Excerpt: ... alleges one cause of action for violation of Civil Code section 3439 et seq. against defendants James Balster (James) and Jodi Lee Balster (Jodi). (Note : Due to common surnames, the court will refer to defendants by their first names to avoid confusion. No disrespect is intended.) As alleged in the complaint, plaintiff was the victim of childhood sexual assault and other misconduct by J a m e s a n d Ce c ilia Ba ls t e r (Ce c ilia ). (Co m p ...

Excerpt: ... Korman, Vasquez Ranch, L.P., and ECR Gaviota, Inc., shall further meet and confer in good faith with plaintiff So n ja Be c ke r-Gooch either in her self -represented capacity or with new counsel if appropriate , i n accordance with t his ruling. Furt he r, on or be fore July 24, 2024, defendants Nathan Korman, Vasquez Ranch, L.P., and ECR Gaviota, Inc., shall each file and serve individual status reports describing each defendant's e ffort s t ...

Excerpt: ...gatory numbers 41 and 43, without objections overruled herein. Except as herein granted, plaintiff's motion to compel further responses to special interrogatories is otherwise denied. (2) For all reasons discussed herein, the motion of plaintiff to compel defendant's further responses to request for production of documents, set one, is granted, in part. On or before May 31, 2024, defendant General Motors, LLC, shall serve a ve rifie d further res...

Excerpt: ...nt (FAC) filed by plaintiff Joel Cummings in this matter on March 22, 2018, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated, alleges six causes of action against defendant Eureka Restaurant Group LLC: (1) failure to provide meal periods; (2) failure to provide rest periods; (3) unfair competition; (4) failure to provide accurate wage statements; (5) failure to pay all wages owed upon termination; and (6) civil penalties under Labor Code sectio...

Excerpt: ...a of Santa Barbara County north of the City of Goleta. The operative pleading is the Second Amended Complaint (SAC) filed on December 16, 2020, by plaintiffs Austin Buist and Maverick Buist, who is a minor, individually and as heirs at law and successors in interest to Allyson Jean Buist, who is deceased, and t he Estate of Allyson Jean Buist. ( Note : For ease of reference, the court will refer to plaintiffs and decedent by their first names. No...

Excerpt: ...aintiff separately propounded Supplemental Requests for Production of Documents, and Supplemental Interrogatories on each defendant. Defendants requested and received two -week extensions of time to respond to each set of the discovery. When responses had not been provided by the extended dates for response, plaintiff on February 13, 2024, filed motions to compel responses to the form int e rrogatorie s, spe cial inte rrogat orie s, and re que st...

Excerpt: ...f defendant's bond number FCSSO -2467448 is vacated, and the bond is exonerated. Background: Court records reflect that on August 5, 2022, defendant Financial Casualty & Surety, Inc., through its bail agent Bail Hotline Bail Bonds (Surety), posted bail bond no. FCS502467448 (the bail bond) in the amount of $30,000, as security for the appearance o f Th o m a s P a t r ic k Ca m p b e ll (Ca m p b e ll) o n O c t o b e r 5 , 2 0 2 4 , in Superior ...

Excerpt: ...ahry : Rachel Van Mullem, Teresa Martinez, Kristen Cortez, Office of the County Counsel TEN TATIVE RULIN G : For all reasons discussed herein, the motion of defendant the County of Santa Barbara to compel the production of text messages is denied without prejudice. Background: P la in t if f Alic ia P is c h ke f ile d a c o m p la in t in t h is m a t t e r o n M a y 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 , a lle g in g o n e cause of action for work environment harassm...

Excerpt: ...to July 12, 2024. Monetary sanctions in the amount of $2,000.00 are awarded in favor of plaintiffs and against defendant, to be paid to plaintiffs' counsel no later than May 31, 2024. Background: This action commenced on October 6, 2023, by the filing of the complaint by p la in t if f s Ro g e r L. H o r n e a n d Kim St . Au b in (c o lle c t iv e ly , p la in t if f s ) a g a in s t defendant Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) for breach of i...

