Excerpt: ... (ref erred to in motion pleadings as Rosa Torres Casinelli and referred to herein as the "Driver") when that vehicle made a left turn from Moraga Way onto Coral Drive and struck her in the intersection. (Compl. ¶ 7; City's Separate Statement ("SS") of Undispute d Material Facts ("UMFs"), UMF Nos. 37 -43, 45- 47, 50.) Among other things, Plaintiff contends that vegetation created shadows over the bike lane that contri...

Excerpt: ...t hereby gra nts the motion, in part, on the ground that the City is entitled to design immunity. Discussion Factual Background Plaintiff filed a Complaint for Damages on July 1, 2022 against defendants Ryan James Richins, Stacy Dawn Richins, State of California, Count y of Contra Costa, City of Brentwood, and Does 1 -50, inclusive. Therein, Plaintiff alleged two causes of action: (1) Negligence and (2) Government Liability: Government Code sect...

Excerpt: ...ng a doubles tennis match. At some point during a match, “Defendant struck a tennis ball directly SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 02/09/2024 at the Plainti
¯'s head, when the Plainti
¯ was standing in front of the Defendant, in clear view of the Defendant, hitting Plainti
¯ directly in the right ear at a high velocity.” Plainti
¯ alleges that �...

Excerpt: ...oad in Contra Costa County, California (“Haddad Property”). Defendants are Monroe RE, LLC Road Monroe Operations, LLC (“Monroe Defendants”) and the California Department of Social Services. Monroe RE, SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 02/09/2024 LLC owns the real property at 5530 Johnston Rd. (“Monroe Property”) on which the Monroe Defendants...

Excerpt: ...ed as to the second cause of action. Because this is the Þrst challenge to the complaint, and because it appears plainti
¯ may be able to plead the requisite facts, plainti
¯ has leave to amend and shall Þle and serve any amended complaint by February 20, 2024. A. Background Plainti
¯, Sweet Adeline, Inc., is a franchisee operating a Wingstop restaurant. (SAC, ¶8.) On or about March 17, 2022, plainti
¯ and defendants, TastyWings Inc. and W...

Excerpt: ...o amend. Discussion Legal Standard “The function of a demurrer is to test the su
¯iciency of the complaint as a matter of law.” (Holiday SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 02/09/2024 Matinee, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (2004) 118 Cal.App.4th 1413, 1420.) A complaint “is su
¯icient if it alleges ultimate rather than evidentiary facts” (Doe v. City of L...

Excerpt: ... Þrst sets of form interrogatories to each plainti
¯, served on or about April 26, 2023; and (2) defendant's Þrst sets of requests for production of documents to each plainti
¯, served on or about May 7, 2023. Within ten days thereafter, plainti
¯s are ordered to produce all responsive documents, without objections. These discovery requests were served last April and May. Purported responses were served last August. The responses, however, w...

Excerpt: ...perpetrator. He has sued the person who assaulted him (named as John Doe), the landlord of the apartment complex, and DoorDash. DoorDash has moved for an order compelling plainti
¯ to arbitrate his claims against DoorDash and staying the remainder of the action pending the arbitration. Procedures for Enforcement of Arbitration Agreement Whether the arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq., or by t...

Excerpt: ...egligence cause of action on the grounds that: [Issue 1] Plainti
¯ failed to plead the existence of any mandatory duty, [Issue 2] Plainti
¯ cannot establish the breach of any mandatory duty owed, and [Issue 5] the primary assumption of risk doctrine bars said claim against the City. Defendant moves for summary adjudication on the premises liability cause of action on the grounds that: [Issue 3] Plainti
¯ cannot establish the existence of a dan...

Excerpt: ... the Complaint Defendants Claire and David Aschwanden and plainti
¯s Cathleen and Wilrolan Ravelo were friends for a number of years David and Wilrolan served in the military together, then both worked on the San Francisco Police Department SWAT team since approximately 2017 (SSUMF 31) For clarity, and meaning no disrespect, the discussion will use Þrst names where necessary to distinguish the parties The Aschwandens invited the Ravelos to ...

