Judge: Audra Mori, Case: BC675344, Date: 2022-07-27 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: BC675344    Hearing Date: July 27, 2022    Dept: 31

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

Plaintiffs Jeannine Thayer and Deacon Thayer filed this action against Defendants Forza Construction and Dan Coleman (“Coleman”) (collectively, “Defendants”) for damages arising out of a motor vehicle accident. 

At this time, Jeannine Thayer (“Plaintiff” or “Jeannine”) moves to compel the continued deposition of Defendant’s medical expert, Neeraj Gupta, M.D. (“Dr. Gupta”), or alternatively, to exclude Dr. Gupta from testifying at trial.  Defendants oppose the motion, and Plaintiff filed a reply. 

Plaintiff’s motion to compel further expert testimony is premature.  The parties must participate in an Informal Discovery Conference (“IDC”) as required by the Court’s Standing Order Re: PI Court Procedures.  In light of the imminent trial date, the Court will hold an IDC at the end of 1:30 p.m. motion calendar on July 27, 2022, and if necessary, thereafter decide or continue the motion.  Counsel are expected to be prepared to discuss the resolution of this discovery matter at the IDC.

Plaintiff 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 27^th day of July 2022