Excerpt: ...osa, California, with causes of action for: 1) wrongful foreclosure; 2) cancellation of instrument; 3) quiet title; 4) violation of Civ. Code S 2924f; 5) violation of Civ. Code S 2923.5; and 6) violation of Business and Professions Code S 17200 et. seq. This matter is on calendar for PLM's demurrer to all causes of acton within the Complaint pursuant to CCP S 430.10(e) for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Plainti...

Excerpt: ...Hahn v. Merda (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 740, 747.) Complaints are read as a whole, in context and are liberally construed. (Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 cal.3d 311, 318; see also, stevens v. superior court (1999) 75 cal.App.4th 594, 601.) In reviewing the sufficiency of a complaint, courts accept as true all material facts properly pleaded, but not contentions, deductions, or conclusions of fact or law, or the construction of instruments pleaded, or fa...

Excerpt: ...oth Fire and Hunsaker. Evidentiary and Procedural Issues A. Citations The Court previously raised the issue that Plaintiff c:ited Bagdadi v. Go Daddy Software, Inc. (2CM) 154 Cal.App.4th 1176 and Anderson v. Continental Insurance, Co. (1992) 6 Cal.App.4th 1659, in the motions. When the Court sought to get clarification as to these decisions, and whether they somehow countermand the decisions in R & B Auto Center, Inc. v. Farmers Group, Inc. (2W6)...

Excerpt: ...rgument that Petitioner must have sought costs with the arbitrator and therefore cannot now seek them in these judicial proceedings. While these cases did find that costs should have been sought with the arbitrator, these cases also involved "broad" arbitration agreements which did not limit the arbitrator's power in any way." If the parties' agreement does 'not limit the issues to be resolved through arbitration, the issue of [a party's] entitle...

Excerpt: ...ct, and that consolidation would avoid unnecessary costs, delays, duplication of proof, and inconsistent rulings. Specifically, both of these cases arise from the same incident that occurred on February 22, 2019, wherein plaintiff Dorian Gabriel Guerrero ("Guerrero") sustained an industrial injury from a concrete hose as a result of the alleged negligence of defendants Kyle David Shepherd, Gallagher Construction, Inc., William Gallagher, and Craf...

Excerpt: ...Material Fact "UMF" 4-5,9.) Defendant Ben Zabinsky"s property is one of these parcels. (Ibid.) Plaintiffs' property is another of the parcels. (Ibid.) The portion of land in front of the parcels that is now at issue was owned by the former owners of all of the parcels of land, Mr. and Mrs. Estrella. (UMF 72.) Plaintiffs now own the portion of the easement that is directly in front of Defendant's property. (UMF 72.) The Estrellas sold what is now ...

Excerpt: ...Cal.4th 540, 643 ["We conclude that the FEHA, like similar federal statutes, allows persons to sue and hold liable their employers, but not individuals. Our conclusion also applies to common law actions for wrongful discharge."] Any amended pleading shall be filed not later than 10 court days after service of notice of an order on this motion. Given the grant of leave to amend, the trial date of October 13, 2023, is VACATED. The case is scheduled...

Excerpt: ...the complaint sufficiently states a valid cause of action. (Hahn v. Merda 147 Cal.App.4th 740, 747.) Complaints are read as a whole, in context and are liberally construed. (Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 cal.3d 311, 318; see also, Stevens v. superior court (1999) 75 cal.App.4th 594, 601.) In reviewing the sufficiency of a complaint, courts accept as true all material facts properly pleaded, but not contentions, deductions, or conclusions of fact or l...

Excerpt: ..., which are part of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act ("CMIA"). This matter is on calendar for Defendants' demurrer to all causes of acton within the Complaint pursuant to CCP S 430.10(e) for failure to state facts sufficient to consttute a cause of action. The Demurrer is SUSTAINED with leave to amend. Legal Standards A. Demurrers Generally A demurrer can be used only to challenge defects that appear on the face of the pleading unde...

Excerpt: ... dismissal. The motion is DENIED. Governing Law A new trial is a re-examination of an issue of fact in the same court after a trial and decision by a jury, court, or referee." CCP S 656. However, "[tlhe right to a new trial is purely statutory, and a motion for a new trial can be granted only on one of the grounds enumerated in the statute." Fomco, Inc. u Joe Maggio, Inc. (1961) 55 cal.2d 162, 166. The verdict may be vacated and any other decisio...

