Judge: Audra Mori, Case: 21STCV04584, Date: 2023-01-23 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV04584    Hearing Date: January 23, 2023    Dept: 31

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

Plaintiff Marcelino Cortez Estrada’s (“Plaintiff”) attorney of record, Alex Megeredchian, Esq. (“Counsel”), moves to be relieved as counsel for Plaintiff.  Counsel contends relief is necessary because Plaintiff is unresponsive to Counsel’s communication attempts and Plaintiff is not cooperating with Counsel.  Counsel has filed proof of service of the moving papers on Plaintiff and Defendants.  Counsel indicates that Counsel was both able and unable confirm Plaintiff’s address as current.  (MC-052 ¶ 3.)  Nonetheless, Counsel filed proof of service showing it has served the moving papers on the Clerk of the Court pursuant to CCP §1011(b) and California Rules Court, rule 3.1362(d).

The motion is unopposed and granted; the ruling is effective upon filing proof of service of the final order.  The Court notes the next scheduled hearing is for two motions to compel responses to discovery set for March 24, 2023, and trial is not scheduled until August 28, 2023.  Therefore, there is sufficient time for Plaintiff to seek other counsel or otherwise prepare prior to trial.  The Court encourages Plaintiff to act expeditiously in seeking new counsel to protect Plaintiff’s interests in this matter. 

Moving counsel is ordered to give notice.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE:

• Parties are encouraged to meet and confer after reading this tentative ruling to see if they can reach an agreement.
• If a party intends to submit on this tentative ruling, the party must send an email to the court at sscdept31@lacourt.org with the Subject line “SUBMIT” followed by the case number.  The body of the email must include the hearing date and time, counsel’s contact information, and the identity of the party submitting.  
• Unless all parties submit by email to this tentative ruling, the parties should arrange to appear remotely (encouraged) or in person for oral argument.  You should assume that others may appear at the hearing to argue.  
• If the parties neither submit nor appear at hearing, the Court may take the motion off calendar or adopt the tentative ruling as the order of the Court.  After the Court has issued a tentative ruling, the Court may prohibit the withdrawal of the subject motion without leave. 

Dated this 23^rd day of January 2023