Excerpt: ...aith and fair dealing, bad faith denial of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and constructive fraud on grounds that allegations in the Complaint, "negate the existence of a partnership" and that "any purported partnership was superseded by the alleged creation of limited liability companies." (Notice of Demurrer at i:11-14.) Defendant demurs to the claim for bad faith denial of the existence of contract "because no such cause of achon exists un...

Excerpt: ...Judgment), for an order enforcing the Judgment by "(1) adopting the People's proposed restitution notice form; (2) compelling Defendant to produce declaration under penalty of perjury that it exercised reasonable diligence in compiling its list of restitution eligible customers; and (3) requiring Defendant to replenish the restitution fund for the costs incurred in reprinting the restitution notice form which were caused by Defendant's unjustifia...

Excerpt: ...ed dates. Plaintiff Larry Bratcher moves for an order vacating the Mandatory Settlement Conference, Trial Management Conference, and Trial Dates in the matter, and setting the matter for a Case Management Conference for purposes of setting a new trial date. Plaintiff further requests an order that all discovery cutoff dates will be recalculated from the continued trial date. The Court has a statutory "responsibilityto eliminate delay in the progr...

Excerpt: ...e burden of persuasion that there is no triable issue as to a material fact. (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. 25 Cal.4th 826, 850.) A defendant meets this burden by showing that one or more elements of plaintiff's cause of action cannot be established, or that there is a complete defense thereto. (Ibid.) The moving party also bears an initial burden of production to make a prima-facie showing of the nonexistence of any triable issue of material...

Excerpt: ... pleadings. A. Preliminary Matters Plaintiff Michael Phegley moves, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 473 and 576, for leave to "amend/file a First Amended Complaint for the sole purpose of adding a class representative." (Notice of Motion at 2:1-2.) However, there is no indication in either the Complaint or proposed amended complaint that the action is being brought on behalf of a class. Rather, it appears from the moving papers that ...

Excerpt: ...es thereto. Defendants' Request for Judicial Notice is GRANTED as to Exhibits A and C, but not for the truth of matters alleged in those exhibits, GRANTED as to Exhibit B and DENIED as to Exhibit E. 8. LEGAL ANALYSIS To adequately state a claim for pun-tive damages, a complaint must contain allegations that the defendant has guilty of oppression, fraud or malice. (Civil Ctxle S 3294, subd. (a) (Section 3294); Turman v. Turning Point of Central Ca...

Excerpt: ...ling. Defendant WE HAUL, LLC moves, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 2030.290, and 2031.300, for an order compelling Plaintiff Cynthia Ison to provide responses, without objection, to Form Interrogatories, Set One, Special Interrogatories, Set One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set One propounded by Defendant (Subject Discovery). Defendant further moves, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 2030.290, subdivision (c)...

Excerpt: ...'s tentative ruling system as required by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required n...

Excerpt: ...: Preliminary Injunction were to be filed by August 4, 2023. On August 4, 2023, Plaintiff filed a Mohon for Permanent Injunction. Through the moving papers Plaintiff uses the terms "permanent injunction" and "preliminary injunction" interchangeably without discussion, explanation, or apparent reason. While this would ordinarily create significant procedural issues, such issues are avoided here because Plaintiff's evidence, discussed below, establ...

Excerpt: ...er, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, regardless of whether or not moving party is present at the hearing. The Notice of Moton does not clearly set forth either the precise nature of the relief sought or the grounds therefore. (See Code Civ. Proc. 51010 ["the notice of a motion, other than for a new trial, must state...t...

Excerpt: ...July 31, 2023, the Court (Hon. Victoria granted Plaintiff's attorneys' motion to withdraw and continued, to this date, Plaintiff's request for an extension of the 5-year statute. Through the Opposition, Defendant confirms its representation to Plaintiff that Defendant "will not raise any five-year statute issues so long as trial commences on or before September 30, 2023." (ld. at 3:9-10.) Section 583.310, et seq. govern the mandatory time within ...

Excerpt: ...rounds that Plaintiffs agreed, by contract, to arbitrate their claims against Defendant. The moving party failed to include in the notice of this motion proper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as required by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 rema...

Excerpt: ...ntiff John A. Tudal moves, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 473 and 576, for an order granting Plaintiff leave to file the Proposed SAC on grounds that permitting the subject filing will serve the interests of justice. 1 For file management reasons the Court does not permit attachments to become operative pleadings. The moving party failed to include in the notice of this motion proper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as r...

