Judge: Armen Tamzarian, Case: 22STCV18556, Date: 2023-01-06 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV18556    Hearing Date: January 6, 2023    Dept: 52

Plaintiff Barbara Okonkwo’s Motion for Leave to File Second Amended Complaint

Plaintiff Barbara Okonkwo moves for leave to file a second amended complaint to add new causes of action for reformation and declaratory relief.  Courts have discretion to permit an amendment to any pleading “in furtherance of justice, and on any terms as may be proper.”  (Code Civ. Proc., § 473, subd. (a)(1).)  California courts exercise their discretion “liberally to permit amendment,” and “[t]he policy favoring amendment is so strong that it is a rare case in which denial of leave to amend can be justified.”  (Howard v. County of San Diego (2010) 184 Cal.App.4th 1422, 1428.)  

The new causes of action in plaintiff’s proposed second amended complaint are related to her existing claims.  They arise from the same or similar facts.  Defendants did not oppose this motion to assert prejudice delay (see Hirsa v. Superior Court (1981) 118 Cal.App.3d 486, 490) or any other basis for denying leave to amend.

Plaintiff’s motion is granted.  Plaintiff is ordered to file the second amended complaint forthwith.