Excerpt: ... For Defendant Jonathan Walter Espinoza : Self Represented For Defendant Sergio Morales dba Sergio's Roofing and Rain Gu t t e r : No appearance TEN TATIVE RULIN G : Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment is granted as to defendant Jonathan Walter Espinoza. Background: O n M a r c h 2 9 , 2 0 2 1 , p la in t if f Br id g e r Cla im s Se r v ic e s , LLC (BCS), f ile d it s complaint in this matter alleging that it had in effect an automobile ins...

Excerpt: ...VE RULIN G : For all reasons discussed herein, the motion of defendant for attorney's fees and costs is granted. The court awards attorney fees in the amount of $16,425 in favor of defendant Evan Graves and against plaintiff Alexander Alobeydi. Background: On September 25, 2023, plaintiff Alexander Alobeydi (Alobeydi) filed a complaint in this matter against defendant Evan Graves (Graves), alleging nine causes of action: (1) assault; (2) battery;...

Excerpt: ...y plaintiffs Michael Dennis and all those similarly situated against defendants Ralph T. Ianelli, Essex Capital Corporation (“Essex”), and Does 1 through 30. The c o m p la in t is a class action and sets forth causes of action for: (1) Negligence; (2) Vio la t io n o f Ca lif o r n ia Se c u r it y La w s ; (3 ) N e g lig e n c e P e r Se ; (4 ) Fr a u d ; a n d (5 ) F in a n c ia l Eld e r Ab u s e . On October 11, 2023, plaintiffs substitu...

Excerpt: ...nt, if any, on or before May 6, 2024. Background: Th e f ir s t a m e n d e d c o m p la in t (F AC) f ile d b y p la in t if f Lilly Te is h e r in t h is m a t t e r o n December 22, 2023, is the operative pleading. As alleged in the FAC: Defendant Sigma Nu, Kappa Eta Chapter (Kappa Eta) is a branch of defendant Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. (Sigma Nu National) that operates a fraternity house located at 6587 Del Playa Drive in Goleta, California (...

Excerpt: ...0 1 9 , b y t h e f ilin g o f t h e c o m p la in t b y plaintiffs John C. Ellsworth and Janice L. Ellsworth as Trustees of the Casa Gran Vista Revocable Trust against defendants Sierra Pacific Windows (“Sierra”) and Ken Taub dba KT Constru ction Company (“KT”) setting forth causes of action for: (1) Negligence; (2) Negligence per se; (3) Breach of contract; (4) Breach of implied and express warranties; and (5) Breach of implied warranti...

Excerpt: ... cross- actions arise out of the ownership of real property located at 1790 Eucalyptus Hill Road, Santa Barbara (the Property) by plaintiff, cross-defendant, and cross -c o m p la in a n t Alis o n E. Chase and defendant , c r o s s-complainant, and cross -defendant Brian M. Metcalf. (1 ) P r o c e d u r a l H is t o r y On June 7, 2021, Chase filed her original complaint in this action asserting a cause of act ion for part it ion sale of the Pro...

Excerpt: ...Santa Barbara (the City) in the City Administrator's Office from December 1998 until her resignation in 2022. (Complaint, ¶ ¶ 1, 17, 40.) As alleged in the complaint, during Johnson's e m p lo y m e n t w it h t h e Cit y , s h e w a s r e s p o n s ib le f o r h ig h v is ib ilit y , h ig h -le v e l, a n d complex assignments on behalf of the City Administrator and City Council which involved directing interdepa rtmental teams, serving as the...

Excerpt: ... Ch r is t in a Th o m a s a n d Ale xa n d r e H o r t (c o lle c t iv e ly “p la in t if f s ”) against defendants Jill Dore Kent and Martin Mielko (collectively “defendants”) setting forth 10 caus es of action. On August 8, 2023, plaintiffs filed their first amended complaint. On October 23, 2023, plaintiffs filed their second amended complaint (“SAC”) setting forth causes of action for: (1) Breach of contract; (2) Violation of Sta...