Excerpt: ...agreement exists and, if any defense to its enforcement is raised, whether the agreement is enforceable. (Rosenthal v. Great Western Financial Sec. Corp. (1996) 14 Cal.4th 394, 413.) The moving party bears the burden of proving the existence of the agreement by a preponderance of the evidence. (Ibid.) This represents Pe
Ÿ
Ÿoner 's second a
©empt to compel arbitra
Ÿon of the present dispute. Pe
Ÿ
Ÿoner again fails to carry its ini
Ÿal burde...

Excerpt: ...this matter on April 20, 2023" on grounds that the parties agreed to such terms orally at a judicially supervised settlement conference. "If parties to pending litigation stipulate...orally before the court, for settlement of the case, or part thereof, the court, upon motion, may enter judgment pursuant to the terms of the settlement. If requested by the parties, the court may retain jurisdiction overthe parties to enforce the settlement until pe...

Excerpt: ...intiff ha[s] not pled any facts that support their request for attorney's fees against [GPIA]." (Mohon to Strike at 3:12-15.) Through the SAC, Plaintiff purports to assert claims of (Sixth) Negligent Misrepresentation and (Seventh) Professional Negligence against Defendant GPIA (See SAC at 14:19-16:12.) On these claims Plaintiff prays for, among other relief, "compensatory damages in an amount to be proven at trial, including attorneys' fees allo...

Excerpt: ...uce to Defendants' counsel of record a further verified, code-compliant response to Form Interrogatory No. 17.1; and (3) pay to Defendants, care of their attorneys of record, monetary sanctons in the amount of $2,160. Defendants Michael L Holcomb and Maria C. Holcomb move, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 2030.300, subdivision (a) and 2033.290, subdivision (a) for an order compelling Plaintiff Joan Traverso (Plaintiff) to provide furt...

Excerpt: ...and that the failure to timely serve such responses was the result of mistake, inadvertence, or excusable neglect.2 The subject discovery consists of requests for production of documents, requests for admission, and form and special interrogatories propounded by Defendant Valley Rock Foundantion (VRF) and special interrogatories propounded by Defendant Dr. Robert White (Dr. White). (The foregoing discovery is referred to herein as Subject Discove...

Excerpt: ...uired by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, regardless of whether or n...

Excerpt: ...Amended Complaint (TAC) the prayer for punitive damages and all references thereto. The Court notes that Defendant Sean Stapleton filed, together with Brad Stapleton and WCPS, an answer in response to the TAC. However, Sean Stapleton does not join in the present motion. (See Notice of Motion.) The Court rules on Defendants' Request for Judicial Notce as follows: Exhs. A and C: GRANTED, but not for the truth of matters alleged in the subject docum...

Excerpt: ...al Examination." Defendants concede that they are required, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2032.310, to obtain leave of Court in order to conduct the desired examination. "The court shall grant a motion for a physical or mental examinaton under Section 2032.310 only for good cause shown." (Code Civ. Proc., S 2032.320, subd. (a).) The Court finds as follows. On February 25, 2022, Plaintiff served Defendants with his Supplemental Respo...

Excerpt: ... demand nos. 1, 2, 5, 7, 13, 14, and 15 of Defendants' First Demand for Inspection of Documents (Subject Discovery).2 Defendants move on grounds that OHC has failed, without justification, to comply with its representation that it would produce all responsive documents. Defendants also move, pursuant to sections 2023.030, subdivision (a), 2031.310, subdivision (h) and 2031.320, subdivision (b) for an award of monetary sanctions against OHC in the...

Excerpt: ... call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, regardless of whether or not moving party is present at the hearing. "[A]ny party shall be entitled as a matter of right to c...

Excerpt: ...e ruling system as required by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, rega...

Excerpt: ...arties' dispute regarding the proper scope of the document requests attached to the deposition subpoena. The reference pursuant to this order is limited to the proper scope of the document requests attached to the deposition subpoena of Aaron Pott, and the deposition notice of Spencer Hoopes which is the subject of the concurrent motion to compel. The parties are directed to meet and confer to select a discovery referee. "If the parties do not ag...

Excerpt: ...s, without objections, and documents in compliance with the Court's April 18, 2023 discovery order within 15 calendar days of service of notce of entry of order. This represents Defendant's second motion to compel the subject discovery. On May 24, 2023, the Court granted each of Defendant's respective motions to compel Plaintiff to to form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and requests for production of documents. The Court further ordere...

