Excerpt: ...of the house, heavy rains caused flooding and mold. Plaintiffs filed this fraud action alleging Defendants misrepresented in the sale disclosures that they were unaware of any water intrusion and mold when in fact Defendants had extensive flooding and mold remediation done only two years earlier. The parties signed the Sale Agreement and initialed the arbitration clause. (Blackford Decl., Exh. 1, ¶ 22(B).) The arbitration clause applies to �...

Excerpt: ... of Civil Code section 1793.2(b); (3) violation of Civil Code section 1793.2(a)(3); (4) breach of the implied warranty of merchantability; (5) negligent repair; and (6) violation of the Magnuson -Moss Warranty Act. Plaintiff alleges that on August 1, 2020, she entered into a warranty contract with Volkswagen regarding a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas (the Vehicle). (Compl., ¶ 8.) Plaintiff alleges the Vehicle suffered from defects and non -conformities, ...

Excerpt: ...ment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff's three causes of action for Negligent Misrepresentation; Fraud (False Promise); and Professional Negligence. Plaintiff now seeks reconsideration of the summary judgment order, leave to file three amended statements of material undisputed facts, and a monetary or terminating sanction against Defendant for failing to produce a document pursuant to court order. Plaintiff intends to amend the sanctions motion...

Excerpt: ...resentation; 5) conversion; 6) voluntary waste; 7) private nuisance; 8) intentional infliction of emotional distress; 9) intentional misrepresentation, fraud and deceit outside of the contract; and 10) exemplary and punitive damages. This action arises out of Defendant's tenancy with Plaintiff. Defendant now demurs to the FAC as a whole, and separately to each cause of action, and moves to strike the request for punitive damages. Defendant faile...

Excerpt: ...ss than $10.00. Such failure is alleged to be in violation of Civil Code section 1749.5, subd. (b)(2). The action primarily seeks equitable relief. The parties reached a settlement consisting of several steps Defendant will take to comply with law regarding redemption of gift cards with a cash value less than $10.00; issuance of $10 e -gift cards to class members who meet specified requirements; an incentive award of $1,500.00 to Plaintiff; atto...

Excerpt: ...itioners generally allege that Respondents took advantage of Sylvia June Asavis (Decedent) during the last month of her life and coerced her into changing her estate plan to leave the bulk of the estate to Respondents, whom she recently met. At issue are Petitioners' four motions seeking protective orders relieving Petitioners from having to respond to discovery requests1 and for sanctions against Respondent John Dougherty. Petitioners argue that...

Excerpt: ...eges was provided through the County's Social Services Agency. Plaintiff alleges that in 1992, Defendants placed Plaintiff in the foster home of non -party Carol Wong, in Cambria. (FAC, ¶ 23.) Plaintiff alleges that from approximately 1992 to 1994, when Plaintiff was five to six years old, she was sexually abused and assaulted by “Plaintiff's foster mother's boyfriend,” known as “Enrique,” identified in the FAC as “Perpetrator 1,” ...

Excerpt: ...(Civ. Code, §§ 1790 et seq., “the Act”) by failing to repair defects in the Subject Vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts and failing to promptly repurchase the Subject Vehicle. Defendants assert that Plaintiff cannot establish a required element of his claims, i.e., that Ford failed to promptly offer to repurchase the Subject Vehicle. Defendants also seek summary judgment of their equitable estoppel affirmative defenses. 1. Summary...

Excerpt: ...d third causes of action. Respondents filed an objection to the petition on November 6, 2023. Petitioner's mother, Janice Pankey Tannehill (Trustor), filed opposition to the petition that same day.1 Petitioner now seeks the appointment of a neuropsychologist pursuant to Evidence Code section 730 as an expert to aid in determining the Petition, i.e., whether Janice's capacity and susceptibility to undue influence is grounds for appointment of a...

Excerpt: ...edent's son, Keith McKibben (Petitioner), filed a petition under Probate Code section 17200 seeking Respondent's removal as trustee for various alleged breaches of trust. Petitioner filed an amended petition in July 2017. Phase I of the trial began on March 18, 2021, and the Court issued its “Ruling on Phase I of Trial,” on May 9, 2021 (the Phase I Ruling). Phase II of the trial is set to begin on June 3, 2024. Currently before the Court is...

Excerpt: ...nnis Leonard (Leonard) as an additional respondent to the first, second, and third causes of action. Respondents filed an objection to the petition on November 6, 2023. Petitioner's mother, Janice Pankey Tannehill (the Trustor), filed opposition to the petition that same day.1 Leonard responded with the current motion to strike under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16. The petition alleges as follows: The Trustor updated her estate plannin...

Excerpt: ...t of $60,000. (Penner decl., Ex. 1.) The 998 Offer stated in relevant part: “The parties will sign a settlement agreement with a mutual release of the claims made in this lawsuit to include their agents and attorneys[.]” (Ibid.) Plaintiff did not accept the 998 Offer. A bench trial was held March 13 -16, 2023. The Court issued its final Statement of Decision (SOD) on August 21, 2023. Judgment was entered on September 18, 2023. On October 2, ...

