 2021. (First Amended Complaint ("FAC") 1, 9.) They allege that after purchasing their home, they discovered their neighbors the Bancrofts had improvements in an area abutting the two properties that they assert ...

Excerpt: ...pe of the relevant arbitration agreement, and although AHMC is not a signatory to the relevant arbitration agreement, there are nonetheless two bases for the Court to compel this matter to arbitration. First, AHMC says, it may enforce the arbitration agreement as a third-party Second, according to AHMC, it may enforce the arbitration agreement under the doctrine of equitable estoppel. The Court considers each in turn. Relevant Factual and Procedu...

Excerpt: ...hat no triable issue of a material fact exists supporting her causes of action. County's motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication is granted in part and denied in part. Summary adjudication of the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh causes of action is granted. Summary adjudication of the third cause of achon is denied. Summary judgment is denied. The reasons follow. l. Disputed and undisputed Facts Plaintiff Angela Spruill...

Excerpt: ...posed motions for summary judgment are 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 cause of action cannot be separately established, even if that element is separately pleaded. Section 437c(p)(2) provides, in relevant part: A defendant...

Excerpt: ... wherein plaintiff articulates such facts. Background Plaintiff alleges that, while he was a middle school student in approximately 1972, he was sexually assaulted and abused by special education teacher on multiple occasions during school hours. The abuse allegedly occurred notw-thstanding that the District was on notice about the teacher's propensity to commit the abuse. Plaintiff filed this action on November 30, 2022 against various Doe defen...

Excerpt: ...siness in Concord in June 2020. (SAC 97.) Dugas and Stevens each contributed $10,000 towards the formation of the LLC. Dugas received 49% of interest and Stevens received 51% of the interest. (SAC 99.) The parties rented a location for their gym for one year, starting in April 2022. (SAC 910.) Dugas alleges that Stevens paid himself much more than Dugas and that Stevens' payments to himself were unlawful. (SAC "10-18.) The parties had a falling o...

Excerpt: ...driver from April to December 2022, and according to PacPizza, he is still a PacPizza employee. (Higgins Decl. '1 2; Hough Suppl. Decl. 3.) Plaintiff filed a complaint alleging a single cause of achon under the California Private Attorneys General Act, Labor Code S 2699 et seq. ("PAGA") for multiple Labor Code violations he contends he and other aggrieved employees of PacPizza have sustained. PacPizza moves to compel arbitration of Plaintiff's cl...

Excerpt: ...the reason set forth, the motion for summary judgment and motion for summary adjudication of the sixth cause of action are denied. Background Plaintiff and cross- defendant De Petra is the owner of a commercial building located at 911 Moraga Road in Lafayette. Defendant and cross-complainant Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. ("Persons") is a tenant who leased one of the offices for its plastic surgery center, unit 205 (the "Premises"), under a writte...

Excerpt: ...FFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 10/19/2023 December 1, 2023. The Court has extended the time it normally allows for filing a proposed cross-complaint to give the parties time to consider whether further settlement discussions or mediation would be helpful. No later than October 30, the attorneys are ordered to discuss whether additional mediation would be useful and if so, to begin mediation as soon as possible. Plaintiff and Defendants own pro...

Excerpt: ...motions are granted. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 7,126 class members. 625 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 367 new addresses, leaving 270 non-deliverable. No objections have been received, and only one class member requested exclusion. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant and its affiliates, also sued as defendants here, are in the business of operating McD...

Excerpt: ...istrator's declaration) that when investigation turned up more class and workweeks than previously believed to exist, thereby potentially triggering an escalator clause in the settlement agreement, the response of the parties was to lop off the back end of the class period for which settlement payments will be made — and lop it off substantially tin, from the preliminary approval date (spring 2023) back to July 25, 2022. While the Court obvousl...

Excerpt: ...ses, leaving 4 nondeliverable. No objections out have been received, and only one class member has opted out. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is the parent of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa. Plaintiff was employed with defendant as a neuromuscular therapist in the spring of 2021, though only briefly. The original complaint was filed on October 26, 2021. A PAGA claim was added by amendment in January 2022. The settlement will cre...