Excerpt: ...ses...." (Notice of Motion at 2:8-10.) The moving party failed to include in the notice of this motion proper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as required by Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requ...

Excerpt: ...equired by Local Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately provide, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of 1 hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, regardless of whether...

Excerpt: ...q„ "to stay, quash, and/or for a protective order regarding the insurance broker depositions of (1) Martha Carruth and (2) Brad Clark." (Notice of Motion at 3:3-7.) Plaintiffs so-move "on the basis that Plaintiffs have objected and sought to limit the depositions of Ms. Carruth and Mr. Clark, who are both insurance brokers, in accordance with the Court's May 2, 2023 Order Which addressed similar issues." (ld. at 3:8-10.) On May 15, 2023, the Co...

Excerpt: ...endant California Department of State Hospitals ("DSH") demurs to each cause of action asserted through the First Amended Complaint (FAC) by Plaintiff Rosela Lee ("Plaintiff"), an individual and as Successor-in-Interest to Victoria Jarvis, an individual, deceased ("Decedent"). DSH demurs on grounds that "Plaintiff lacks standing to assert causes of action one through four" and that Plaintiff's fifth cause of action for intentional infliction of e...

Excerpt: ...t to show a reasonable probability that they will prevail on the merits of their claims, they will be ordered to furnish a security in the amount of $72,395 m, no later than 15 court days' following notice of entry of the Court's ruling on the motion. (S 391.3, subd. (a).) The stay of proceedings pending outcome of the present motion shall continue "until 10 days after the required security has been furnished and Defendants have given written not...

Excerpt: ...s, Set One; and Request for Production of Documents, Set One. Plaintiff is further directed to pay to Defendant, care of Defendant's counsel of record in the action, no later than 10 calendar days after notice of entry of the present ruling, monetary sanctions in the amount of $1,460.00. Defendant Robert Jordan moves for an order compelling Plaintiff Orlando Ricardo Sanchez dba El Dorado Roofing to respond to Jordan's Form Interrogatories, Set On...

Excerpt: ...nd/or for a protective order regarding the insurance broker depositions of (1) Martha Carruth and (2) Brad Clark." (Notice of Motion at 3:3-7.) Plaintiffs so-move "on the basis that Plaintiffs have objected and sought to limit the depositions of Ms. Carruth and Mr. Clark, who are both insurance brokers, in accordance with the Court's May 2, 2023 Order Which addressed similar issues." (ld. at 3:8-10.) On May 15, 2023, the Court granted Defendant L...

Excerpt: ... in the notice of this motion proper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as required by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party ...

Excerpt: ..."If a subpoena requires the attendance of a witness or the production of books, documents, electronically stored information, or other things before a court, or at the trial of an issue therein...the court, upon motion reasonably made by [a party]...after giving counsel notice and an opportunity to be heard, may make an order quashing the subpoena entirely, modifying it, or directing compliance with it upon those terms or conditions as the court ...

Excerpt: ...e of this motion proper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as required by Gwal Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represent...

Excerpt: ...to produce responsive documents and to serve supplemental and/or amended responses to Request for Production of Documents, Set 2 (Subject Discovery)l . Czap so moves on grounds that Plaintiffs have failed to serve proper responses to the Subject Discovery. Finally, Czap moves, pursuant to sections 2023.010, 2023.030, and 2031.320, for an award of monetary sanctions against Wang in the sum of $13,487.50. The moving party failed to include in the n...

Excerpt: ...edure, section 430.41, subdivision (b); and whether they may assert a novel argument in support of their demurrer to the sixth cause of action for wrongful death, as discussed below. Plaintiff is granted leave to serve and file, no later than June 8, 2023, a supplemental opposition addressing the same issues and/or DSH's arguments thereon. A. PRELIMINARY MATTERS Defendant California Department of State Hospitals ("DSH") demurs to each cause of ac...

Excerpt: ... remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely receive the required notice, regardless of whether or not moving party is present at the hearing. Defendants Gino Bartalotti and Christopher Bartalotti move for an order setting aside judgments entered in fawr of Plaintiff Gordon Flesch Company in this action on the grounds of "improper a...

