Excerpt: ...ghth and ninth causes of action alleged by plaintiff Albert Ristau, as successor trustee of the Wright 1990 Trust, on the grounds that the Wright 1990 Trust cannot assert elder abuse pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 15610.30. A party may demur to a complaint where the pleading does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e). A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the pleadings, not...

Excerpt: ...Net Proceeds Remaining from the Partition Sale The court determines the net proceeds remaining after the sale of the Granite Bay property is $161,536.56, which includes an unendorsed check for $6.30. The parties are instructed to both endorse this check within five days of service of the signed order after hearing. /// PLACER COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT THURSDAY, CIVIL LAW AND MOTION DEPARTMENT 42 THE HONORABLE CHARLES D. WACHOB TENTATIVE RULINGS FOR A...

Excerpt: ... judgment if “all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” (Code of Civil Procedure §437c(c).) The trial court engages in a specific analysis when reviewing a motion for summary judgment. First, it must define the scope of the motion by looking to the operative pleading. The pleadings serve as the “outer measure of materiality” for...

Excerpt: ...Clear Lake Riviera Community Association v. Cramer (2010) 182 Cal.App.4th 459, 473. However, in Clear Lake, the Court of Appeal analyzed a judgment for injunctive relief after trial, not a preliminary injunction requested pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 526(a). Plaintiffs fail to establish that the Clear Lake test applies for the purpose of this motion. In determining whether a preliminary injunction should be granted, the court must ...

Excerpt: ...e parties' settlement agreement filed by defendant Kila Tahoe LLC (“Kila”). In the prior motion, Kila sought to compel SNP to participate in binding mediation with the Honorable Fred K. Morrison (Ret.) of JAMS. SNP opposed the motion, arguing that the court could not modify the terms of the settlement agreement and compel SNP to participate in binding mediation with anyone other than Donald Person, or anyone to whom SNP did not expressly agre...

Excerpt: ... action. (Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10(e).) The court “gives the complaint a reasonable interpretation, and treats the demurrer as admitting all material facts properly pleaded.” (Aubry v. Tri‐ City Hospital District (1992) 2 Cal.4th 962, 966‐967; see also Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318.) When reading the complaint to give it a reasonable interpretation, the court is reading the pleading in context. (Schifando v. City...

Excerpt: ...aw and Motion – Tentative Rulings Page 3 of 15 Ruling on Motion The motion is denied. The trial court shall grant a motion for summary judgment if “all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” (Code of Civil Procedure §437c(c).) The trial court engages in a specific analysis when reviewing a motion for summary judgment. First, it mus...

Excerpt: ...cience Associates (“ESA”), or subconsultants Tully & Young, Fehr & Peers, West Yost and Civil Engineering Solutions (collectively “subconsultants”), relating or referring to the Project, from January 1, 2013 through December 12, 2017; and (2) documents relating to any meeting or discussion between Richland, ESA, and the subconsultants. Petitioners further request that they be permitted to serve subpoenas for business records on ESA and th...

Excerpt: ...s demurrer is before the court largely because defense counsel would not respond to numerous attempts by plaintiff's counsel to meet and confer. The declaration of plaintiff's counsel shows he made over a dozen attempts by email or phone to confer with defense counsel to discuss a demurrer. However, plaintiff's counsel never could cajole or extract any substantive response from defense counsel. Thus, what should have been subject to a meaningful,...

Excerpt: ...filed a motion for attorneys' fees pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 473(b) and (c)(1). As set forth in detail in the opinion of the Court of Appeal filed March 29, 2019, this action has been plagued by “repeated errors and omissions by [plaintiff's] counsel”. After an order sustaining defendant's demurrer to the complaint, and imposing a deadline by which an amended complaint must be filed, plaintiff failed to file an amended compl...