Excerpt: ...ligence. Defendants move on the grounds that (1) Defendants owed plainti
¯ no duty of care and were not negligent; (2) Defendants had no actual or constructive notice of an unreasonably dangerous condition; and (3) Defendants' acts or omissions did not cause or contribute to Plainti
¯'s injuries. For the following reasons, Defendants' Motion is denied. Brief Factual Background It is undisputed that on the evening of February 4, 2018, Plainti
¯...

Excerpt: ...pproval was granted, the administrator has mailed notices to 1160 class members. 42 packets were returned by the post o
¯ice. Follow up resulted in 35 new addresses, leaving 7 nondeliverable. No objections have been received, and only one request or exclusion. The motions are granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Deendant is a country club. Plainti
¯ was employed there as a banquet server rom July 2019 to March 2020. The original compl...

Excerpt: ...for breach of the peace. Commercial Code § 9609 provides that “after default, a secured party may … take possession of the collateral … without judicial process, if it proceeds without breach of the peace.” Plainti
¯ does not allege that Location ever did actually repossess his vehicle. He alleges that Location made an initial, but unsuccessful, attempt to do so on May 22, 2020. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ...

Excerpt: ...s Motion or Reconsideration o the Court's (1) November 9, 2023 Order Denying Motion or Order Granting Leave to File a First Amended Complaint and (2) November 9, 2023 Order Granting Motion to Seal and Issue a Protective Order is denied. Background The court heard argument on Plainti
¯'s Deborah Johnson's Motion or Leave to File a Þrst Amended Complaint and Deendant's Northgate Homeowner Association's Motion to Seal and Issue a Protective O...

Excerpt: ...ublic easement (referred to as the "CutThrough") over a portion of a residential property located at 2354 Alameda Diablo in Diablo to which defendant U.S. Bank obtained title by foreclosing on its deed of trust secured by that property (the "US Bank Property"). Defendant Bart Wooten is the owner of an undeveloped lot ("Wooten Property") adjacent to the US Bank Property. (Compl. ¶ 4.) They allege the Cut-Through is an easement over a strip of lan...

Excerpt: ...PP special motion to strike is denied and the demurrer sustained without leave to amend. I. Background SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 27 JUDICIAL OFFICER: TERRI MOCKLER HEARING DATE: 02/07/2024 Plainti
¯, Michael Giu
¯rida is a surgeon who worked or deendants, Vivek Bansal, MD, and Vivek Bansal MD, Inc. (“deendants” or “Bansal”). Ater the relationship ended, plainti
¯ sued deendants or w...

Excerpt: ... and Fair Dealing (Second Cause of Action), 3) Retaliation/Wrongful Termination (Third Cause of Action), 4) Disability Harassment (Fourth Cause of Action) and 5) Intentional Interference with a Contract or Prospective Economic Advantage (Seventh Cause of Action). Miller concedes that she cannot maintain her claim for disability harassment but opposes the motion as to the remaining causes of action. Millers request for judicial notice is granted ...

Excerpt: ...ars, Kela Spears, Olajuwon Spears, Shante Ray Jackson, LaShanda Ray, and Latondiwe Hasty (collectively, the “BeneÞciaries”), in a Wills and Trust case Þled in Contra Costa County (Case no. P21-00824). (¶ 10.) The matter pertained to a Trust established by the parents/grandparents of the BeneÞciaries – Willie L. Spears St. and Bobbie Jean Spears. (Ibid.) In accordance with the BeneÞciaries engagement agreement with Plainti
¯ (the “Ag...

Excerpt: ...cate the premises after being served with three-day notices in June 2023. Plainti
¯ owns a condo in the area known as Alamo Bridge. Plainti
¯ rented out the condo to the defendants in July 2018 and the lease was renewed at least two times after that. Defendants signed a Lease Agreement which speciÞcally referenced the Alamo Bridge Home Owners Association's (HOA) CC&Rs and its rules. The defendants signed the lease and acknowledged the requirem...

Excerpt: ...adjudication (the “Motion”). The Motion is directed toward Defendant and Cross-Complainant John W. Elkins (“Cross-Complainant” or “Elkins”)'s Cross-Complaint for Declaratory Relief. Cross-Defendant moves for summary judgment on the grounds that there are no genuine issues of material fact as to Borrower's declaratory relief cause of action, and US Bank as Trustee is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. As a threshold issue, the Co...