Excerpt: ...took advantage of Sylvia June Asavis during the last month of her life and coerced her into changing her estate plan to leave the bulk of the estate to Respondents, whom she had recently met. On November 21, 2022, the Court issued a ruling on Petitioners' motion for a preliminary injunction. The Court granted Petitioners' motion, ordering Petitioners to furnish an undertaking in the amount of $193,566.70 within 30 days. Petitioners never deposite...

Excerpt: ...Mid -State Fair Heritage Foundation, Inc. (the Foundation). Plaintiff's lawsuit alleges that on July 23, 2022, she was in line at the Paso Robles Event Center (PREC) to enter the California Mid -State Fair (the Fair) along a narrow, unpaved, uneven, and dangerous embankment. Plaintiff alleges she was injured when she lost her footing and careened down a slippery steep gravel embankment and slammed into a fence. Now before the Court are three moti...

Excerpt: ...ctice; and 8) exemplary and punitive damages. Defendant demurred to the complaint. The Court overruled the demurrer on the grounds that it failed to include any analysis or authority, and without making any comment on the substance of Defendant's contentions or defenses. I. Demurrer On August 7, 2023, Plaintiff filed a first amended complaint (FAC). Defendant now demurs to the FAC. Defendant filed a declaration concurrently with his demurrer, ...

Excerpt: ...ss than $10.00. Such failure is alleged to be in violation of Civil Code section 1749.5, subd. (b)(2). The action primarily seeks equitable relief. The parties reached a settlement consisting of several steps Defendant will take to comply with law regarding redemption of gift cards with a cash value less than $10.00; issuance of $10 e -gift cards to class members who meet specified requirements; an incentive award of $1,500.00 to Plaintiff; atto...

Excerpt: ...ment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff's three causes of action for Negligent Misrepresentation; Fraud (False Promise); and Professional Negligence. Plaintiff now seeks reconsideration of the summary judgment order, leave to file three amended statements of material undisputed facts, and a monetary or terminating sanction against Defendant for failing to produce a document pursuant to court order. Plaintiff intends to amend the sanctions motion...

Excerpt: ...itioners generally allege that Respondents took advantage of Sylvia June Asavis (Decedent) during the last month of her life and coerced her into changing her estate plan to leave the bulk of the estate to Respondents, whom she recently met. At issue are Petitioners' four motions seeking protective orders relieving Petitioners from having to respond to discovery requests1 and for sanctions against Respondent John Dougherty. Petitioners argue that...

Excerpt: ...t of $60,000. (Penner decl., Ex. 1.) The 998 Offer stated in relevant part: “The parties will sign a settlement agreement with a mutual release of the claims made in this lawsuit to include their agents and attorneys[.]” (Ibid.) Plaintiff did not accept the 998 Offer. A bench trial was held March 13 -16, 2023. The Court issued its final Statement of Decision (SOD) on August 21, 2023. Judgment was entered on September 18, 2023. On October 2, ...

Excerpt: ...nd Cameron Bonner ("individual defendants") in 2023 after they allegedly created defendants Athena Paytech LLC and Pluto Hub, LLC, in violation of their employment agreements. After SpotOn sued, ind ividual defendants cross-complained for violations of the Labor Code and other statutes. SpotOn now moves to compel arbitration of the cross- complaint based on the mandatory arbitration provision within individual defendants' employment a...

Excerpt: ...Code of Civil Procedure section 36 (Section 36). After discussing the matter with the parties, the Court set the request for a hearing and stated the ex parte application would be treated as the moving papers. (Misc. Minute Order, 12/07/23.) Plaintiffs filed an opposition to the trial preference request on January 2, 2024, noting the ex parte application failed to attach the referenced exhibits. Defendant attempted to fix this issue by filing ...

Excerpt: ...ds duties to disclose under multiple theories. (Warner Constr. Corp v. City of Los Angeles (1970) 2 Cal.3d 285. 294; Jones v. ConocoPhillips Co. (2011) 198 Cal.App.4th 1187.) Defendant argues that the corporation's role and intent must be pled "with specificity," but the fraud, being concealed, i s far better known to defendant than to plaintiffs. (Alfaro v. Community Housing Improvement System & Planning Assn., Inc. (2009) 171 Cal.Ap...

Excerpt: ...aint (FAC) on May 29, 2020, and now moves for leave to file a Second Amended Complaint (SAC) to correct alleged factual errors in the FAC. Defendants oppose the motion. I. Legal Standard The Court may allow the amendment of any pleading at any time in the furtherance of justice, and upon such terms as may be proper. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 473, subd. (a)(1), 576.) The Court's discretion is to be exercised liberally to permit amendment of pleading...

Excerpt: ...ch 2017 to March 2019. Defendants filed an answer generally denying all allegations and asserting affirmative defenses. On July 28, 2023, the Court granted preliminary approval of the parties' Settlement Agreement. The Court preliminarily certified the class of “all non -exempt employees who are or previously were employed by Defendants and performed work in California during the period from September 16, 2017 to October 17, 2022.” The clas...

Excerpt: ...icial proceeding (Case No 19F -05075). On November 4, 2021, the Court (Hon. Rita Federman) granted MacDonald's special motion to strike under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16.1 Judgment was issued on December 27, 2021. Orcutt appealed. On March 16, 2023, the Second Appellate District Court denied Orcutt's appeal, affirmed this court's judgment, and found MacDonald to be the prevailing party entitled to attorneys' fees and costs on appeal (t...