Excerpt: ...ck by a boat while a paying visitor on property owned, leased, rented, managed, operated, possessed, and/or controlled by Defendants.” (Compl., pp. 4, 5.) As a result of the incident, she alleges she suffered severe injuries to her leg requiring medical intervention and resulting in permanent disfigurement, discoloration, and scarring. Pending is defendants' motion to compel plaintiff to respond to Request for Production of Documents (Set Three...

Excerpt: ...tion to the motion. Code of Civil Procedure § 598 provides that “[t]he court may, when the convenience of witnesses, the ends of justice, or the economy and efficiency of handling the litigation would be promoted thereby, … make an order … that the trial of any issue or any part thereof shall precede the trial of any other issue or any part thereof in the case .…” (Ibid.) Further, Code of Civil Procedure § 1048 provides that “[t]he ...

Excerpt: ...ned by the trial court.” (Getz v. Superior Court (2021) 287 Cal.Rptr.3d 722, 740.) Pending is petitioner's motion for attorney fees and costs. (See Gov. Code § 6259(d).) 1. Preliminary Matters Petitioner's request for judicial notice of Exhibits 1, 3, and 4 is granted. (Evid. Code § 452(d)(1), (h).) Petitioner's objection numbers 1–6 to the Declaration of Lynn Garcia, counsel for respondent, are overruled. 2. Attorney Fees Under the CPRA, �...

Excerpt: ...is bound by a written agreement to arbitrate. 1. LEGAL PRINCIPLES The California Arbitration Act (“CAA”), Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1280, et seq., sets forth “a comprehensive scheme regulating private arbitration in this state.” (Moncharsh v. Heily & Blase (1992) 3 Cal.4th 1, 9.) California has a “ 'strong public policy in favor of arbitration as a speedy and relatively inexpensive means of dispute resolution.' [Citations.]” (Ibid....

Excerpt: ...class and found that the class is sufficiently numerous and ascertainable to warrant certification for the purpose of approving the settlement. There is no reason for the court to reconsider its decision granting certification of the class. Therefore, the court intends to certify the class for the purpose of final approval of the settlement. 2. SETTLEMENT 2.1 Legal Principles “When, as here, a class settlement is negotiated prior to formal clas...

Excerpt: ...ing is the City's demurrer to the FAC. 1. STANDARD OF REVIEW A demurrer is directed at the face of the complaint and to matters subject to judicial notice. (Code of Civ. Proc. § 430.30(a).) “It is not the ordinary function of a demurrer to test the truth of the plaintiff's allegations or the accuracy with which he describes the defendant's conduct. A demurrer tests only the legal sufficiency of the pleading.” (Comm'n on Children's Television...

Excerpt: ...ivil Procedure § 437c(h). That subsection provides: “If it appears from the affidavits submitted in opposition to a motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication, or both, that facts essential to justify opposition may exist but cannot, for reasons stated, be presented, the court shall deny the motion, order a continuance to permit affidavits to be obtained or discovery to be had, or make any other order as may be just. The application t...

Excerpt: ...thew Cossoul, and Matthew Cossoul, individually, commenced this action in October 2018. In 2019, Matthew and Nolann dismissed their claims to the complaint, with prejudice. As such, the only remaining cause of action is plaintiff's 1st C/A for negligence/premises liability/failure to warn. Pending is defendant Kirkwood Community Association's (“KCA”) Motion for Summary Judgment or Adjudication, made on the following grounds: (1) primary assum...

Excerpt: ...ell the Property by private sale. Pending is the Referee's report of sale and motion to confirm sale. The motion is opposed by defendant. 1. Laws Re: Partition and Sale of Real Property Notice of the sale must be given in accordance with Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”) §§ 873.640 and 873.650, “which shall include a description of the property, the time and place of sale, and a statement of the principal terms of sale. In place of the prin...

Excerpt: ...ng the litigation would be promoted thereby, … make an order … that the trial of any issue or any part thereof shall precede the trial of any other issue or any part thereof in the case .…” (Ibid.) Further, Code of Civil Procedure § 1048 provides that “[t]he court, in furtherance of convenience or to avoid prejudice, or when separate trials will be conducive to expedition and economy, may order a separate trial of any cause of action, ...