Excerpt: ...ests for judicial notice must comply with Rule 3.1306(c), which provides that any party requesting judicial notice “must provide the court and each party with a copy of the material.” (Cal. R. Ct. 3.1306(c).) Defendant failed to comply with this requirement. In addition, “[o]nly relevant material is a proper subject of judicial notice, even where the Evidence Code provides in mandatory terms that matters be judicially noticed.” (Hayward A...

Excerpt: ...i
¯ has leave to amend and shall Þle and serve any amended complaint by February 15, 2024. A. Background Plainti
¯, Homeport Insurance Company, Þled this medical negligence action “for itself and as assignee of Veronica McRae […].” The First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) alleges a single cause of action for medical negligence against San Ramon Regional Medical Center (“SRRMC”), Narendra Malani, M.D. (“Malani”), and Nirja P. Shah...

Excerpt: ...d Thompson (“Plainti
¯” or “Thompson”)s First Amended Complaint for (1) violations of California Civil Code § 2923.6; (2) violations of Civil Code § 2923.7; and (3) violation of Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200, et seq. Defendant demurs to Plainti
¯s causes of action pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”) § 430.10(e) and (g) on several grounds. For the following reasons, the Demurrer is sustained, with leave to amend. Legal Stan...

Excerpt: ... who move to set aside a stipulated judgment between Je
¯ Mini and others who are the plainti
¯s in a complaint in intervention (“Intervenors”) and defendant U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Master Adjustable Rate Mortgages Trust 2007-2 Mortgage Pass-Through CertiÞcates, Series 2007-2 (“US Bank”) entered by the Court on November 3, 2023. The motion is supported by a memorandum of points and authorities and a request for j...

Excerpt: ...murrer p. 1: 25-26.) For the following reasons, the demurrer is overruled. Meet and Confer Requirement Defendant satisÞed his meet and confer requirement regarding their demurrer in detailing their meet and conger e
¯orts with Plainti
¯'s counsel in the Declaration of James J. Astuno Jr. Defendant's counsel detailed their communications with Plainti
¯'s counsel from November 3 through November 7, 2023, mentioning exchanges of e-mail and phone...

Excerpt: ...eek the Court's approval of it as a good-faith settlement. Defendant Taylor Morrison has belatedly Þled an objection to the good- faith settlement. Taylor Morrison's basic argument is that although the settlement motions say the settlement releases plainti
¯'s claims against everyone – including Taylor Morrison – for all claims relating to the sub-soil work, Taylor Morrison raises doubts about whether the release e
¯ectively being provided...

Excerpt: ...th leave to amend as to defendant Steven Thomas. Plainti
¯ is given to February 23 in which to Þle and serve a second amended complaint. If it elects not to do so, Steven Thomas will be dismissed as a defendant, as the FAC's other cause of action is not asserted against him. Defendants request judicial notice of the FAC. The Court does not need judicial notice for a pleading in its own case docket. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COU...

Excerpt: ...orting to show service on November 8, 2023. The Þrst motion to quash (Line 10) is granted. As to the second motion (Line 11), plainti
¯ and counsel to appear (Zoom okay) to discuss whether or not plainti
¯ has belatedly complied with the requirement of mailing. This case arises from a car loan and repossession. In plainti
¯'s c u r r e n t pleading, his Þrst amended complaint, there are only two defendants. Simple Cash Loans, Inc. (dba Monta...

Excerpt: ...n clean and rentable condition. Defendants propounded routine written discovery to plainti
¯, to which plainti
¯ has not timely responded. This motion for a protective order does not dispute the content or form of the discovery. The motion contends only that “plainti
¯” should be granted a protective order, of undeÞned duration, due to “plainti
¯'s” inability to respond to discovery for medical reasons. “Plainti
¯” is said to be...

Excerpt: ...rd Code of Civil Procedure § 437c(o)(1) and (p)(2) provides the relevant legal standard for deciding the MSJ. 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 burden of showing that a cause o...

Excerpt: ... and has health problems which could prejudice her interests in the litigation should preference not be granted. Defendant, Chateau Pleasant Hill dba Carlton Senior Living Pleasant Hill-Martinez (hereinafter “Carlton”), opposes the motion. Based on the evidence provided by plainti
¯, the Court Þnds that preference is warranted. The Court grants the motion and will set trial date within 120 days. Code of Civil Procedure, § 36(a) states that...