Excerpt: ...e preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 19,854 class members. 1,086 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 605 new addresses, leaving 464 non-deliverable. No objections have been received, and only two class members have requested to opt out. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant operates a number of Taco Bell restaurants throughout the area. Plaintiffs were employed at various t...

Excerpt: ...ying the motion said that any future motion should address defendant's claim that the proposed causes of action are inappropriately based on privileged information that Plaintiff is precluded from using in this litigation. Plaintiff filed this renewed motion on August 25, 2023. Defendant Northgate filed an opposition on October 4, 2023 in which it argued, among other things, that: (1) Plaintiff omitted privileged Exhibits 15 and 31 from the propo...

Excerpt: ...23 For the following reasons, the Motion is granted. Standard Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") SS 437c(c) provides, in relevant part: The motion for summary judgment shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Secton 437c(p)(1) provides: A plaintiff or cross-complainant has met his or her burden of showing that there...

Excerpt: ...The Court, having reconsidered its August 2, 2021 Order granting Ford's motion to compel arbitration, determines that Ford's motion for order compelling arbitration should be denied for the reasons set forth. The prior August 2, 2021 Order compelling arbitration is vacated. The Court sets a case management conference for 8:30 a.m. on December 28, 2023. Plaintiff shall give notice of the CMC. Background Plaintiff filed a complaint against Ford Mot...

Excerpt: ... defendant has failed to pay this amount under the parties' agreement. These facts are supported by the declaration of Raymond Cordova, and the supporting exhibits included with it. No opposition has been filed by defendant. Standard A motion for summary judgment shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. (Code Civ...

Excerpt: ...nt moves for summary judgment on the grounds that Plaintiff failed to comply with the Government Claims Act. For the followng reasons, the Motion is denied. Judicial Notice Defendant's request for judicial notice is granted. (Evid. Code SS 452, 453.) Legal standard SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 10/12/2023 code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") SS 437c(o)(1) and 43...

Excerpt: ...25, 2022.) Plaintiffs confirm that Rodriguez is not named as a defendant on the first through third causes of action in light demurrer. Plaintiffs' request for monetary sanctions is denied. This motion would not have been necessary if Plaintiffs had complied with CRC 2.112 in drafting their third amended complaint. 19. AM CASE NUMBER: C20-01330 CASE NAME: Hurtado v. HEARING ON DEMURRER TO COMPLAINT AND MOTION TO STRIKE FILED BY: SUTTER HEALTH AND...

Excerpt: ...COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 10/09/2023 by filing its complaint on April 19, 2021. on November 2, 2022, Defendant Krishan Kalra, Ph.D ("Defendant" or "Dr. Kalra") filed a crosscomplaint. The Cross- Complaint alleged ten causes of action: (1) breach of contract; (2) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing ("GFFD"); (3) breach of implied warranty; (4) professional n...

Excerpt: ...he same statutes for their requests for sanctions, the Court will address both Motions together. For the reasons set forth below, the Motions are granted as outlined below. Procedural Background Plaintiff filed the initial Complaint in this matter on September 18, 2018. The operative Second Amended Complaint was filed on June 13, 2019. Defendants filed their motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, summary adjudication ("MSJ") on June ...

Excerpt: ... Cross-complaint ("FACC") "1 1, 2.) In the main action, Johnson has sued Fong to recover the amount he paid Fong based on what Johnson contends was defective work. In his FACC, Fong alleges that Johnson came to Fong's residence and demanded Fong pay him money or Johnson would inform Fong's neighbors that Fong was a convicted felon who served a prison sentence in connection with a crime involving moral turpitude and dishonesty. (FACC 3-8, 10, 12- ...

Excerpt: ...OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 36 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CLARE MAIER HEARING DATE: 10/12/2023 the MS] is granted. Factual and Procedural Background Defendant opened an American Express Platinum Card account on September 17, 2016 ending in 1004. UMF 1. The terms and conditions for use of the Account are governed by a Cardmember Agreement. UMF 2. American Express sent Defendant a copy of this Agreement along with the physical...