Excerpt: ...Vail”) at Vail's resort locations or mountain facilities in the United States, moves for an order provisionally certifying the settlement class1 and preliminarily approving the class Settlement Agreement resolving their claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. § 201, et seq., and the laws of 16 states. A. SUMMARY OF CLAIMS For purposes of settlement, the parties have agreed to consolidate all claims to be resol...

Excerpt: ...rn, (2) dangerous condition of property (Gov. Code § 835), (3) negligence (Gov. Code § 815.2), and (4) negligent infliction of emotional distress/bystander liability. On June 12, 2019, Matthew and Nolann dismissed their claims to the complaint, with prejudice. As such, the only remaining cause of action is Tanguy's 1st C/A for negligence/premises liability/failure to warn. Pending are motions for summary judgment from the following defendants: ...

Excerpt: ...th leave to amend, Raley's demurrer and granted the motion to strike punitive damages from the Complaint, with leave to amend. Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint (“FAC”), filed May 3, 2021, asserts causes of action for (1) disability discrimination, (2) failure to provide reasonable accommodation, (3) retaliation, and (4) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Pending is Raley's demurrer to the FAC and motion to strike puniti...

Excerpt: ...l Memorandum. The court notes there is very little change between the draft Memorandum that defendant sent to plaintiff and the final Memorandum. Although procedurally irregular, the premature filing does not appear to have affected the arguments made by plaintiff in support of her motion or defendant's arguments in opposition. As such, the court will proceed with consideration of the motion. “Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, ...

Excerpt: ...on”). Pending is the Colorado Plaintiffs' motion to intervene pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 387 “to protect their interests, and those of the nationwide class and collective of current and former Vail employees they seek to represent in the Colorado Action.” (Mot. at 1:6–8.) The Colorado Plaintiffs request permission to file their Intervenors' Motion to Dismiss this action, without prejudice, pursuant to the “first filed” rul...

Excerpt: ...s against the moving defendants. 2. Defendants owed no duty to plaintiffs because any danger posed by the steps from which plaintiff Terri Haley fell was open and obvious. 3. Defendants owed no duty to plaintiffs because defendants had no notice of any falls or injuries caused by the landscaped stone pool steps. A. BACKGROUND This case arises from a “trip and fall” incident on October 13, 2017, at defendants' residence in El Dorado Hills, Cal...

Excerpt: ...A proof of service of summons was filed May 10, 2021, stating that Hall was personally served at a residence on Stockton Avenue in South Lake Tahoe on May 2, 2021. As defendant Hall challenges service, plaintiff bears the burden of showing that service was proper. (Lebel v. Mai (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 1154, 1163.) The registered process server swore under penalty of perjury that she personally served Hall at 11:40 a.m. on May 2 at his residence in...

Excerpt: ... of justice, and on any terms as may be proper, allow a party to amend any pleading .…” (Code of Civ. Proc. § 473.) A trial court may allow the amendment of a pleading at any time up to and including trial. (Id. § 576.) “It is well established that ‘California courts “have a policy of great liberality in allowing amendments at any stage of the proceeding so as to dispose of cases upon their substantial merits where the authorization d...

Excerpt: ...d an order dismissing plaintiff's complaint on November 8, 2019. Judgment was entered in favor of defendant Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association on July 23, 2021. Pending is defendant's motion for attorney fees in the amount of $265,860 and costs in the amount of $1,155. Defendant also requests that the court add to the Judgment, nunc pro tunc, the principal sums of monetary sanctions still unpaid by plaintiff, with interest thereon from the da...

Excerpt: ...g plaintiff's counsel's motion to be relieved as counsel of record. On August 9, 2021, the court issued an ordering granting defendant St. Joseph's motion for summary judgment. Pending is the defendants Sierra Garden Apartments and Pacific Development Group's motion for summary judgment or, alternatively, summary adjudication. Plaintiff did not oppose the motion. STANDARD OF REVIEW The moving party bears the initial burden of making a prima facie...