Excerpt: ...ory fraud (the "FAC"). This matter is on calendar for Defendant's demurrer to the seventh cause of action within the FAC pursuant to Cal. Code Civ. Proc. ("CCP") S 430.10(e) for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of achon and CCP S 430.10(f) for uncertainty. Defendant's demurrer to Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint is OVERRULED. Governing Law A. Standard on Demurrer A demurrer can be used only to challenge defects that appe...

Excerpt: ...equests for Admissions, Set One ("RFAs"). Plaintiff subsequently moved the court to order the RFAs, be deemed admitted on the basis that Defendant had failed to respond. The court granted the motion in full after the hearing of January 6, 2023. Motion Plaintiff moves the court for judgment on the pleadings in it favor on its complaint against Defendant. It argues that the court deemed the RFAs admitted and that these demonstrate that there is no ...

Excerpt: ...ow Cause re Dismissal for lack of prosecution on December 15, 2022. The OSC hearing was set for February 16, 2023. Plaintiff nor their counsel appeared at the February 16, 2023 hearing. The case was dismissed as a result of Plaintiff's non-appearance. This motion was filed August 7, 2023. The parties signed a stipulation settling the matter in October of 2022. Governing Law "The court may, upon any terms as may be just, relieve a party or his or ...

Excerpt: ...ery regarding California's jurisdiction over VADO and Orangeworks. Plaintiff Smashmallow LLC ("Smashmallow") filed this complaint against Orangeworks and VADO alleging causes of action for Actual Fraudulent Transfer and for Tortious Interference. Orangeworks is the parent company of Tanis Food Tech 8M. ("Tanis"). (Complaint, 95.) On October 11, 2022, Tanis and Orangeworks were acquired by VADO, a Dutch private equity firm. (ibid.) Smashmallow has...

Excerpt: ...plitter which caused Plaintiff's injury. Defendant's undisputed Material Facts ("DUMF") '1 1. Defendant did not have any responsibility for creation of the wood splitter, or its transition into the market place. DUMF '1 3-5. Defendant borrowed the wood splitter. DUMF '12. The Burdens on Summary Judgment and Adjudication A. Generally Summary adjudication "shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any ma...

Excerpt: ...is without prejudice as this defect may be readily cured and, while not a best practice, the law does not prohibit bringing a motion for sanctions separately from the underlying motion to compel. (London v. Dri-Honing Corp. (2Cu) 117 Cal.App.4th 999, ICOS.) Plaintiff's counsel shall submit a written order consistent with this motion and in compliance with Rule 3.1312. A motion to compel further responses to a request for production of documents m...

Excerpt: ...he required information regarding the other parent and properly serve sufficient notice on the other parent, or demonstrate either that the other parent is not living, or that Petitioner is unable to identify or locate the other parent after making a reasonably diligent effort to do so. Petitioner must provide evidence and explanation suffcient to satisfy these requirements. If Petitioner does not provide the required information or documentation...

Excerpt: ...intiffs' request for an Order to Show Cause re: Contempt for violations of court orders, and for TRVFD's request to dissolve the preliminary injunction issued August 4, 2021. As to the Contempt, the matter is APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The motion to dissolve the preliminary injunction is DENIED. Underlying Facts Plaintiffs' causes of action are predicated on allegations of violations of the use Permit issued for TRVFD's property adjoining the property...

Excerpt: ...s and Recreation, through which job she became a member of the California Public Employees' Retrement System ("CalPERS"). (Petition, Exhibit A, pg. 2, 1; Administrative Record ["AR"], AR000004.) At the time, Decedent's registered domestic partner was real party in interest, Donna Starr ("Starr"). (Petition, at Exhibit A, pg. 2, 2; AR, AR000005.) Decedent listed Starr as a beneficiary when she rebred in 2015 and started receiving a monthly retirem...

Excerpt: ...ional interference with economic relations; 8) intentional infliction of emotional distress; 9) declaratory relief; 10) quiet title; and 11) injunctive relief. This matter is on calendar for the moton by Flint for summary judgment of the SAC or in the alternative adjudication pursuant to Cal. Code Civ. Proc. ("CCP") S 437(c). Summary judgment is DENIED. Summary adjudication is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. l. Evidentiary and Pleading Issues...