Excerpt: ...urt may dismiss the complaint as to that defendant when: Except where Secton 597 applies, after a demurrer to the complaint is sustained with leave to amend, the plaintiff fails to amend it within the time allowed by the court and either party moves for dismissal." CCP section 597 applies to trials of defenses and is not applicable to this action. The Court sustained Defendant's Demurrer to Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint with leave to amend ...

Excerpt: ...f shall file any amended pleading by October 23, 2023, or shall file and serve notice of Plaintiffs election not to amend by that date. Background The background of the case, causes of action, and relevant factual allegations of the first amended complaint ("FAC") are set forth in the concurrent ruling on the defendants' demurrer to the FAC. Legal Standards Applicable to Motion to Strike Punitive Damages The Court may strike allegations that are ...

Excerpt: ...allows the Project's Land use Permit to remain in place and fails to enjoin Project operations pending the County's compliance with CEQA. "CECA, through the Public Resources Code, allows a trial court to leave project approvals in place. After a court finds a CEQA error, the court has three options: void a decision in whole or part; suspend certain project activities; or take other specified actions. (Pub. Resources Code, S 21168.9, subd. CEQA do...

Excerpt: ...a multi-vehicle car accident in April 2021. Claimant is the insured under a motor vehicle policy with Respondent State Farm Insurance with uninsured motorist coverage. Claimant requested that State Farm arbitrate the uninsured motorist claim in a letter from his counsel dated March 23, 2023. (Chang Decl. Exh. 1.) State Farm thus far has not agreed to schedule an arbitration. Analysis A. Threshold Issue — Existence of An Arbitration Agreement Wh...

Excerpt: ...stments v. Decher Young, QI-0258. ("C21 case") In the C21 case, Decher Young was the defendant and the attorney for Mr. Young, Mr. Levin, represents Mr. Young in both cases. The attorneys for Steven Pinza was the same counsel in the C21 case. Neither party asked this court to take Judicial Notice of the C21 case, but as the C21 case is relevant to the motion to recover costs of service and service by publication, the Court does so on its own moti...

Excerpt: ...tter on June 5, 2023. It set forth fourteen causes of action against defendants George and Bellerny Raygoza. On August 11, 2023, Defendants filed their Joint Answer to unverified Complaint consisting of a general denial as well as forty-five affirmative defenses. Plaintiff filed the instant demurrer to the Answer, demurring to forty-three of those affrmative defenses. The two not demurred to are the affirmative defenses for: statute of limitation...

Excerpt: ...on 1). Plaintiff also sued Rollamatc for the failure to prevent harassment / hostile work environment, retaliation (FEHA and Labor Code sections 1102.5 and 6130) and wrongful terminaton (causes of action 2-6.) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 10/11/2023 Defendants demur to causes of action 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 based on the failure to allege facts sufficient to s...

Excerpt: ...25, 2022.) Plaintiffs confirm that Rodriguez is not named as a defendant on the first through third causes of action in light demurrer. Plaintiffs' request for monetary sanctions is denied. This motion would not have been necessary if Plaintiffs had complied with CRC 2.112 in drafting their third amended complaint. 19. 9:00 AM CASE NUMBER: C20-01330 CASE NAME: Hurtado v. Rodriguez HEARING ON DEMURRER TO COMPLAINT AND MOTION TO STRIKE FILED BY: SU...

Excerpt: ...act. Defendant demurs to Plaintiff's claims on several grounds. For the following reasons, the Demurrer is sustained without leave to amend. Request for Judicial Notice Defendant requests judicial notice of a settlement agreement between the parties as well as several County documents and dc„cuments from the California Department of Industrial Relations. Plaintiff objects to the request for judicial notice. With respect to the Settlement Agreem...