Excerpt: ...arch 4, 1972,” and their eighth cause of action for Declaratory Relief. Plainti
¯s' unopposed Request for Judicial Notice is granted. (Cal. Evid. Code § 452 (c), (d), (h).) Plainti
¯s' motion for summary adjudication is denied for the reasons set forth below. Factual Background Briones Regional Park (“Briones”) is a 6,000+ acre open space area within the Easy Bay Regional Park District. Property identiÞed as 3506 Echo Springs Road, in L...

Excerpt: ...ing uncertain, ambiguous and unintelligible, and for failure to allege sufficient facts to state a claim. (Code Civ. Proc. SS 430.10(e) and 430.10(f).) For the following reasons, the Demurrer is sustained with leave to amend. Meet and Confer Requirement Defendants satisfy their meet and confer requirement regarding their demurrer in detailing their efforts in reaching out to Plaintiff's counsel on September 15, 2023, by email and September 29, 20...

Excerpt: ...mended complaint by February 5, 2024. Defendant's time to answer shall run from that date. l. Requests for Judicial Notice In support of both the demurrer and moton to strike, defendant requests judicial notice of the February 24, 2021, Proposed Statement of Dec:ision in the underlying suit. The request is granted. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 18 JUDICIAL OFFICER: DANIELLE K DOUGLAS HEARING DATE: 01/26...

Excerpt: ...ion petition, and recommends that the coordination proceedings be SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MARTINEZ, CA DEPARTMENT 12 JUDICIAL OFFICER: CHARLES S TREAT HEARING DATE: 01/25/2024 11 assigned to San Francisco Superior Court. Coordination All parties are in agreement that these cases are complex under California Rule of Court 3.502. They are likewise in unanimous agreement that these actions should be coordinated, proceeding ...

Excerpt: ...violation of Labor Code SS 1194 and 510; (3) violation of Labor Code S 2802; (4) violation of Labor Code S 226; (5) violation of Labor Code SS 201-204; (6) violation of Labor Code S 2598 et seq.; and (7) Business and Professions Code S 17200 et seq. Defendant moves pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act to compel Plaintiff to submit all individual claims and non-representatve PAGA claims asserted in his FAC to arbitration. Defendant also moves o...

Excerpt: ... packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 14 new addresses, leaving 3 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant is a financial services company offering a variety of services. Plaintiff was employed there in a non-exempt offce position. The original complaint was filed on August 31, 2021 as a class action. PAGA claims were add...

Excerpt: ...emailed to corrected addresses, leaving 2 undeliverable. There have been no objections or requests for exclusion. The motion is granted, subject to clarification as to the proposed dates of payment (see below). Counsel are to appear (Zoom okay) to clear this point up. A. Background and Settlement Terms Defendant operates two car washes located in Concord and Fremont. Plaintiff has been employed there as a car washer since the mid-2000s. The origi...

Excerpt: ...issolution of partnership) or seventh cause of action (declaratory relief). The Court notes that it does not appear that anpne in this case contends that there is any partnership to be dissolved, however, so count 3 may be moot. The Court further notes that the SAC as filed had two plaintiffs, namely Olivarez personally and JR National Floral Network, LLC (referred to by all parties as "JR LLC"). Plaintiff has since filed a dismissal with prejudi...

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: ...ic's separate statement does not comply with Cal. Rule of Court 3.1350(f)(2) because it does not contain a statement as to whether each UMF in Cutting Edge's Separate Statement is disputed or undisputed. The Court was able to determine, however, that Republic does not dispute any of Cutting Edge's relevant material facts by looking to both Republic's "Objections to Separate Statement" and its own separate statement. Cutting Edge's Request for Jud...

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: ... Construction Co. ("General Contractor") to perform masonry work at a residential construction project in Alamo (the "Project"). (Def. Separate Statement ("SS") of Undisputed Material Facts ("UMF") 5, 6, 8, 9, 62, 63, 65, 71.) Defendant Albert D. Seeno Construction Co., Inc. ("Manager") is the managing member of the General Contractor. (UMF 52, 66.) Dominguez alleges he was seriously injured when he fell from scaffolding while he was installing d...

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: ...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: ...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...