Excerpt: ...) To demonstrate that a cause of action cannot be established, the defendant must either negate an essential element of the plaintiff's cause of action, or show that the plaintiff lacks evidence. (Chavez v. Glock (2012) 207 Cal.App.4th 1283, 1301.) To negate an element, the defendant must establish that plaintiff's claims fails as a matter of law. (Eriksson v. Nunnick (2011) 191 Cal.App.4th 826, 849 (applying rule to issues of duty).) To demonstr...

Excerpt: ...cient personal knowledge for the statements and the statements either come within a hearsay objection or are not hearsay. the Court OVERRULE the objections. Defendants object to statements made in the 7/27/22 declaration of counsel Martin S. Rudoy based on lack of personal knowledge, lack of foundation, secondary evidence rule and uncertainty. The written objections are not properly formatted because they are not numbered consecutively. (See e.g....

Excerpt: ...n with sufficient particularity. (Hilliard v. AH Robbins Co. (1983) 148 Cal.App.3d 374, 392.) Generally, claims for punitive damages must be pleaded with particularity as to the facts constituting the alleged egregious conduct. (G.D. Searle & Co. v. Superior Court (1975) 49 Cal.App.3d 22, 29.) However, the court may read the complaint as a whole so that conclusory allegations may be sufficient when read in context with the facts alleged as to the...

Excerpt: ... interrogatory no. 17.1, subpart (b) contains objections only with no facts to support the denials. Defendant has since provided amended responses which provides substantive facts supporting each of these denials. (Declaration of Sean Speciale, Ex. 11.) Plaintiff mistakenly argues the response as to RFA nos. 29‐31 remain deficient. Though Plaintiff may not agree or like the answer, Defendant provided substantive code‐compliant responses. DENY...

Excerpt: ...mmencement and prosecution of such action.” The parties agree Plaintiff is the prevailing party. At issue in this motion is the reasonableness of Plaintiff's request. The matter of reasonableness of a party's attorney's fees is within the sound discretion of the trial judge. (Bruckman v. Parliament Escrow Co. (1989) 190 Cal.App.3d 1051, 1062.) Courts generally consider several factors in determining the reasonableness of a party's attorney's fe...

Excerpt: ...2030.220(a), (b).) “If the responding party does not have personal knowledge sufficient to respond fully to an interrogatory, that party shall so state, but shall make a reasonable and good faith effort to obtain the information by inquiry to other natural persons or organizations, except where the information is equally available to the propounding party.” (CCP §2030.220(c).) Responding party is not under a duty to make inquiry from indepen...

Excerpt: ... the court's personal jurisdiction on the ground of improper service of process, the plaintiff has the burden to prove the existence of jurisdiction by proving the facts requisite to an effective service. (Summers v. McClanahan (2006) 140 Cal.App.4th 403, 413.) The filing of a proof of service creates a rebuttable presumption that service was proper only if the proof of service complies with the applicable statutory requirements. (Evidence Code �...

Excerpt: ...atements made by the Chief of Police and contains statements and images that are, at least arguably, unfairly prejudicial. While the video – or at least portions of it – may be admissible on a motion for summary judgment, the court will not permit the hearing on present demurrer to be turned into a contested evidentiary hearing. (See Del E. Webb, supra, 123 Cal.App.3d at 605; Joslin v. H.A.S. Ins. Brokerage (1986) 184 Cal.App.3d 369, 374‐37...

Excerpt: ... a meet and confer declaration under CCP § 2016.040 be submitted with the motion. The declaration must “state facts showing a reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion. (CCP § 2016.040.) Kimberly Tso Special Interrogatories (140,141 and 162) Defendant has provided substantive responses that he does not have the contact information for Kimberly Tso (140), he has had no contact with Kimber...

Excerpt: ...power to set aside a judgment or order that is void as a matter of law under CCP § 473(d). A judgment or order may be void as a matter of law for lack of or improper service of the summons. (Ellard v. Conway (2001) 94 Cal.App.4th 540, 544.) There is no time limit on a collateral attack on a void judgment or order. (Rochin v. Pat Johnson Mfg. Co. (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 1228, 1239.) When a defendant challenges the court's personal jurisdiction on t...

Excerpt: ...031.310(b)(2).) The declaration must state facts showing a reasonable and good faith attempt at informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion. (Cal. Code Civ. Pro. §2016.040.) Whether a “reasonable and good faith attempt” was made requires an “evaluation of whether, from the perspective of a reasonable person in the position of the discovering party, additional effort appears likely to bear fruit.” (Clement v. Alegra (2009) 1...

Excerpt: ...e v. Hosney (1962) 204 Cal.App.2d 584, 587 [judicial notice taken that “there is, in the County of Los Angeles, California, in the metropolitan area of the City of Los Angeles, a street address known as ‘1448 North Crescent Heights Boulevard.'”].) Defendant County requests that the court take judicial notice of a printed map taken from Google Maps and the proposition that the map demonstrates that the location of the subject premises on whi...