Excerpt: ...23 ("Collections Complaint"). The Collections Complaint pleads causes of action for account stated and open book account for Walker's alleged breach of a credit card agreement with LVNV's assignor, Navy Federal Credit Union ("NFCU"), in the approximate amount of $26,000. On May 2, 2023, Defendant and Crosscomplainant Mark T. Walker ("Walker") filed an unverified Class Action Cross- Complaint for Declaratory Relief and Damages against LVNV ("Cross...

Excerpt: ...COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 10/09/2023 by filing its complaint on April 19, 2021. on November 2, 2022, Defendant Krishan Kalra, Ph.D ("Defendant" or "Dr. Kalra") filed a crosscomplaint. The Cross- Complaint alleged ten causes of action: (1) breach of contract; (2) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing ("GFFD"); (3) breach of implied warranty; (4) professional n...

Excerpt: ...f shall file any amended pleading by October 23, 2023, or shall file and serve notice of Plaintiffs election not to amend by that date. Background The background of the case, causes of action, and relevant factual allegations of the first amended complaint ("FAC") are set forth in the concurrent ruling on the defendants' demurrer to the FAC. Legal Standards Applicable to Motion to Strike Punitive Damages The Court may strike allegations that are ...

Excerpt: ...d a class action complaint alleging nine causes of action for Labor Code violations by defendant Bay Air Systems, Inc. and a representative claim on behalf of himself and "aggrieved" employees in the tenth cause of action under the Private Attorney General Act, Labor Code section 2699 et seq. ("PAGA"). Plaintiff subsequently filed an amendment to the complaint naming defendants John Morgan, Roberta Morgan, Ben Morgan, and Bert Morgan as "Doe" def...

Excerpt: ... action: breach of written contract and unjust enrichment. Defendant demurs to both causes of action. Defendants' demurrer is overruled. While there is discussion of, and reference to, the filings that occurred in Contra Costa Case No. P22- 01215, neither party requested judicial notice of those files. As they are directly relevant to the issues to be decided on this matter, the Court takes judicial notice of the filings in that case. (Cal. Evid....

Excerpt: ...d a class action complaint alleging nine causes of action for Labor Code violations by defendant Bay Air Systems, Inc. and a representative claim on behalf of himself and "aggrieved" employees in the tenth cause of action under the Private Attorney General Act, Labor Code section 2699 et seq. ("PAGA"). Plaintiff subsequently filed an amendment to the complaint naming defendants John Morgan, Roberta Morgan, Ben Morgan, and Bert Morgan as "Doe" def...

Excerpt: ...aintiff was employed as a non-exempt employee during the relevant time period, though the pleadings and moving papers do not identify her job capacity or employment dates. The motion is granted. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 10/05/2023 28 C. Background of the Case and Terms of Settlement This a PAGA case (not a class action), alleging a variety of viola...

Excerpt: ...yed by SWAT as a journeyman pipefitter, working at the Tesoro site in February and March of 2019. The motion is granted. B. Background of the Case and Terms of Settlement This a PAGA case (not a class action), asserting that SWAT violated the Labor Code by not paying employees for the time spent donning and doffing safety gear at the beginning and end of shifts. Notably, SWAT changed its policy and commenced paying for donning and doffing time in...

Excerpt: ...dants Corporation for Better Housing, 69 Carol Lane, L.P. and 73 Carol Lane, L.P. filed a motion for summary judgment or alternatively for summary adjudication. The notice of moton sought summary judgment and did not separately list any issues for summary adjudication. In addition, Defendants' separate statement did not list any issues for summary adjudication. After the initial hearing date on this matter passed, Defendants filed an amended noti...

Excerpt: ...mount and the average paput. There are a number of identifiable reasons for this, most of which are understandable and acceptable. However, it appears that there may have been a substantial miscommunication with respect to one particular (and unusual) feature of this settlement namely that the employee class members, not the employer, end up bearing the cost of paying the employer's share of payroll taxes on the settlement proceeds. SUPERIOR COUR...

Excerpt: ...ndant 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 plaintiff and modification of the claims asserted. The second amended complaint successfully withstood demurrer. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of $1,224,210. The class representative payments to the plaintiffs...