Excerpt: ... the notces served on Plaintiff It must also serve Plaintiff by proper means, not electronically unless it shows that Plaintiff has affrmatively agreed to electronic service. Facts and History Plaintiff complains that Defendant, who had previously towed her motorhome (the "Motorhome"), unlawfully and without her permission or notice to her, dismantled the Motorhome with all of her possessions inside. She seeks damages for the loss of the Motorhom...

Excerpt: ...mplaint for fraud (See Declaration of Amin Kazemini ["Kazemini Decl."l, Exhibit A, the "Cross-complaint"), as during discovery Plaintiff produced two seemingly conflicting copies of the underlying lease. Moving Defendant alleges that the Plaintiff has created a fraudulent copy. Plaintiff does not attach a copy of the Lease to the Complaint. Moving Defendant argues that he should be allowed to file the cross-complaint as it is compulsory. l. Le I ...

Excerpt: ...ees and class representative enhancements. The Motions are GRANTED. Applicable A. Fairness of Settlement Standards After preliminary approval, the Court determines whether a class action settlement is fair, adequate and reasonable in a final hearing, often referred to as a "fairness hearing." Cal. R. Ct. 3.769(g); see also Dunk v. Ford Motor Co. (1996) 48 Cal.App.4th 1794, 1801. The purpose of this requirement is "the protection of those class me...

Excerpt: ...e such that it allowed an uneven roadway to exist. Plaintiff alleges that she fell due to the uneven roadway and sustained severe and permanent injuries. Two causes of action are alleged: one for negligence and one for premises liability. Plaintiff filed a Claim Against The City of Petaluma on August 26, 2021 ("the Claim") which states that Plaintiff was lawfully riding a skateboard on Turtle Creek Lane when the wheel of her skateboard caught on ...

Excerpt: ...this motion, which this court continued due to inadequate notice, the moving party filed only an unsigned, incomplete proposed order, with proof of service. Accordingly, nothing shows that Plaintiff was served with, or otherwise received, notice of the hearing. Prior to the new hearing date, the moving party, must file and serve complete, sufficient proof of service at least 10 court days prior to the new hearing, showing service of a notice of t...

Excerpt: ...er with KFH and Health Plan, "Defendants"), and Does 1-50, arising out of Defendants' care of Decedent. This matter is on calendar for the petition by the Defendants to compel arbitration pursuant to Cal. Code Civ. Proc. ("CCP") S 1281.2. Defendants' petition to compel arbitration and stay proceedings is DENIED. l. Facts and Procedure The Decedent signed an "Enrollment Application" in April of 2004. See Woods Declaration in Support ("Woods Decl."...

Excerpt: ...ached the contract by failing to pay the amount owed. Plaintiff filed this action to collect the debt, allegedly $2,312.27, plus costs, legal fees, and interest. Defendants failed to appear, so Plaintiff took their default on January 3, 2023, and obtained a default judgment against them on March 6, 2023, for $3,047.15. Post-Jud nt Discove Plaintiff served Defendants by mail with post-judgment discovery on March 27, 2023; the discovery included on...

Excerpt: ... is DENIED. Plaintiff's complaint alleges five causes of achon based upon Defendants' foreclosure of real property located at 4424 Hazel Court in Rohnert Park ("the Property"). Plaintiff alleges causes of achon for: (1) Violation of Cal. Civ. Code section 2923.6; (2) Violation of Cal. Civ. Code section 2923.7; (3) Violation of Cal. Civ. Code section 2924c; (4) Wrongful Foreclosure; and (5) Violation of Business & Professions Code section 17200 et...

Excerpt: ...ntative ruling and in compliance with Rule 3.1312. If Plaintiffs ultimately choose to file an amendment, they shall not do so in the form of an "amendment to the complaint." Unless Plaintiffs are substituting the name of a Doe Defendant or changing a minor detail, "amendments to the complaint" are disfavored by this Court because they create a complicated and unorganized record. Plaintiffs have used the instant amendment to the complaint to alleg...