Excerpt: ...t “Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, a prevailing party is entitled as a matter of right to recover costs in any action or proceeding.” The costs which a prevailing party is allowed to recover under section Page 8 of 11 1032 includes attorney's fees authorized by (1) contract, (2) statute, or (3) law. (Code Civ. Proc., §1033.5(a)(10)(A),(B)&(C).) California Civil Code section 1717 provides for basis for seeking fee award in ...

Excerpt: ...he campaign. Bennett is a business representative and lawyer for Defendant Local Union 47. Plaintiff filed this action on 3/25/22 and filed the First Amended Complaint (FAC) on 4/20/22. The FAC asserts: (1) defamation/libel per se; (2) online impersonation in violation of Penal Code §528.5; (3) tortious interference; (4) economic interference; (5) intentional misrepresentation; (6) negligent misrepresentation; (7) negligence; (8) civil conspirac...

Excerpt: ...and confer declaration under CCP § 2016.040 be submitted with the motion. The declaration must “state facts showing a reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion. (CCP § 2016.040.) Special Interrogatory 88 as drafted is compound and overbroad. Myron provides no explanation why the number of employees at Empire is relevant to this case, and specifically, the number of employees after 2018. ...

Excerpt: ...es. Page 3 of 5 (CCP § 2031.310.) The motion must be served within 45 days after service of a verified response, and must be accompanied by a declaration showing a “reasonable and good faith attempt” to resolve the issues informally. (CCP § 2031.310(b),(c).) The motion “shall set forth specific facts showing good cause justifying the discovery sought by the demand.” (CCP § 2031.310(b)(1); Kirkland v. Superior Court (Guess? Inc.) (2002)...

Excerpt: ...ng to compel arbitration is in essence a suit in equity to compel specific performance of a contract. (Freeman v. State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Co. (1975) 14 Cal.3d 473, 479.) The petition to compel must set forth the provisions of the written agreement and the arbitration clause verbatim, or such provisions must be attached and incorporated by reference. (Cal. R. Ct. 3.1330; see Condee v. Longwood Mgmt. Corp. (2001) 88 Cal.App.4th 215, 218–...

Excerpt: ...nt as a matter of law.” (Kahn v. Eas bt Side Union High School Dist. (2003) 31 Cal. 4th 990, 1002‐1003.) “The moving party bears the burden of production to make a prima facie showing of the nonexistence of any triable issue of material fact.” (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal. 4th 826, 850.) Once this burden has been met, the burden shifts to the opposing party to make a prima facie showing of the existence of a triable is...

Excerpt: ...nd confer declaration under CCP § 2016.040 be submitted with the motion. The declaration must “state facts showing a reasonable and good faith attempt at an informal resolution of each issue presented by the motion. (CCP § 2016.040.) Special Interrogatories and Requests for Admissions Here, the parties do not dispute that supplemental responses have been served. Accordingly, the motion is moot as to these requests. If Defendant contends there...

Excerpt: ...y exacted by a defendant.” (Young v. Hoagland (1931) 212 Cal. 426, 430.) “It has been stated that the general rule with regard to duress of this character is that where, by reason of the peculiar facts a reasonably prudent man finds that in order to preserve his property or protect his business interests it is necessary to make a payment of money which he does not owe and which in equity and good conscience the receiver should not retain, he ...

Excerpt: ...e an essential element of cause of action for breach of contract].) Some of the values plaintiff offers as components of its damages are approximates (a generator cost “nearly $40,000” and plaintiff incurred “more than $130,000” in attorney fees), and plaintiff has not shown that all of the amounts spent on the property were both necessary and caused by defendant's alleged breaches. “As damages are an element of a breach of contract cau...

Excerpt: ... is pending that may render the arbitration unnecessary or create conflicting rulings on common issues. (CCP §1281.2.) A proceeding to compel arbitration is in essence a suit in equity to compel specific performance of a contract. (Freeman v. State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Co. (1975) 14 Cal.3d 473, 479.) If there is a dispute as to the enforceability of an agreement to arbitrate, an evidentiary hearing is required. The facts are to be proven b...

Excerpt: ...ositions of the same witnesses, which would prove costly and violates the “one‐deposition” rule. Plaintiff also argues that Defendant was provided with production of all of Plaintiff's medical records, and Defendant has sufficient other means to have Plaintiff proceed with the noticed video‐taped depositions. Reply Defendant argues that Plaintiff's contention based on the “one‐deposition” rule is misleading as the statutory language...

Excerpt: ... App. 5th 757, 792.) “If [an] action is based on alleged breach of a written contract, the terms must be set out verbatim in the body of the complaint or a copy of the written agreement must be attached and incorporated by reference.” (Harris v. Rudin, Richman & Appel (1999) 74 Cal.App.4th 299, 307.) The plaintiff may also plead the legal effect of the contract. (Construction Protective Services, Inc. v. TIG Specialty Ins. Co. (2002) 29 Cal.4...

Excerpt: ...to those matters to the extent of any information known or reasonably available to the deponent.” Id. A request for documents can be made in connection with the PMQ deposition and when such a request for documents is made, “the witness or someone in authority is expected to make an inquiry of everyone who might be holding responsive documents or everyone who knows where such documents might be held.” Maldonado v. Superior Court (2002) 94 Ca...