Excerpt: ...the treatment and care of Plaintiffs' father ("Decedent") which resulted in his death on September 15, 2020. Decedent was admitted to Defendant The Reutlinger Community ("Reutlinger"), a licensed Residential Care Facility for the Elderly, on March 27, 2020. Decedent had developed dementia prior to his admission as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Plaintiffs filed their initial Complaint on September 16, 2021. The Complaint alleged a single c...

Excerpt: ... cause of action Plaintiffs' prayer for punitive and exemplary damages. The motion to strike is denied as moot, based on the Court's concurrent ruling on the demurrer to the second cause of action. 5. 9:00 AM CASE NUMBER: C22-02757 CASE NAME: CHRISTIAN WATKINS VS. TANETTE MAFFEI HEARING ON DEMURRER TO: DEMURRER TO CROSS COMPLAINT FILED BY DEF FILED ON 6/6/23 FILED BY: *TENTATIVE Before the Court is a demurrer by defendants John Norheim and Steve ...

Excerpt: ... JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 10/05/2023 32 Plaintiffs are Jason Kristal, JKristallnvestmentsLLC, and 219KingsburyGrade, LC (the "Kristal Plaintiffs"). Defendants are Omer Eugene Beaird Ill ("Eugene"), Alesia Thomas ("Alesia") (collectively, "Defendants") and their former attorney, M. Todd Jenks. Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Settlement of their claims against Mr. Jenks on September 18, 2023. This action is preceded by three rel...

Excerpt: ...or approval of their attorney's fees, litigation costs, administrative fees, and representative payments. Both motions are granted. Since preliminary approval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 52 class members. 2 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 10/05/2023 24 packets were returned by the post office. Follow-up was unable to find better a...

Excerpt: ... order mandating a mental examinaton. The purpose of the examination was to explore plaintiff's claims for severe emotional distress. Following the order, this court granted summary adjudication as to plaintiff's claims for wrongful terminaton. It is not clear that plaintiff is still pursuing claims for severe emotional distress with respect to the two causes of action remaining, i.e., the 10th cause of action for violation of the Confidentiality...

Excerpt: ...ARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 21 (925) 608-1121 JUDICIAL OFFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 10/04/2023 store located at 560 contra costa Boulevard, in Pleasant Hill, California. As to the facts underlying the causes of action, the FAC indicates that on September 16, 2018, Plaintiff Marnie Carter slipped and fell at the above Target location "as a result of negligently maintained premises with dangerous conditions, despite constructve and/or actual not...

Excerpt: ..., and 5-10, as discussed below. Both motions to strike punitive damages are granted. Plaintiff may file and serve an amended complaint by October 16, 2023. l. Factual Background Plaintiff, June Sunday, alleges that since approximately June 2016 she resided in an apartment owned and/or managed by defendants Creekside and FPI. (Complaint, "13-14, 27-28.) Sometime around February 2020, plaintiff noticed bed bugs at the apartment and immediately noti...

Excerpt: ...FFICER: JILL C FANNIN HEARING DATE: 10/04/2023 October 13, 2023. Factual and Procedural Background This matter relates to injuries sustained by Plaintiff Thomas Quinlavin on or about June 8, 2021 while using a bicycle purchased from Amazon.com, which he contends was defective. The Complaint was filed on March 18, 2022 and sets forth two causes of action: (1) products liability and (2) loss of consortium. The products liability cause of action pur...

Excerpt: ...of wages; (4) breach of fiduciary duty; and (5) negligence. Request for Summary Judgment or, in the alternative Summary Adjudication Defendant seeks an order granting summary judgment, claiming that all five causes of action are barred under one of two theories: (1) Plaintiffs' failure to exhaust administrative remedies and/or timely presenting a tort claim before filing suit, or (2) because "the City's Minimum Employer Contribution is properly i...

Excerpt: ...e was injured when she tripped and fell on an uneven sidewalk near the entrance to 950 Moraga Road Shopping Center. Laura Murphy sued 960 Moraga Rd., LLC and Cardoza Properties, Inc. for premises liability and sued the City of Lafayette for dangerous condition of public property. Kevin Murphy sued for loss of consortum. 960 Moraga Rd., LLC and Cardoza Properties, Inc. filed a cross-complaint against the City of Lafayette and Old Firehouse School ...