Excerpt: ...against the HOA in plaintiffs' first amended complaint. A motion for judgment on the pleadings has the same function as a general demurrer, but is made after the time for demurrer has expired. Code Civ. Proc. § 438. 7 The same rules governing demurrers apply. Cloud v. Northrop Grumman Corp. (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 995, 999. The HOA contends that exculpatory provisions within the CC&Rs bar plaintiffs' claims against it. Specifically, Section 5.18 o...

Excerpt: ...s for issuance of an assignment order, an order for examination of a third party, and to strike various motions to tax filed by judgment debtor Gilman. Corporation's motions are GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. Preliminarily, it appears Gilman's oppositions were untimely. However, the Court perceives no preojudice to the opposing party in considering the late‐filed papers, and has done so. The parties are reminded, however, to comply with al...

Excerpt: ...th the current action. The motion is made pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 403, which states: A judge may, on motion, transfer an action or actions from another court to that judge's court for coordination with an action involving a common question of fact or law within the meaning of Section 404. The motion shall be supported by a declaration stating facts showing that the actions meet the standards specified in Section 404.1, are...

Excerpt: ...are overruled. Ruling on Motion Campus Oaks Apartments 1, LLC (“COA”), Scott Canel (“Canel”) and the Scott I. Canel 2011 Family Trust (“Canel Trust”) move for summary adjudication as to the first, fourth and sixth causes of action alleged by defendant and crosscomplainant BBC Roseville Oaks, LLC (“BBC”) in its cross‐complaint. A defendant may move for summary adjudication if it contends that there is no merit to one or more caus...

Excerpt: ...42 Thursday Civil Law and Motion – Tentative Rulings Page 10 of 19 noneconomic damages for physical pain. The jury awarded plaintiff Eva Vesely $4,668.08 for economic damages for her past medical expenses; $1,375 for past noneconomic loss for physical pain; and $0 for future noneconomic damages for physical pain. Plaintiffs contend a new trial should be granted because (1) the damages awarded are inadequate; and (2) because the verdict is again...

Excerpt: ...on should not have been submitted for public filing. The minor has no primary role in this litigation; the circumstances of any alleged abuse of the minor are tangential, at best, to this action. The public has limited, if any, interest in or need for knowledge of these tangential issues involving the minor child. Whereas, there is an overriding interest to protect the health and well‐being of this child from any harassment, embarrassment, psyc...

Excerpt: ...583.310 based on the failure to bring the action to trial or otherwise seek judgment within five years of commencement. Defendant and cross‐complainant Centex Homes, and dismissed intervenor Lexington Insurance Company filed responses to the OSC, which the court has considered. Code of Civil Procedure section 583.310 provides, “[a]n action shall be brought to trial within five years after the action is commenced against the defendant.” The ...

Excerpt: ...f action. Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e). A demurrer tests the legal 5 sufficiency of the pleadings, not the truth of the plaintiff's allegations or the accuracy of the described conduct. Bader v. Anderson (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 775, 787. The court assumes the truth of all facts properly pleaded, and accepts as true all facts that may be implied or reasonably inferred from facts expressly alleged, unless they are contradicted by judicially noticed ...

Excerpt: ...olicy in favor of arbitration that is frequently approved and enforced by the courts. Madden v. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (1976) 8 17 Cal.3d 699, 706; Laswell v. AG Seal Beach, LLC (2010) 189 Cal.App.4th 1399, 1405. “A strong public policy favors the arbitration of disputes, and doubts should be resolved in favor of deferring to arbitration proceedings.” Rowe v. Exline (2007) 153 Cal.App.4th 1276, 1282; Laswell v. AG Seal Beach, LLC, supra,...

Excerpt: ...of showing there is no triable issue of material fact, and that the party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850. If the moving party carries its initial burden of production, the burden shifts to the opposing party to make a prima facie showing of the existence of a triable issue of material fact. Id. Plaintiffs' complaint in this action alleged five causes of action: (1) violatio...

