Judge: Andrew E. Cooper, Case: 23CHCV01421, Date: 2023-09-06 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23CHCV01421    Hearing Date: September 6, 2023    Dept: F51

MOTION TO BE RELIEVED AS COUNSEL

Motion filed: 6/6/23 

MOVING ATTORNEY: Andrew R. Myers (“Counsel”)

CLIENT: Plaintiff, David Scott Brown (“Plaintiff”) 

NOTICE: OK

RELIEF REQUESTED: An order relieving Counsel as attorney of record for Plaintiff. 

TENTATIVE RULING: The motion is granted. 

In a civil action, an attorney may move to be relieved as counsel at any time during the proceedings after giving notice to his client. (Code Civ. Proc. § 284.) The moving attorney shall file with his motion: (1) a notice of the motion, directed to the client using Judicial Council form MC-051; (2) a declaration in support of the motion using Judicial Council form MC-052; and (3) a proposed order granting the motion; all to be served on the client and all other parties who have appeared in the case. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1362.) If the notice is served on the client by mail, the motion must also be supported by a declaration “stating facts showing that either: (A) The service address is the current residence or business address of the client; or (B) The service address is the last known residence or business address of the client and the attorney has been unable to locate a more current address after making reasonable efforts to do so within 30 days before the filing of the motion to be relieved..” (Id., subd. (d)(1).) 

In his declaration, the moving attorney is required to state “in general terms, and without compromising the confidentiality of the attorney-client relationship why a motion under Code of Civil Procedure section 284(2) is brought instead of filing a consent under Code of Civil Procedure section 284(1).” (Id., subd. (c).) The client must be provided no less than five days’ notice before hearing on the motion. An attorney may withdraw from a case when it can be accomplished without undue prejudice to the client’s interests. (Ramirez v. Sturdevant (1994) 21 Cal.App.4th 904, 915.) On the other hand, if the attorney withdraws at a critical point in the action, thereby prejudicing his client, he has violated his ethical duties. (Ibid.)

Here, Counsel filed and served this motion to be relieved as counsel for Plaintiff on 6/6/23. Counsel served his client by mail, and has filed a declaration stating that the client’s mailing address was verified by mail correspondence. (Decl. of Andrew R. Myers, ¶ 3b.) Counsel also filed a proof of service showing that the requisite documents were served on Plaintiff on 6/6/23. The Court notes that Defendant has not been served with process and therefore has not yet appeared in the case.

Counsel properly filed an accompanying notice of the motion using MC-051, a declaration in support of his motion using form MC-052, and a proposed order granting the motion. In his MC-052 declaration, Counsel cited a breakdown of the attorney-client relationship rendering it “unreasonably difficult for Declarant to carry out representation effectively.” (Myers Decl., ¶ 2.) The next hearing in this action is a case management conference scheduled for 9/7/23. No trial date has been set, and as previously mentioned, no defendant has been served. Therefore, Counsel’s withdrawal does not raise the risk of unduly prejudicing his client.