Excerpt: ...erence date, and all related pre- trial dates, on grounds that a new Plaintiff has recently been added to the case, Plaintiffs recently filed a Third Amended Complaint, and Plaintiff Todd Wentzel recently testified, at deposition, that he is seeking damages in the form of lost wages which testimony is purportedly inconsistent with earlier discovery responses. The Court has a statutory "responsibilityto eliminate delay in the progress and ultimate...

Excerpt: ...other portions of the SAC. Plaintiffs are granted 10 days' leave, from notice of entry of the present order, to amend the SAC forthe exclusive purpose of supporting a claim for punitive damages. Defendants David John Campbell, Jr. Bradford Stapleton and We Care Pest Solutions, Inc. move, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Sections 435 and 436, "to strike the prayer for punitive damages, and all references thereto, from the Second Amended Complai...

Excerpt: .... The demurrer to each cause of achon is brought pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10, subdivision (e). Defendant further contends that the third cause of action, for wrongful termination in violation of public policy, fails, in part, based on the sham pleadings doctrine. Defendant previously demurred to each of Plaintiffs original Complaint and First Amended Complaint (FAC). Each of these demurrers was sustained by the Court with l...

Excerpt: ...g. (b) Strike out all or any part of any pleading not drawn or filed in conformity with the laws of this state, a court rule, or an order of the court." (Code Civ. Proc. 5436.) The matters Defendants object to fall into two categories: (a) allegations regarding Robert Mueller's role in Zinfandel, LLC and Plaintiff's alter ego theory of liability (Notice of Motion at 2:4-14); and (b) allegations relating to Plaintiff's prayer for attorneys' fees (...

Excerpt: ... 1:25-27.) The Court appreciates counsel's efforts at resolving what can fairly be described as a conundrum. However, the Court is unpersuaded that Code of Civil Procedure section 473, subdivision (b) provides authority for such resolution. The section of the statute relied upon provides that "[t]he court may, upon any terms as may be just, relieve a party or his or her legal representative from a judgment, dismissal, order, or other proceeding t...

Excerpt: ...ious Diseases at the time of mutual and simultaneous exchange of expert witness information"; (b) "the need for the Augmented Witness List was recently discovered based on the deposition testimony of non- retained experts"; and (c) "Plaintiff will not be prejudiced by the proposed Augmented Expert List." (Motion at 1:21-2:2.) The conditions for granting leave to augment an expert witness list are prescribed by statute. (See Code Civ. Proc„ S 20...

Excerpt: ...oper notce of the Court's tentative ruling system as required by Rule 2.9. The moving party is therefore directed to immediately prov-de, by telephone call AND email, the missing notice to opposing party/ies forthwith. The requirements for requesting oral argument under Local Rule 2.9 remain in effect. However, the Court may grant belated requests for oral argument or continuance of hearing, made by any party who represents it did not timely rece...

Excerpt: ...r her legal representative from a judgment, dismissal, order, or other proceeding taken against him or her through his or her mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect." (Code Civ. Proc., S 473, subd. (bj.) 3 Plaintiffs designated the case as complex upon filing and Defendants agree with that designation. (See Opposition at 12:9-14.) As Defendants assert, the Court confirmed the complex designation before all parties at the end of the...

Excerpt: ...time is GRANTED IN PART. Plaintiffs and Defendants are directed to meet and confer in faith with the Deponents to schedule the first seven (7) hours of their depositions on a mutually- agreeable date no later than May 10, 2023. While the Court believes it would be more efficient to depose Ms. Rodgers first, it declines to order this. The party that subpoenaed the Deponents, in this case Defendants, shall begin the depositions, unless otherwise ag...

Excerpt: ...Investors LLC (collectively, "Plaintiffs") move, pursuant to Rules of Court, rules 2.550 and 2.551, for an order sealing certain documents and portions of documents which Defendant Interstate Fire & Casualty Company ("Interstate") conditionally filed under seal on March 23, 2023 in opposition to Non-party Marsh USA's ("Marsh") Motion for Protective Order (filed on February 22, 2023 and withdrawn on March 30, 2023 prior to the April 5, 2023 hearin...

Excerpt: ...CE REQUIRED to set a hearing date and briefing schedule for both motions. As noted in the Court's April 18, 2023 Minute Order, all discovery proceedings are stayed until notice of entry of an order ruling on Plaintiffs anti-SLAPP motion. [3] MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 425.16 TENTATIVE RULING: The motion is DENIED. A. Procedural Matters Cross-Defendants County of Napa ("County") and David Morrison and Akenya Robin...