Excerpt: ...e basis for computing damages must be reasonable and certain. CIT Group/Equipment Financing, Inc. v. Super DVD, Inc. (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 537, 541. 6 Based upon review of the plaintiff's application, the court finds pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 483.010 that plaintiff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based, and that attachment is not sought for an improper purpose. Plaintiff is grante...

Excerpt: ...v. Anderson (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 775, 787.) The allegations in the pleadings are deemed to be true no matter how improbable the allegations may seem. (Del E. Webb Corp. v. Structural Materials Co. (1981) 123 Cal.App.3d 593, 604.) It is worth noting defendants failed to sufficiently challenge each cause of action within the FAC, limiting its moving papers to only the second and third causes of action. The attempt to include the first cause of ac...

Excerpt: ... the basis for computing damages must be reasonable and certain. CIT Group/Equipment Financing, Inc. v. Super DVD, Inc. (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 537, 541. Based upon the court's review of the plaintiff's application, and the declarations submitted in support of the application, the court finds pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 483.010 that plaintiff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based, and...

Excerpt: ... 3.350(a)(1)(A). The notice does not contain the captions of all cases sought to be consolidated. Cal. R. Ct., rule 3.350(a)(1)(B). The notice was not filed in each case sought to be consolidated. Cal. R. Ct., rule 3.350(a)(1)(C). The motion does not include a proof of service. Cal R. Ct., rule 3.350(a)(2)(C). Counsel for defendant U.S. Bank National Association (“U.S. Bank”) states that their office was never served with the motion. It appea...

Excerpt: ...ained. Ruling on Motion Defendant Sunworks, Inc. moves for summary judgment and/or summary adjudication as to the first amended complaint filed by plaintiff Douglass Stiegmann. Summary judgment may be granted where there is no triable issue as to any material fact, and moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Code Civ. Proc. § 437c(c). The party seeking summary judgment bears the burden of showing there is no triable issue of mat...

Excerpt: ...ct of terminating sanctions, courts do not impose such a sanction lightly. Upon careful review of the moving papers and the court file, the court determines that terminating sanctions are appropriate in this instance. Defendant served plaintiff Kuldip Bains with discovery requests, including interrogatories and requests for production. Plaintiff failed to serve any responses. Defendant moved to compel responses which motion was unopposed and gran...

Excerpt: ...rther, it is noted plaintiff filed a notice of intent to appear at oral argument on July 9, 2019. This is an improper method to request oral argument. Plaintiff is referred to Placer Court Local Rule 20.2.3 for more information regarding the proper method to request oral argument in civil law and motion PLACER COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT THURSDAY, CIVIL LAW AND MOTION DEPARTMENT 42 THE HONORABLE CHARLES D. WACHOB TENTATIVE RULINGS FOR JULY 11, 2019 AT ...

Excerpt: ...ing, at a minimum, of a notice of hearing on any motion; the motion itself; and a memorandum in support of the motion. (California Rules of Court, Rule 3.1112(a).) The court file and defendants' proof of service show defendants failed to file and serve a notice of motion and a memorandum in support of this request. The failure to include these documents is fatal. Defendant has not been afforded proper notice of the motion and the court is unable ...

Excerpt: ... memorandum in support of the motion. (California Rules of Court, Rule 3.1112.) The current motion included only the notice, omitting the essential motion and memorandum from the supporting filings. The notice provides the court with insufficient information to substantively review plaintiff's request. Thus, the motion is incomplete and denied. To the extent the motion seeks relief under Code of Civil Procedure section 663, not only did plaintiff...

Excerpt: ...iff's complaint joins several separate causes of action, including both local and transitory claims, the transitory action controls as to venue. Central Bank v. Superior Court (1973) 30 Cal.App.3d 913, 917‐ 918. Transitory actions are subject to the general rule of venue that the action be tried in the county of defendant's residence. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 395(a), “[e]xcept as otherwise provided by law and subject to the power...