Excerpt: ... verified responses were due on or about June 29, 2021. (Id., ¶ 3.) That deadline expired without plaintiff having served any responses or having requested an extension of time to respond. (Ibid.) While not required to meet and confer prior to filing the motion (Code of Civ. Proc. § 2033.280), defendant's counsel emailed plaintiff's counsel on July 8, 2021, to inquire about the status of the responses. (1 Burke Decl., ¶ 4 & Ex. B.) Plaintiff's...

Excerpt: ...rts. (Declaration of Justin P. Rodriguez in Support of Motion, Ex. C.) The matter was continued to January 22, 2021. In response to the court's order, plaintiffs' counsel sent additional correspondence to defendant's counsel in an effort to meet and confer. (Id., ¶ 4 & Exs. D, E.) Defendant's counsel did not respond. (Id., ¶ 4.) The matter was next on calendar January 22 and 29, 2021. In an order issued on January 29, 2021, the court granted ne...

Excerpt: ...and is based on the same or similar claims. On February 26, 2021, the court sustained defendant's demurrer to the original complaint, with leave to amend. Plaintiff timely filed a First Amended Complaint. The parties then stipulated to allow plaintiff to file a Second Amended Complaint. On June 18, 2021, the court sustained defendant's demurrer to the Second Amended Complaint, with leave to amend. Plaintiff's Third Amended Complaint (“TAC”), ...

Excerpt: ...swer states a defense is governed by the same principles which are applicable in determining if a complaint states a cause of action. [Citation.] “These well‐defined principles include the following: ‘A demurrer reaches only to the contents of the pleading and such matters as may be considered under the doctrine of judicial notice' [citations]; the allegations of the pleading demurred to must be regarded as true [citations]; a demurrer does...

Excerpt: ...2021, asserts causes of action for (1) disability discrimination, (2) failure to provide reasonable accommodation, (3) retaliation, and (4) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Pending is Raley's demurrer to the verified complaint and motion to strike punitive damages from the verified complaint. A. DEMURRER TO VERIFIED COMPLAINT 1. Standard of Review A demurrer is directed at the face of the complaint and to matters subject to ...

Excerpt: ...er complaint. A motion to quash service of summons permits a defendant to challenge personal jurisdiction where the summons is improper or the statutory requirements for service of process are not fulfilled. In the context of unlawful detainer, a defendant may properly file a motion to quash to challenge an unlawful detainer five‐day summons accompanied by a complaint that fails to include even the minimal allegations necessary to justify an un...

Excerpt: ...o Code of Civil Procedure § 708.020. (Mot., Declaration of Bruce Grego, ¶ 2 & Ex. 2.) Defendant has not served any verified responses on plaintiff. (Id., ¶ 3.) In opposition, defendant states that she believed the case was automatically stayed pending appeal, and so she did not respond. Plaintiff's motion is well taken. To date, defendant has not served any responses. Additionally, instead of verifying whether or not a stay was in place pendin...

Excerpt: ...G Placerville LLC (“TMG”) was not awarded a cannabis business permit and was not selected as an alternate. On December 15, 2020, TMG filed a Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against the City, the City Council, and RPI. Pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1085 and 1094.5, TMG seeks a writ of mandate directing the City to vacate and set aside the City Council's approval of the issued...

Excerpt: ...that the related action is still pending and involves the same parties and is based on the same or similar claims. On February 26, 2021, the court sustained defendant's demurrer to the complaint, with leave to amend. Plaintiff timely filed a First Amended Complaint on March 1, 2021. The parties then stipulated to allow plaintiff to file a Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) was filed March 12, 2021. Before the court...

Excerpt: ...(Set One). Preliminary Matters The court finds that plaintiffs have established the reasonable and good faith meet‐ and‐confer requirements prior to filing the instant motions. (Code of Civ. Proc. §§ 2016.040, 2030.300(b), 2031.310(b).) There being no objection to the form of plaintiffs' proposed Belaire‐West notice,1 plaintiffs' request to approve the notice is granted. (Pls. Index of Exhibits in Support of Motion to Compel, Exhibit I.) ...

