Judge: Anne Hwang, Case: 22STCV31911, Date: 2024-07-03 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV31911    Hearing Date: July 3, 2024    Dept: 32

PLEASE NOTE:   Parties are encouraged to meet and confer concerning this tentative ruling to determine if a resolution may be reached.  If the parties are unable to reach a resolution and a party intends to submit on this tentative ruling, the party must send an email to the Court at sscdept32@lacourt.org indicating that party’s intention to submit.  The email shall include the case number, date and time of the hearing, counsel’s contact information (if applicable), and the identity of the party submitting on this tentative ruling.  If the Court does not receive an email indicating the parties are submitting on this tentative ruling and there are no appearances at the hearing, the Court may place the motion off calendar or adopt the tentative ruling as the order of the Court.  If all parties do not submit on this tentative ruling, they should arrange to appear in-person or remotely.  Further, after the Court has posted/issued a tentative ruling, the Court has the inherent authority to prohibit the withdrawal of the subject motion and adopt the tentative ruling as the order of the Court. 

TENTATIVE RULING

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Alyssa Bersig (“Plaintiff”) moves to compel responses from Defendant Estate of Garth Sinnott (“Defendant”) to Special Interrogatories, Set Two. Plaintiff also seeks monetary sanctions. Defendant opposes and Plaintiff replies.

ANALYSIS

            According to Plaintiff’s motion, she propounded Special Interrogatories, Set Two on Defendant on February 22, 2024. Defendant served responses on April 24, 2024. Plaintiff seeks to compel further responses to numbers 51 to 61, which contained only objections. As a result, this is motion to compel further responses under Code of Civil Procedure section 2030.300.

The Court’s Eighth Amended Standing Order for Procedures in the Personal Injury Hub requires counsel to participate in an Informal Discovery Conference (“IDC”) before the Court will hear any motion to compel further responses to discovery, and provides that PI Hub Courts may deny or continue any motion if parties fail to schedule and complete an IDC before the scheduled hearing. There is no indication in the record that Plaintiff filed an IDC statement with the Court or scheduled an IDC for this motion. As a result, no IDC has taken place.

The Court therefore continues the motion.

CONCLUSION AND ORDER

Therefore, the Court continues the motion to August 7, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. The parties shall meet and confer by telephone to attempt to resolve their dispute. If they are unable to reach a resolution, counsel must appear for an informal discovery conference on July 23, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The parties shall file a joint status report two days in advance and serve a courtesy copy to the Court by 4:00 p.m. two days in advance, setting forth which issues remain and any additional arguments.

Plaintiff is ordered to provide notice of the Court’s orders and file a proof of service of such.