Excerpt: ...iff's complaint joins several separate causes of action, including both local and transitory claims, the transitory action controls as to venue. Central Bank v. Superior Court (1973) 30 Cal.App.3d 913, 917‐ 918. Transitory actions are subject to the general rule of venue that the action be tried in the county of defendant's residence. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 395(a), “[e]xcept as otherwise provided by law and subject to the power...

Excerpt: ...ode Civ. Proc. § 2030.220(b). Plaintiff's responses to form interrogatory (employment) Nos. 210.2, 210.3 and 212.6, and special interrogatory Nos. 4, 12 and 26 are insufficient as plaintiff does not respond completely to each interrogatory. Plaintiff shall serve further verified responses to form interrogatory (employment) Nos. 210.2, 210.3 and 212.6, and special interrogatory Nos. 4, 12 and 26, on or before July 12, 2019. The motion is otherwis...

Excerpt: ... therein. Plaintiff's objection to defendant's reply brief is overruled. Defendant BBV Profit Sharing Plan, a 401 K Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan (“BBV”) demurs to plaintiffs' second amended complaint. A party may demur to a complaint where the pleading does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e). A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the pleadings, not the truth of the plaintiff's...

Excerpt: ...overruled. Ruling on Motion Intervenor Iana Shumeiko (“Intervenor”) moves to expunge the lis pendens recorded by plaintiff in connection with this action. A party may move to expunge a lis pendens on the grounds that the complaint does not contain a real property claim, or on the grounds that claimant has not established by a preponderance of the evidence the probable validity of any real property claim. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 405.31, 405.32. A...

Excerpt: ...ing interest will be prejudiced if the record is not sealed, (4) the sealing of the record is narrowly tailored, and (5) there are no less restrictive means to achieve the overriding interest. Cal. R. Ct., rule 2.550(d). Defendant moves to seal Exhibit F to the appendix of exhibits in support of defendant's motion for summary judgment/adjudication on the grounds that the exhibit contains personal compensation and benefits information relating to ...

Excerpt: ...Proc. § 2030.220(a). “If an interrogatory cannot be 3 answered completely, it shall be answered to the extent possible.” Code Civ. Proc. § 2030.220(b). The HOA's responses to form interrogatory Nos. 4.1, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.7, 16.8, 16.9 and 17.1 are insufficient as the HOA does not respond completely to each interrogatory. The HOA shall serve further verified responses to the subject interrogatories on or before July 12,...

Excerpt: ...the Alameda County litigation in connection with the instant motion. Based on the evidence provided, the court cannot determine that there are common questions of fact or law in the two actions, that the convenience of the parties, witnesses and counsel will be promoted by the transfer, or that there is a risk of inconsistent rulings if the transfer is not ordered. Plaintiffs' request that the causes of action in the cross‐complaint be stayed i...

Excerpt: ... by the Social Security Administration. Mr. Fraidenburgh now seeks to terminate his appointment, without appointing a new GAL, contending plaintiff is competent to handle his own affairs. The request, however, suffers from a complete lack of admissible evidence to support his removal as GAL. First, Mr. Fraidenburgh fails to submit any declarations executed under the penalty of perjury. Second, none of the documents submitted are properly authenti...

Excerpt: ...de of Civil Procedure section 128(a)(3) and (5) to compel Ms. Finnerty to produce his client file. While there is some case law and statutory authority to support the proposition that the court may grant the relief requested, the motion will be denied. First, the California Code of Professional Conduct already requires an attorney upon termination of representation to promptly release to the client, at the request of the client, all client materi...

Excerpt: ...vil Procedure section 473(b) with defendant claiming either excusable neglect or surprise in his failure to consider the offer. After carefully considering the briefing of the parties, the court denies defendant's request. Initially, the extension of Section 473(b) relief here does not appear proper. The section allows the court to relieve a party “from a judgment, dismissal, order, or other proceeding taken against him or her through his or he...

