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

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

Excerpt: ...tices to class members. 23 packets were returned by the post office. Follow up resulted in 19 new addresses, leaving 4 nondeliverable. No objections or requests to opt out have been received. The motion is granted. E. Background and Settlement Terms Defendants, related entities, are in the business of operating several "escape room" entertainment facilities. Plaintiff was employed at one of them in various hourly capacities between 2019 and 2021....

Excerpt: ...pparently in the business of læating buried utility lines for construction. The complaint alleges that plaintiff was employed at defendant during the relevant period, though it does not give his employment dates or identify what job he held. The original complaint was filed on July 6, 2022. It was amended on November 28, 2022 to add PAGA claims. The settlement would create a gross settlement fund of The class representative payment to the plaint...

Excerpt: ...complaint as a freestanding pleading. Formal service of process on defendants Simple Cash Loans and Shafir should be accomplished promptly. Plaintiff has sued two defendants—Simple Cash Loans, for various asserted forms of illegality in connection with a car loan; and Location, the repossession agent. Plaintiff served Location, but has yet to serve Simple Cash Loans. He faces a hard deadline of October 17 by which to do so, or the case will be ...

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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