Excerpt: ... (1983) 35 Cal.3d 197, 213.) All properly pleaded allegations of fact in the complaint are accepted as true, but not the contentions, deductions, or conclusions of fact or law. (Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318.) A judge gives “the complaint a reasonable interpretation, reading it as a whole and its parts in their context.” (Ibid.) Additionally, “facts appearing in exhibits attached to the complaint will also be accepted as true an...

Excerpt: ... comply with court order. To date, there is no opposition or any type of response from defendant in the court's file. Motion to Compel Further Responses Request No. 22: Denied. Request No. 23: Granted. Request No. 24: Granted. Request No. 25: Granted. Request No. 27: Granted. Request No. 28: Granted. Request No. 29: Granted. Request No. 30: Granted. Accordingly, plaintiffs' motion is granted in part and denied in part. Having reviewed and conside...

Excerpt: ...ider the opposition. If, however, plaintiff believes she had inadequate time to prepare her reply brief, the court would entertain a motion for continuance from plaintiff. Plaintiff's Objection Numbers 1–4 to defendant's exhibits are overruled. 2. Discussion The accepted 998 Offer provides in relevant part: “Defendant agrees to pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred by Plaintiff in this action as determined by the Court for Defenda...

Excerpt: ...” (Cal. Rules of Court, Rule 3.1345(a)(5).) And second, because plaintiffs retained new counsel, plaintiffs' prior counsel—who had a deadline of February 17, 2021, to file the instant motion—declares that he did not have the authority to “engage in substantive meet and confer efforts” with defendants' counsel concerning the scope of the subpoena before having to file the motion by the deadline. (See Mot., Decl. of Ryan Hanlon, ¶ 5.) Ac...

Excerpt: ...referee's reports recommended that defendants prevail on seven of the eight referred motions, that plaintiff Setter Construction be sanctioned in the amount of $3,850.00 for abuse of the discovery process, and that the referee's fees be evenly split between the parties. Defendants did not file objections to any of the referee's reports. On December 18 and December 31, 2020, the court issued orders adopting in full the discovery referee's findings...

Excerpt: ...RD OF REVIEW A defendant moving for summary judgment bears the burden of persuasion that one or more elements of the cause of action at issue cannot be established, or that there is a complete defense to the cause of action. (Aguilar v. Atl. Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 850.) The moving party bears the initial burden of making a prima facie showing of the nonexistence of a triable issue of material fact, and only if the moving party carri...

Excerpt: ... claims. Before the court is defendant's demurrer and motion to strike the complaint in the instant action. A. DEMURRER TO COMPLAINT 1. STANDARD OF REVIEW A demurrer is directed at the face of the complaint and to matters subject to judicial notice. (Code of Civ. Proc. § 430.30(a).) “It is not the ordinary function of a demurrer to test the truth of the plaintiff's allegations or the accuracy with which he describes the defendant's conduct. A ...

Excerpt: ...Tahoe (“City”), and Jason Bunn. In 2019, Bunn and plaintiff reached a settlement agreement and Bunn was dismissed from this action. Pending are separate motions for summary judgment filed by the remaining defendants, the City and Tahoe. 1. STANDARD OF REVIEW A defendant moving for summary judgment bears the burden of persuasion that one or more elements of the cause of action at issue cannot be established or that there is a complete defense ...

Excerpt: ...g are plaintiffs' motions to compel defendant's further responses to the second set of discovery requests. A. Revised Tentative Ruling Re: Motions Heard 1/22/21 This matter was continued from December 11, 2020, because defendant's attorney failed to respond to plaintiffs' attorney's multiple attempts to meet and confer prior to the hearing. The court ordered the attorneys to meet and confer over the disputed discovery responses and continued the ...

Excerpt: .... The court further directed plaintiffs' attorney to file an updated meet and confer declaration prior to this hearing. On January 15, 2021, plaintiffs' attorney filed an updated declaration which indicates that defendant's attorney did not bother responding to additional attempts to meet and confer over the disputed discovery. Having read and considered plaintiffs' moving papers, defendant's opposition, and plaintiffs' reply, the court rules as ...

