Excerpt: ... of Santa Barbara [“City”] RULING: The motion is granted as to $615 in filing and motion fees; in all other respects the motion is denied. As a result, costs will be allowed in the total amount of $8,616.68. Background After plaintiff prevailed at trial, he filed a Memorandum of Costs seeking a total of $9,231.68 in costs. City now seeks to tax $7,947.15 of the claimed costs. Specifically, City challenges the $1500 claim for filing and motion...

Excerpt: ...fs are Misael Espinoza and Luis Espinoza. Defendant is Alan Raymond Ewing. Plaintiff previously moved for an order authorizing service of defendant by publication. That motion was denied on January 7, 2020, based upon the failure of the motion to (a) include a memorandum of points and (b) the failure to include an affidavit demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Court that a cause of action exists against the party upon whom service is to be ma...

Excerpt: ...laintiff McCoy Electric Corporation: Barton C. Merrill For Defendants, Cross-Complainants, and Cross-Defendants A. Stuart Rubin and Annette Rubin: Patrick C. McGarrigle, Michael J. Kenney, McGarrigle, Kenney & Zampiello For Cross-Defendant and Cross-Complainant The Las Canoas Co. dba Construction Plumbing: Daniel E. Engel TENTATIVE RULING: (1) The motion of cross-defendant Construction Plumbing to compel further responses to inspection demands is...

Excerpt: ...gment and Defendant's Reply. On or before March 2, 2020, the parties shall filed unredacted copies of all documents filed conditionally under seal. 2. The court, on its own motion, strikes the Sur Reply that plaintiff Erik A. Hennings filed on January 31, 2020, and the declaration of Daniel Kalinowski in support thereof filed on January 31, 2020. The court denies defendants' request for a sanction under CCP § 128.5. 3. The court grants, in part,...

Excerpt: ...ugh that defendants should have corrected or warned of it. The parties reached a settlement of the action at the Mandatory Settlement Conference held on December 7, 2018. The parties agreed that, in exchange for a payment of $80,000 to plaintiff, she would dismiss her lawsuit as to all defendants with prejudice. Each side would bear its own costs. The parties stated that counsel would prepare a release that would memorialize the terms of the sett...

Excerpt: ...ion arises from injuries allegedly suffered by plaintiff in a trip and fall incident which occurred on January 29, 2017, when plaintiff fell after stepping into a deep rut on the parkway adjacent to the sidewalk which abutted defendant's property. Plaintiff served a set of nine requests for admissions upon defendant on October 24, 2019, seeking defendant's admissions that, among other things, he owned the adjacent real property, was a licensed re...

Excerpt: ...perated a commercial cannabis nursery located at 1628 Cravens Lane, Carpinteria. (Second Amended Complaint [SAC], ¶¶ 1, 8.) The nursery sector of the legal cannabis market does not produce cannabis flower/buds for market, but focuses on the earliest stages of plant development, including plant breeding and the productions of vegetative mother plants (up to nine months), clones (up to one month), and teens (up to three months). (SAC, ¶ 9.) In o...

Excerpt: ...the proceedings in this action are ordered stayed for thirty days. The motion for order bifurcating trial of the issue of liability from the issue of damages is denied. BACKGROUND: Plaintiff Courtney Crosby brings this action for personal injuries sustained in a helicopter crash that occurred on May 5, 2017, in Santa Barbara, California. Plaintiff was a passenger in the helicopter and was taking a tour of Santa Barbara when the pilot began experi...

Excerpt: ...e address Aaron Valdis Gauss provides. The court denies plaintiff Saticoy Development Co., LLC's request for a penalty. Aaron Valdis Gauss shall file his verified answer to the complaint on or before March 9, 2020. Background: On August 1, 2019, the court entered the default of Aaron Valdis Gauss (“Gauss”). Pursuant to a court order, plaintiff served Gauss on June 25, 2019, by email addressed to [email protected]. Gauss lives in Taiwan. M...

Excerpt: ...ntiffs Robert Foote and Kathleen Foote (collectively “Foote”) allege: Defendant Roy Schrader borrowed $135,000 from plaintiffs as evidenced by a written note dated August 1, 2012. [Complaint ¶7] The note provides for $500 monthly payments through November 1, 2012, then $1,000 monthly payments through February 1, 2014, at which time the entire principal balance and accrued interest at 4% per annum would be due and payable. [¶9] Schrader made...

Excerpt: ...nt for violations of the Elder and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (W&I Code §§ 15600, et seq.) and breach of fiduciary duty against defendant Rena Felicia Smith, individually and as trustee of the Thomas Blatt Living Trust dated August 19, 2015 (the “Trust”). Plaintiff alleges: Plaintiff is the son of decedent Thomas “Toivi” Blatt and is a residual beneficiary of the Trust. [Complaint ¶5] Defendant is decedent's daughter. [¶8] P...

Excerpt: ...onday March 16, 17 [1/2 day–afternoon], 18, 19, 20, 21 and Monday March 23. Counsel are invited to meet and confer on how long the case will take and if it will be a bench trial or a jury trial and inform the Court at the hearing on 2/25 the dates and length of trial; will it be a bench trial or a jury trial? All trial documents including hearing briefs, witness lists, exhibit lists, in limine motions, due March 3, 2020 (courtesy copied to the ...

