Judge: Bruce G. Iwasaki, Case: 23STCV04933, Date: 2025-03-27 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV04933    Hearing Date: March 27, 2025    Dept: 58

Judge Bruce G. Iwasaki

Department 58

Hearing Date:             March 27, 2025

Case Name:                Beckman Coulter, Inc. v. Universal Diagnostic Laboratories LLC

Case No.:                    23STCV04933

Motion:                       Motion to be Relieved as Counsel

Moving Party:             Counsel for Defendant R&B Medical Group, Inc. (erroneously sued as Universal Diagnostic Laboratories LLC)

Opposing Party:          None

             Defendant’s counsel – Michael Murray – seeks to be relieved as counsel of record. No opposition was filed.

            The motion to be relieved as counsel is granted as to Defendant R&B Medical Group, Inc.   

Discussion

            An attorney is entitled to withdraw upon the consent of the client, or without that consent if approved by the court. (Code Civ. Proc., § 284; Ramirez v. Sturdevant (1994) 21 Cal.App.4th 904, 915.) In the latter case, counsel must make a motion to be relieved as attorney of record.  The motion must be made using mandatory forms: Notice of Motion and Motion to be Relieved as Counsel – Civil (MC-051), Declaration (MC-052), and Proposed Order (MC-053). (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1362, subd. (a), (b), (e).)

            The declaration accompanying the motion to be relieved as counsel must state “in general terms and without compromising the confidentiality of the attorney-client relationship why a motion under Code of Civil Procedure section 284(2) is brought instead of filing a consent under Code of Civil Procedure section 284(1).” (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1362, subd. (b).)

            The notice to the client must be done by personal service, electronically, or mail. If it is done via mail under Code of Civil Procedure section 1013, it must be accompanied by a declaration confirming the service address to be the most current residence or that it is the client’s last known address, and the attorney has been unable to locate a more current address. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1362, subd. (d)(1)(A)-(B).)

            Here, Attorney Murray has complied with the Rules of Court by filing the forms MC-051 and MC-052; however, Form MC-053 must still be filed and served. He has also submitted a supporting declaration providing an adequate explanation for why he is moving to be relieved as counsel; he asserts that ongoing representation has become very difficult and his client’s ability to comply with the retainer agreement has become impossible.

Further, Form MC-052 indicates that notice was provided to Defendant via mail and the last known address was confirmed by Defendant by telephone.

Finally, trial in this matter has been set for June 9, 2025, and the next hearing is a Status Conference set for March 27, 2025. Thus, no prejudice will result from granting this motion where there is adequate time to retain new counsel.

The Court will grant the motion to be relieved as counsel upon the filing of MC-053.