Excerpt: ...gs and these judicial proceedings pursuant to the parties' contract under CCP S 1717. Petitioners also argue they are entitled to attorney's fees as private attorney general under CCP S 1021.5. CCP S 1293.2 provides, "The court shall award costs upon any judicial proceeding under this title as provided by Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1021) of Title 14 of Part 2 of this code." CCP S 1021 provides that attornevs fees are available as costs on...

Excerpt: ...ner Place, Santa Rosa ("the Piner Property"), and Defendants are improperly attempting to foreclose on a deed of trust ("DOT") recorded against the Property solely based on the fraudulent activites of Defendant Joseph 8. Reiter ("Reiter"). They claim that after Adams invested his own property in Piner, including cash, Reiter, a business associate of Adams, advised Adams that the latter should, based on legal advice, form and transfer his assets t...

Excerpt: ...nna Joslin ("Joslin"), who were alleged to owe Plaintiff Citimortgage Inc. ("Plaintiff") money on a promissory note secured against real property, which the Yateses defaulted in paying. On May 13, 2021, the parties participated in a mediation, during which the parties allegedly agreed to settle and produced a "Settlement Term Sheet" that set forth the purported terms of the parties' agreement (the "Settlement"). The Settlement Term Sheet stated t...

Excerpt: ...m the work properly or comply with his contractual obligations, ultimately abandoning the Project. Defendant allegedly informed Plaintiff that the latter should hire someone else to correct the defects in Defendant's work. Defendant filed a cross-complaint and first amended cross-complaint ("FACC") against Cross- Defendants The Coleman Company, Inc. ("Coleman"), Kevin Condon dba KC Home Services ("Condon"), and KC Home Services, Inc. ("KC lnc") (...

Excerpt: ...lthough Youngs performed, Defendants breached the contract by failing to pay the amount owed. Plaintiff filed this action to collect the debt, allegedly $1,169.85, plus costs, legal fees, and interest. Defendants failed to appear so Plaintiff took their default on February 14, 2023 and obtained a default judgment against them on March 22, 2023 for $1,867.31. Post-Jud nt Discove Plaintiff served Defendants by mail with post-judgment discovery on A...

Excerpt: ... party to the action or an officer, director, managing agent, or employee of a party, or a person designated by an organization that is a party under Section 2025.230, without having served a valid objection under Section 2025.410, fails to appear for examination, or to proceed with it, or to produce for inspection any document or tangible thing described in the deposition notice, the party giving the notice may move for an order compelling the d...

Excerpt: ...fendant's authorized repair facility to cure the defects, Defendant failed either to cure the defects or repurchase or replace the vehicle as required under the Warranties. Plaintiff asserts that Defendant's conduct violated the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act ("Song-Beverly") at Civil Code ("CC") section 1790, et seq. Plaintiff filed a Mohon to Compel Further Responses to Plaintiff's Requests for Production of Documents, Set One which this co...

Excerpt: ...Plaintiff has had sufficient notce and opportunity to be heard. Accordingly, the court issues an order to show cause why the court should not dismiss this action and sets this matter on the law and motion calendar in this department, at 3:00 p.m., on October 25, 2023. Defendants must serve Plaintiff again with the moving papers as well as Order to Show Cause and notice of the new hearing at least 21 calendar days prior to the hearing and must fil...

Excerpt: ...fying that that each party shall bear its own attorney's fees and costs. Defendants cite Zamora v. Clayborn Contracting Grp., Inc. (2002) 28 Cal.4th 249, 258 in support of the argument that the mistake made was an excusable mistake that a reasonably prudent person under the same circumstances would have made. However, Zamora is not factually on point and Plaintiff has cited to two cases which specifically address the omission of an attorney's fee...

Excerpt: ... violated building codes. As a result, Plaintiff fell down the stairway and sustained serious injuries. In support of his request for punitive damages, Plaintiffs FAC alleges that Defendants were aware of the dangerous and defective condition of the stairway prior to Plaintiff's fall, that Defendants knew that previous individuals had fallen down the stairway, that several individuals had requested Defendants repair the stairway, and that Defenda...