Excerpt: ...Multiservice Santa Barbara, LLC seeking injunctive relief for alleged violations of the Immigration Consultant Act. On December 5, 2023, plaintiff made a settlement offer that included enjoining defendants from further violations of the Immigration Consultant Act and payment of fees and costs in the amount of $12,500.00. (Brown Dec., ¶ 1 & Exh. 1.) Defendant accepted the o ffe r. (Bro w n D e c ., ¶ 2 & Exh . 2 .) On January 10, 2024, the parti...

Excerpt: ...ered to give notice of the court's ruling herein. Background: Plaintiff Fernando Castro-Ra m ir e z f ile d a c o m p la in t in t h is m a t t e r o n O c t o b e r 2 6 , 2022, alleging five causes of action against defendant General Motors, LLC (GM): (1 ) v io la t io n o f Civ il Co d e s e c t io n 1 7 9 3 .2 , s u b d iv is io n (d ); (2 ) v io la t io n o f Civ il Code sect ion 1793.2, subdivision (b); (3) violation of Civil Code section 17...

Excerpt: ... documents are each denied. Background: As a lle g e d in t h e c o m p la in t f ile d in t h is m a t t e r o n Ap r il 3 , 2 0 2 3 , b y p la in t if f J o h n Doe: In August 2014, plaintiff was hired to work at defendant Norman's Nursery, Inc. (NNI). (Compl., ¶ 12.) Defendant Cuauhtemoc Rodriguez (Rodriguez) was p la in t if f 's s u p e r v is o r . ( Id . at ¶ 13.) Rodriguez constantly made sexual comments about plaintiff and was reported...

Excerpt: ...nt Marlon Anibal Valle -M e jia (“Va lle -M e jia ”). On July 19, 2022, Valle -Mejia failed to appear in court for a preliminary hearing. A bench warrant was issued, and the matter was continued. On August 8, 2022, Va lle -Mejia again failed to appear for a preliminary hearing and the matter was again continued. On August 29, 2022, Valle -Mejia again failed to appear in court and the bail was ordered forfeited. Notice was mailed to ASC on Aug...

Excerpt: ...e r f ile d h is f ir s t a m e n d e d c o m p la in t (FAC). Th e FAC a s s e r t e d e ig h t c a u s e s o f a c t io n : (1 ) f a ls e a r r e s t ; (2 ) f a ls e im p r is o n m e n t ; (3 ) n e g lig e n c e ; (4 ) b a t t e r y ; (5 ) in t e n t io n a l in f lic t io n o f e m o t io n a l d is t r e s s ; (6 ) v io la t io n o f s t a t u t o r y d u t y t o properly train officers; (7) violation of statutory duty to properly supervise ...

Excerpt: ... of California (University) as an Assistant Coach for Cross County and Track & Field (Distance). (Plaintiff's Response Separate Statement [PSS], undisputed fact 1.) Track and Field and Cross Country are two separate subsets of the same program. (PSS, undisputed fact 2.) In 2018, the Director of Track and Field and Cross County was Peter Dolan. (PSS, fact 18 [undisputed on this point].) Dolan oversaw both Cross Country and Track and Field subsets ...

Excerpt: ... filed a complaint against defendant Covenant Living West, Inc. (Covenant Living) asserting seven causes of action: (1) failure to provide meal and rest periods (Lab. Code, §§ 226.7 & 512; IWC wage orde rs); (2) failure to pay overtime wages (Lab. Code, § 510 et seq.); (3) failure to pay final wages (Lab. Code, §§ 201, 202, 203); (4) failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements (Lab. Code, §§ 226, 1174); (5) failure to pay wages wh...

