Judge: Armen Tamzarian, Case: 24STCV20434, Date: 2025-03-20 Tentative Ruling

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Case Number: 24STCV20434    Hearing Date: March 20, 2025    Dept: 52

Defendant Kaiser Foundation Hospitals’ Petition to Compel Arbitration and Stay Action

Defendant Kaiser Foundation Hospitals moves to compel arbitration of this action by plaintiff Jeremy Vitug. 

Under the California Arbitration Act, a party may move to enforce an agreement to arbitrate disputes.  (Code Civ. Proc., § 1281.2.)  A motion to compel arbitration is “a summary proceeding.”  (Espejo v. Southern California Permanente Medical Group (2016) 246 Cal.App.4th 1047, 1057.)  The moving party can meet the “initial burden to show an agreement to arbitrate by attaching a copy of the arbitration agreement purportedly bearing the opposing party’s signature.”  (Id. at p. 1060.) 

Defendant meets its burden.  It presents evidence showing plaintiff electronically signed an agreement to arbitrate disputes with defendant.  (Salley Decl., ¶¶ 2-6, Ex. F, p. 6.)  The agreement applies to plaintiff’s claims.  

Plaintiff gives no basis for the court to deny this motion.  The law favors enforcement of valid arbitration agreements.  (Armendariz v. Foundation Health Psychcare Services, Inc. (2000) 24 Cal.4th 83, 97.)  “ ‘ “[A] party opposing the petition bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence any fact necessary to its defense.” ’ ”  (Kader v. Southern California Medical Center, Inc. (2024) 99 Cal.App.5th 214, 221.)  Plaintiff does not meet this burden.

Disposition

            Defendant Kaiser Foundation Hospitals’ petition to compel arbitration is granted.  The court hereby orders plaintiff Jeremy Vitug to arbitrate his causes of action against defendant pursuant to the parties’ arbitration agreement.  The court hereby stays the entire action pending resolution of the arbitration proceeding.