Excerpt: ...an ex parte basis and set the matter for hearing on January 22, 2021. Plaintiff's application is made pursuant to Civil Code § 2938, et seq., and Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”) § 564, et seq. 1. BACKGROUND On November 2, 2018, defendant entered into a Loan Agreement (“Loan”) with Ladder Capital Finance, LLC. (Pl. App., Ex. A.) The original principal amount of the loan was $14,100,000.00. (Id., Ex. A, § 2.1.2.) The Loan is further evid...

Excerpt: ...), alleging that the City failed to proceed in a manner required by law. (See Code of Civ. Proc. § 1094.5; Gov't Code § 65000, et seq.) Petitioners seek a writ of mandamus invalidating the City's approval of the Project, and directing the City to vacate and set aside approval of Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”) 19‐01 and Site Plan Review (“SPR”) 19‐01. Petitioner's Opening Brief was filed September 29, 2020; Respondent's and Real Part...

Excerpt: ...otel, plaintiff sustained numerous bedbug bites which caused, and continues to cause, physical and emotional injury. Plaintiff complained about the bedbugs to defendants' managers and agents, but they failed to abate the infestation. Plaintiff's complaint asserts causes of action for (1) breach of implied warranty of habitability, (2) battery, (3) negligence—premises liability/failure to warn, (4) nuisance, (5) intentional infliction of emotion...

Excerpt: ...te property location for the financial benefit of Chavez, which he contends constituted slave labor and violated his civil rights. At a court hearing on July 24, 2020, the court sustained the County's demurrer to plaintiff's 1st cause of action (“C/A”) for general negligence and 2nd C/A for intentional tort with leave to amend. Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint (“FAC”), filed September 8, 2020, alleges causes of action for (1) general n...

Excerpt: ...e for comparable legal services in the community; it may be adjusted by the court based on factors including, as relevant herein, (1) the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, (2) the skill displayed in presenting them, (3) the extent to which the nature of the litigation precluded other employment by the attorneys, (4) the contingent nature of the fee award�.� Graciano v. Robinson Ford Sales, Inc. (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 140, 154....

Excerpt: ...der adopting the tentative ruling as the final ruling of the court. On September 14, 2020, Judge Dylan Sullivan issued an ex parte minute order recusing herself pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 170.1(a)(6)(A)(i), (iii). Subsequently, defendants filed two motions related to Judge Sullivan's recusal: (1) motion for reconsideration regarding the court's September 11, 2020, ruling, filed by defendant Serrano El Dorado Owner's Association (“SO...

Excerpt: ..., 2020. Plaintiffs subsequently made a second request to waive court fees, which was denied on August 21, 2020. Plaintiffs then made a third request to waive court fees, which was denied on October 6, 2020. Pending is defendant SatinLegal's motion to dismiss plaintiffs' action due to their failure to pay court fees. Plaintiffs did not file an opposition. Government Code § 68634 provides, in part, that “[i]f an application [for fee waiver] is d...

Excerpt: ... 3.1010.) But, we are in the middle of a global pandemic. In response to that, the Judicial Council enacted Emergency Rule 11 of Appendix I of the California Rules of Court, which rule was subsequently codified at Code of Civil Procedure § 2025.310. Section 2025.310 provides in part: “At the election of the deponent or the deposing party, the deposition officer may attend the deposition at a different location than the deponent via remote mean...

Excerpt: ...Donna Krilich, an individual: (1) failure to pay all wages earned (Lab. Code §§ 510, 1194); (2) failure to pay all wages earned (29 U.S.C. §§ 207, 216(b), 255(a)); (3) pay stub violations (Lab. Code §§ 226, 226.6, 1174); (4) failure to provide compliant meal and rest breaks (Lab. Code §§ 226.7, 512); (5) failure to pay overtime (Lab. Code §§ 510, 1194, 1198); (6) failure to pay minimum wage (Lab. Code § 1194); (7) failure to produce em...

Excerpt: ...idual and official capacity, for (1) violation of the California Constitution, Article I, § 13; (2) violation of the California Constitution, Article I, § 7(a); (3) violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983— unreasonable search and seizure; (4) violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983—due process; (5) conversion; (6) 42 U.S.C. § 1983—Monell liability; and (7) equitable relief under Minsky and Holt.1 Pending is defendants' demurrer to the complaint. 1. Standa...