Excerpt: ...n (plaintiff) and against defendants Lucas Carl Steuber and Estelle Lynn Konrad (defendants) in the total amount of $8,096.97. (Ferns decl., ¶ 3 & exhibit 1.) The Oregon Judgment includes an award of at t orne y fe e s. ( Ib id .) On June 2, 2022, a judgment was entered in this court as a sister -state judgment based upon the Oregon Judgment, and including accrued interest, in the amount of $9,781.61. On July 26, 2022, the court issued a writ of...

Excerpt: ... as the status of the District Court case, no later than April 17, 2024. 3. P la in t if f s h a ll p r o v id e n o t ic e o f t h is r u lin g t o a ll p a r t ie s . Background: Th is a c t io n c o m m e n c e d o n J u ly 3 , 2 0 1 8 , b y t h e f ilin g o f t h e o r ig in a l c o m p la in t b y plaintiffs Michael Dennis and all those similarly situated against defendants Ralph T. Ianelli, Essex Capital Corporation (“Essex”), and Does ...

Excerpt: ...n d a n t is d e n ie d as to the ninth cause of action alleged in plaintiff's complaint. (2) For all reasons discussed herein, the motion of plaintiff to seal the declaration of Alexander Alobeydi is granted. The declaration of Alexander Alobeydi lodged conditionally under seal on February 20, 2024, is ordered filed under seal. No ot he r court records or records relating to the case are to be sealed at this stage of the proceedings. Only the co...

Excerpt: ...or assault, battery, in t e n t io n a l in f lic t io n o f e m o t io n a l d is t r e s s , a n d n e g lig e n c e . As alleged in the complaint: On May 19, 2022, at 20 Winchester Canyon Road, Goleta, plaintiff was approached by defendant, who is taller and heavier than plaintiff, wherein an argument ensued, and defendant picked plaintiff up and dropped him to the floor causing injuries. (Complaint, ¶ 4.) Defendant was served with the summon...

Excerpt: ...anta Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for a Water Supply” (the State W ate r Cont ract ) which provi ded for the allocation, conveyance, and delivery of water through the State Water Project (SWP) in exchange for payments by defendant Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District) to the State. (Defendant's Response Separate Statement [DSS], undisputed fact 1.) (Note: The operative plea...

Excerpt: .... shall revise the proposed order to reflect that the application for determination of good faith settlement was challenged. Background: Th is a c t io n c o m m e n c e d o n M a y 2 , 2 0 1 9 , b y t h e f ilin g o f t h e c o m p la in t b y plaintiffs John C. Ellsworth and Janice L. Ellsworth as Trustees of the Casa Gran Vista Revocable Trust against defendants Sierra Pacific Windows (“Sierra”) and Ken Taub dba KT Construction Company (�...

Excerpt: ...anta Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for a Water Supply” (the State W ate r Cont ract ) which provi ded for the allocation, conveyance, and delivery of water through the State Water Project (SWP) in exchange for payments by defendant Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District) to the State. (Defendant's Response Separate Statement [DSS], undisputed fact 1.) (Note: The operative plea...

Excerpt: ...ff County of Santa Barbara: Rachel Van Mullem, Daniel Lopez For Defendant American Surety Company: John M. Ro r a b a u g h TEN TATIVE RULIN G : American Surety Company's motion to vacate summary judgment, reinstate, and exonerate bail bond is denied. Background: On July 16, 2021, in criminal case No. 21CR05624, defendant American Surety Company (“ASC”) posted bond number AS100 -161926, in the amount of $100,000.00, for the release of crimina...

Excerpt: ...r Seal 2. Nina Johnson's Motion to File Records Under Seal 3. City Of Santa Barbara's Motion for Judgment on the P le a d in g s ATTO RN EYS : Fo r P la in t iff Nin a J o h n s o n : Christina A. Humphrey, Robert N. Fis h e r , Ch r is t in a H u m p h r e y La w , P .C. For Defendant City of Santa Barbara: Sa ra h J. Kn e c h t , To m R. Shapiro, John S. Doimas, Office of the City Attorney TEN TATIVE RULIN G : For all reasons discussed herein: ...