Excerpt: ... between Pe
Ÿ
Ÿoner and Respondent Priya Latchman contains an agreement to arbitrate her underinsured motorist claims but does not provide a method for appoin
Ÿng a neutral arbitrator. The par
Ÿes cannot agree on a neutral arbitrator. Pe
Ÿ
Ÿoner has provided a list of Þve candidates. CCP sec
Ÿon 1281.2 provides that on pe
Ÿ
Ÿon of a party a trial court must order the par
Ÿes to arbitra
Ÿon where it Þnds a wri
©en agreement exists be...

Excerpt: ... expended multiplied by the reasonable hourly rate...The lodestar figure may then be adjusted, based on consideration of factors specific to the case, in order to fix the fee at the fair market value for the legal services provided. [Citation.] Such an approach anchors the trial courts analysis to an objective determination of the value of the attorney's services, ensuring that the amount awarded is not arbitrary. (PLCM Group, Inc. u. Drexler (2C...

Excerpt: ...2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 740, 747.) Complaints are read as a whole, in context and are liberally construed. (Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 cal.3d 311, 318; see also, stevens v. superior court (1999) 75 cal.App.4th 594, 601.) In reviewing the suffciency of a complaint, courts accept as true all material facts properly pleaded, but not contentions, deductions, or conclusions of fact or law, or the construction of instruments pleaded, or facts impossible i...

Excerpt: ...ended Complaint. Plaintiff has leave to amend within 10 days of the service of the notice of entry of this order. Defendant is to serve the notice of entry of this order within 5 days of entry of this order. California Rule of court ("CRC") 3.1320(g). Facts In his First Amended Complaint ("FAC"), Plaintiff complains that, when a minor, he was confined in Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall (the "Hall"), owned and operated by Defendant. While in the care o...

Excerpt: ...is matter is on calendar for Defendant's motion to strike punitive damages and their demurrer to the second cause of action for fraudulent inducement within the Complaint pursuant to Cal. Code Civ. Proc. ("CCP") SS 430.10(e) for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, and under CCP S 430.10(f) for uncertainty. As to the second cause of action, the Demurrer is OVERRULED. The motion to strike is GRANTED with leave to amen...

Excerpt: ...ng ctxle violations at real property located at 7955 St. Helena Road in Santa Rosa ("the Property"). Defendants are alleged to be the persons that own, operate, possess, and/or control the Property and have maintained unpermitted structures and unpermitted uses on the Property. Defendants did not file an answer and their default was taken on June 2, 2023. The County maintains that Defendants have not abated all violations of the Sonoma County Cod...

Excerpt: ...the hearing, the Court and counsel engaged in discussion and the Court heard argument from counsel regarding the motion to compel. As a result of arguments raised at the hearing, the Court set a new date for additional argument and requested supplemental briefing from the parties. The parties submitted supplemental briefs and the matter was scheduled for hearing on July 28, 2023. The Court, on its own motion, continued the July 28, 2023, hearing ...

Excerpt: ...reach of express warranty through failure to repair timely under the Act (Civ. Code S 1793.2(b); 3) breach of implied warranty under the Act. This matter is on calendar for the motion to compel deposition of person most knowledgeable, and production of documents thereon under Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") 2025.450. The Mohon is GRANTED. Defendants are ordered to produce their person(s) most knowledgeable as to the subject matters in the deposit...

Excerpt: ...a request to compel production of a document referred to as "the First Report" and a request for terminating sanctons in Plaintiff's reply. The Court will not rule on these requests as they were raised for the first time in reply and were not made by noticed motion. Plaintiff's objection to the entirety of Ms. McQuilla's declaration and to Defendant's opposition as a whole as being "plagued by hearsay" is OVERRULED. The Court further addresses Pl...

Excerpt: ...at "any party may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action or to the determination of any moton made in that action, if the matter either is itself admissible in evidence or appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence." (CCP S 2017.010; see also, Garamendi v. Golden Eagle Ins. Co. (2CN) 116 Cal.App.4th 694, 712, fn. 8.) "For disco...

Excerpt: ... S 430.10(e) for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, that Plaintiffs have failed to exhaust their administrative remedies, and that Plaintiffs lack stand-ng to seek the relief they request. The Demurrer is SUSTAINED with leave to amend. Legal Standards A demurrer can be used only to challenge defects that appear on the face of the pleading under attack or from matters outside the pleading that are judicially noticea...