Excerpt: ... were the prevailing party and are entitled to an award of expert witness fees is denied under either theory. 2. There has been a Cost Memorandum submitted seeking “expert fees (per 998) of $1,852.50” on 12/27/19; counsel are invited to comment on when “an order” related to an award of costs will be submitted in light of this decision. Background Judgment was entered on 12/17/19 after a 3-day bench trial. On 12/27 Brinkman filed a Memoran...

Excerpt: ...d A. Carman, Etehad Law APC RULING: For the reasons set forth herein, the motion of petitioner Reetz, Fox & Bartlett LLP to compel arbitration is granted in part to compel arbitration of issues arising from legal services provided by petitioner to or on behalf of: (1) respondent Alberto Rodriguez in connection with or in aid of the “Kellogg Avenue Project improper precondemnation activities by City of Goleta,” at any time, as to Rodriguez; (2...

Excerpt: ...ponses to requests for inspection of documents, to compel production, and for sanctions of $5,439 Plaintiff's motion to compel further responses to requests for admissions and for sanctions of $5,243.50 ATTORNEYS: Mark L. Eisenhut / Samuel G. Brooks of Call & Jensen for plaintiff Anthony J. Barron / Conor C. McNamara of Nixon Peabody LLP for defendant TENTATIVE RULINGS: All three motions are granted, in the manner articulated below. Further suppl...

Excerpt: ...-complaint for breach of contract and elder abuse is sustained with leave to amend. Cross-complainant shall have to and including March 4, 2020 to file an amended pleading. BACKGROUND: Plaintiff Andre Neumann (“Andre”) is the son of defendant Gisela Neumann (“Gisela”) and together they are co-owners of a single family residence located at 6175 Manzanillo Drive, Goleta, California 93117 (the “Property”). The Property is encumbered by a...

Excerpt: ...ants shall prepare and lodge a judgment consistent with this ruling. Background: On January 8, 2018, plaintiffs Joe Granada, Jaime Flores Polanco, Alejandro Saavedra, Estaban Mora, Ismael Rodrigues, and Eduardo Isqueda filed their original complaint in this action against defendants Regents of the University of California (Regents) and Stephen Klock. On March 8 and May 17, 2019, the parties went to a mediation represented by counsel. (Miller decl...

Excerpt: ...e complaint, plaintiff Strategic Emerging Economics, Inc. is the owner of real property located at 4630 Via Vistosa, Santa Barbara, California 93110 (the “Property”), having acquired the Property at a trustee's sale on November 27, 2019. Defendants David Shor and Judi Shor are the former owners of the Property. Following the foreclosure sale, defendants were allegedly served with a three-day notice to quit the premises, but they have failed a...

Excerpt: ...our is denied in its entirety. (3) Defendants Bruce Tamao Hayashi and Janice Hayashi shall file and serve their answer to the first amended complaint on or before March 9, 2020. Background: As alleged in the first amended complaint (FAC) of plaintiff Allison Armour: Plaintiff Armour and defendants Bruce Tamao Hayashi and Janice Hayashi (collectively, the Hayashis) are neighbors owning adjoining parcels of real property. (FAC, ¶ 1.) Armour's prop...

Excerpt: ...'s demurrer to the complaint with leave to amend. On December 6, 2019, Allied filed a first amended complaint (FAC) asserting a single cause of action for trade libel. Allied alleges: On October 7, 2015, Allied entered into an Agreement for Cardiovascular Perfusion Services with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, under which Allied would furnish perfusion personnel and perform perfusion services for Cottage as an independent contractor for a five-ye...

Excerpt: ...idden high voltage cables. He filed his complaint on July 12, 2017, against original defendants Apeel Technology, Inc., dba Apeel Sciences, Inc. (erroneously sued as Apeel Services, Inc.); Southern California Edison; and Allergan Inc. (“Allergan”). The causes of action in the complaint are: 1) premises liability, 2) general negligence, 3) products liability (strict liability, negligence, and breach of implied and express warranties); and 4) n...

Excerpt: ...s in the amount of $225,000. Plaintiffs' request for expert witness fees pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 998 is denied. Defendant's motion for attorney's fees and Section 998 expert witness fees is denied. BACKGROUND: This is an action for personal injuries resulting from mold contamination at residential property located at 512 E. Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101. Plaintiff Linea Polk and her daughter, plaintiff Shann...

Excerpt: ... allege that defendant Toby Landon Claude was driving a vehicle owned and entrusted by defendant EAN Holdings, Inc., and that he operated the vehicle in the course of his employment by defendant Hot Line Construction, Inc. Demurrer: Defendant EAN demurs to the complaint on the ground that plaintiffs only make conclusory allegations without facts supporting the conclusory allegations. EAN also contends the action is barred by the federal Graves Am...

Excerpt: ... J. Gamberdella's motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, summary adjudication. Background Plaintiff CARP Property, LLC (“CARP”), commenced this action on August 9, 2019. In its complaint, plaintiff alleges: On March 15, 2016, Rafi Tarakjian, sole manager, CEO, and sole member of CARP, entered into a Residential Income Property Purchase Agreement to purchase property at 4647 Carpinteria Avenue in Carpinteria from Efrain Corona, tr...

Excerpt: ...NG: Defendant Association's demurrer to plaintiffs' FAC is overruled. Defendant shall file and serve its answer to the FAC on or before February 28, 2020. BACKGROUND: This action concerns a private unit development called Shadow Hills in Santa Barbara, California. There are 18 single- family homes within the development. Plaintiffs Larry W. Lawson and Nancy Duong (the “Lawsons”) are the owners of real property located at 4433 Shadow Hills Bou...