Excerpt: ...ction. (Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10(e).) A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the pleadings, not the truth of the plaintiff's allegations or accuracy of the described conduct. (Bader v. Anderson (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 775, 787.) The allegations in the pleadings are deemed to be true no matter how improbable the allegations may seem. (Del E. Webb Corp. v. Structural Materials Co. (1981) 123 Cal.App.3d 593, 604.) The demurrer is rev...

Excerpt: ...ate facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10(e).) “A demurrer based on a statute of limitations is appropriate if the ground appears on the face of the complaint or from matters of which the court may or must take judicial notice.” (Aaronoff v. Martinez‐Seftner (2006) 136 Cal.App.4th 910, 918.) A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the pleadings, not the truth of the plaintiff's allegatio...

Excerpt: ...ding or a portion of a pleading. Code Civ. Proc. § 435(b)(1). A motion to strike may be granted to strike irrelevant, false, or improper matters in a pleading; or to strike a pleading not drawn in conformity with the laws of the state or an order of the court. Code Civ. Proc. § 436(a), (b). Plaintiff establishes that defendant Promist Misting and Cooling Corporation, a California corporation dba Mistingpros Cooling Corporation's corporate statu...

Excerpt: ... a deposition subpoena duces tecum where the records sought are not within the permissible scope of discovery. In this case, plaintiff objects to the subpoena on the grounds that it seeks documents in violation of plaintiff's right to privacy in her financial affairs. A right of privacy exists as to a party's confidential financial affairs, even when the information sought is admittedly relevant to the litigation. Cobb v. Superior Court (1979...

Excerpt: ...ied. Lexington was dismissed from this action on August 23, 2017. Although Lexington purports to move on behalf of defaulted defendants Energetic Painting & Drywall, Inc. and Energetic Lath & Plaster, Inc., Lexington has not intervened on behalf of these parties. Code of Civil Procedure section 583.310 states that “[a]n action shall be brought to trial within five years after the action is commenced against the defendant.” Code of Civil Proce...

Excerpt: ...t be answered completely, it shall be answered to the extent possible.” Plaintiff's responses to form interrogatory Nos. 7.1(c), 15.1 and 17.1 are insufficient as plaintiff does not respond completely to the interrogatory. Nor is plaintiff's failure to respond completely to each interrogatory excused by its responses to other discovery requests. Plaintiff shall serve further verified responses to form interrogatory Nos. 7.1(c), 15.1 and 17.1, w...

Excerpt: ...il such time as plaintiff provides a sufficient legal analysis and supporting evidence to address the following issues: Standard of Review for PAGA Claim Settlement Purporting to cite to Labor Code section 2699(l), plaintiff contends the court's review of the PAGA settlement is limited to a review of the penalties sought in the agreement. (Plaintiff's motion p. 1:14‐21.) This is a complete mischaracterization of the section. The actual language...

Excerpt: .... This is because a motion for summary judgment under Code of Civil Procedure section 437c may not be brought in a class action involving a CRLA claim. (Civil Code section 1781(c).) The proper method for challenging a CRLA claim is to file a motion for a no‐merit determination. (Civil Code section 1781(c)(3); Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd. v. Superior Court (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 36, 41‐42.) Practically speaking, there is no difference in the an...

Excerpt: ...senger service rather than personal service. Second, amendment of a judgment to add a nonparty as an alter ego to the judgment is generally not available where plaintiff obtained a default judgment. (see Wolf Metals Inc. v. Rand Pacific Sales, Inc. (2016) 4 Cal.App.5th 698, 703‐704, 709‐709.) Third, plaintiff has not made a sufficient showing of successor corporation liability to warrant amendment to include the nonparty corporate entities. (...

Excerpt: ...tion to Enforce the Settlement Agreement…upon which entry of Judgment was based…” Hintz submits his own declaration expressly stating, under penalty of perjury, that he had only retained his prior attorney Ulises Pizano‐Diaz “for an isolated matter unrelated to the instant lawsuit”. (Hintz declaration ¶7.) This statement is clearly untrue in light of the email string provided by plaintiff's counsel. PLACER COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT THURS...