Excerpt: ...RN EYS : For Pla int iff Ferna ndo Ca st ro -Ra m ir e z : Nancy Zhang, Corinna Jiang, Consumer Law Experts, PC For Defendant General Mot ors, LLC : Mary Are ns McBride , Ryan Kay, Erskine Law Gr o u p , P C TEN TATIVE RULIN G : (1) For all reasons discussed herein, the motion of plaintiff to compel further responses and documents to plaintiff's request for production of documents, set o n e , is d e n ie d w it h o u t p r e ju d ic e . (2) Plai...

Excerpt: ... 2024 HEARING : (1) Case Number 22CV01182: Motion Of Plaintiffs India Kenan, a minor by and through her guardian ad litem Benjamin Kenan, and Be n ja m in Ke n a n 's Fo r Co n s o lid a t io n (2) Case Number 22CV01230: Motion Of Plaintiffs Jameson Moore, a minor by and through his guardian ad litem Katy Kelly, M.D., Jackson Moore, a minor by and through his guardian ad litem Derek Moore, M.D., and Derek Moore, M.D., For Consolidation ATTO RN EY...

Excerpt: ...HEARING : (1) Case Number 22CV01182: Motion Of Plaintiffs India Kenan, a minor by and through her guardian ad litem Benjamin Kenan, and Be n ja m in Ke n a n 's Fo r Co n s o lid a t io n (2) Case Number 22CV01230: Motion Of Plaintiffs Jameson Moore, a minor by and through his guardian ad litem Katy Kelly, M.D., Jackson Moore, a minor by and through his guardian ad litem Derek Moore, M.D., and Derek Moore, M.D., For Consolidation ATTO RN EYS : Fo...

Excerpt: ...nted For Defendant Fiore Management, Inc. : Fre de rick W arre n Strasser, FW Strasser Associates LLC TEN TATIVE RULIN G : (1 ) For the reasons set forth herein, the hearing on the motion of counsel for defendant Fiore Management, Inc., attorney Frederick Warren Strasser, is continued to April 26, 2024. Attorney Strasser shall serve the moving papers together with this ru ling continuing the hearing on Fiore Management on or before April 5, 2024,...

Excerpt: ...n ad litem Julia E. Briscoe a nd Julia E. Briscoe: J u lia E. Br is c o e For Defendants Tracie Simolon and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Education & Welfa re Corpora t ion : Fre d Grannis TEN TATIVE RULIN G : (1) For all reasons discussed herein, the demurrer of defendants to plaintiffs' complaint is sustained, in part and with leave to amend as to the second, third, fourth, and fifth causes of action alleged in the complaint and titled as, re ...

Excerpt: ...use of action, first paragraph no. 1 (“For disgorgement of all sums paid under the illegal Construction Agreement”); prayer for relief, first cause of action, first paragraph no. 3 (“For attorney's fees”); and prayer for relief, second cause of action, second paragraph no. 2 (“For attorney's f e e s ”). (3) Leave to amend granted herein is limited to providing further allegations relating to any claim for disgorgement and or attorney'...

Excerpt: ...s or costs will be awarded. Background: This action commenced on August 1, 2023, by the filing of the complaint by plaintiff J. Blair Pence II against several defendants including Richard D. Starnes, individually and dba RDS Architecture & Planning (collectively “Starnes”), Mark Thomas Ventura, individually and dba Ventura Pools, Ventura Pools, Inc., dba Ventura Pools, Scott Joseph Ventura, individually and dba Ventura Pools, Microplasma Ozon...

Excerpt: ...ation of municipal ordinances. 3. Defendants' motion to strike is denied in its entirety. 4. Plaintiffs shall file and serve their third amended complaint no later than March 29, 2023. Background: This action commenced on June 27, 2023, by the filing of the complaint by plaintiffs Haley Christina Thomas and Alexandre Hort (collectively “plaintiffs”) against defendants Jill Dore Kent and Martin Mielko (collectively “defendants”) setting fo...