Excerpt: ... Plaintiff is unlikely to prevail on the merits of the dispute. The Motion is hereby GRANTED. Discussion Request for Judicial Notice Defendant's unopposed request for judicial notice is granted. (Evid. Code SS 452, 453.) The Court will take judicial notice of the recorded property documents and accepts the fact of their existence but not the truth of their contents. (See Herrera v. Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co. (2011) 196 Cal.App.4th 1366, 1375; ...

Excerpt: ...F CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 10/02/2023 section 2923.4 et seq. ("HBOR") were violated by defendant PHH Mortgage Corporation, the loan servicer of a loan secured by a first trust deed on her residence in Danville. She alleges a first cause of achon for violation of Civil Code section 2923.7 for failure to maintain a single point of contact after her default and a se...

Excerpt: ...ars 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 motion for judgment on the pleadings involves the same type of procedures that apply to a general demurrer. (Richardson-Tunnell v. School Ins. Program for Employees (2007) 157 cal.App.4th 1055, 1061; Burnett v. Chi...

Excerpt: ...023. A hearing for the matter will take place on January 15, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 9.1. Did the Order Discharging Defendant Registrar From Liability (filed May 22, 2023) dismiss the Complaint's 14th Cause of Action in favor of the State of California defendants, particularly the Registrar of Contractors, Contractors State License Board? (See Order, p. 2, lined 6-7, "That the Fourteenth Cause of Action for Claim of Deposit Against CSLB ...

Excerpt: ...reached the age of majority and the first amended complaint was filed in Trey Briggs' name. Plaintiff is suing the San Ramon School District for negligence. There is no dispute that the Defendant is a public entity. Plaintiff alleges that when he was a minor he fractured his right arm during a foot race organized and supervised by school offcials on August 13, 2018. When Plaintiff was injured, Defendant failed to summon emergency medical care to ...

Excerpt: ...Should plaintiff choose not to amend, the time to answer shall run from that date. Background Plaintiff, who filed this action under the pseudonym "Jane Doe A.M.M.," is a former high school student at Richmond High School in West Contra Costa Unified School District's ("District"). (SAC, 913.) Plaintiff alleges that, during the time she attended, approximately 1979 to 1983, District employed a counselor who used his position to groom, lure, and e...

Excerpt: ...proximately 15 years old and a student at Mount Diablo High School. (Complaint, Ill.) Plaintiff was abused by an adult male career counselor (whom plaintiff believes to be deceased) employed by District. (Complaint, 912.) Specifically, the counselor's sexual assault and harassing conduct towards plaintiff occurred in three separate incidents, two of which consisted of inappropriate remarks, inappropriate staring, and invasion of personal space, a...

Excerpt: ...The special motion to strike the first, fifth, sixth and seventh causes of action is granted, and the motion is otherwise denied. Background Plaintiff alleges seven causes of action, five causes of acton for libel per se based on statements made by defendant Donna Hosten on internet and social media websites Yelp, Facebook and the Better Business Bureau ("888"), and two causes of action for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of...

Excerpt: ...d for the reasons set forth below. Procedural History Plaintiff filed the Complaint in this matter on December 14, 2021. The Complaint sets forth two causes of action against Defendant William H. Rogers: (1) breach of contract, and (2) promissory fraud. On June 24, 2022, Plaintiff filed a Proof of Service of Summons indicating that Defendant had been served by substituted service. The Proof of Service indicates that documents were left with an em...

Excerpt: ...o Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") S 418.10(a)(1) on the grounds that she is not a resident of Contra Costa County and pursuant to CCP S 410.30 and 418.10(a)(2) on the grounds that Plaintiff's action involves a contract with a forum selection clause designating Greenville County, South Carolina for any proceeding regarding the agreement. For the following reasons, the Mohon is denied. Judicial Notice The unopposed Request for Judicial Notce is gra...