Excerpt: ...e and serve their answer to plaintiff's first amended complaint on or before March 18, 2024. Background : On February 28, 2023, plaintiff David McKay filed a complaint against defendants Hopp Technologies, Inc., (Hopp), Fabrice Allain (Fabrice), Antoine Allain (Antoine), Ratna Madeka (Madeka); Matt Barnes (Barnes), Khalid Taylor (Taylor), and Ray Young (Young) (collectively, defendants), alleging nine causes of action: (1) fraud; (2) civil conspi...

Excerpt: ...ngs and specifically references paragraphs 34, 37, and 38 as the portions of the FAC to be placed under seal. The remainder of t he FAC w ill b e in c lu d e d in t h e p u b lic f ile . Background: This action commenced on August 23, 2023, by the filing of the original class - action complaint by plaintiff Jane Doe against defendant Cottage Health (“Cottage”) asserting causes of action for: (1) Violations of Penal Code section 630, et seq.; ...

Excerpt: ... 115 will be limited in time to encompass 2021 to the date of production. 2. Ford shall provide further code -compliant verified responses, without objections other than as to privilege, no later than March 15, 2024. 3. Should any documents be withheld on claim of privilege, Ford shall s e r v e a p r iv ile g e lo g id e n t if y in g e a c h r e s p o n s iv e d o c u m e n t w it h h e ld on the grounds of privilege together with sufficient ad...

Excerpt: ...iff's then -attorney moved to be relieved as counsel of record on July 13, 2022. Thereafter, on July 21, 2022, defendant served plaintiff with Form Interrogatories (Set 1), Special Interrogatories (Set 1), and a Request for Production of documents (Set 1). Although an extension of time to respond by September 22, 2022, was granted, no responses to the discovery were ever received. At a hearing conducted on September 30, 2022, plaintiff's attorney...

Excerpt: ...f public property; (2) negligence; and (3) p r e m is e s lia b ilit y . As a lle g e d in t h e c o m p la in t : On February 28, 2021, plaintiff was riding his bicycle on Modoc Road north of the intersection with Ferrara Way in the City of Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, State of California when he encountered temporary cones changing the road configuration an d s h if t in g v e h ic le t r a f f ic in h is d ir e c t io n . (Co m p la...

Excerpt: ...re st bre aks, (5) failure to indemnify necessary business expenses, (6) failure to timely pay final wages at termination, (7) failure to provide accurate itemized wages statements, and (8) unfair business practices. By stipulation filed May 6, 2022, the parties stipulated to permit plaintiff to file a First Amended Complaint. The First Amended Complaint (found in the court file only as an attachment to the stipulation permitting its filing), rea...

Excerpt: ...that request is denied. The Court's order compelling responses without objections is made without prej u d ic e to BMW's ability to file a properly supported motion for relief from its waiver of objections. If such a motion has been filed and served prior to March 7, 2024, the March 7, 2024, deadline for providing responses without objections will be deferred pending a ruling on the motion. Background : P la in t if f 's c o m p la in t , f ile d...

Excerpt: ... in t if f ”) against her former employer Covenant Living West, Inc. (“defendant”) The complaint asserts seven causes of action as follows: (1) Failure to provide meal and rest periods. (2) Failure to pay overtime wages. (3) Failure to pay final wages. (4) Failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements. (5) Failure to pay wages when due. (6) Unfair Business Practices. (7) Unlawful retaliation. As alleged in the complaint: In April 201...

Excerpt: ... 1 , 2 0 2 4 , t h e p a r t ie s s h a ll s u b m it a jo in t r e p o r t , o r in d iv id u a l s t a t u s r e p o r t s , in accordance with this ruling. Background: Plaintiff Fernando Castro-Ra m ir e z f ile d a c o m p la in t in t h is m a t t e r o n O c t o b e r 2 6 , 2022, alleging five causes of action against defendant General Motors, LLC (GM): (1 ) v io la t io n o f Civ il Co d e s e c t io n 1 7 9 3 .2 , s u b d iv is io n (d );...