Judge: Cherol J. Nellon, Case: 21STCV22874, Date: 2023-04-18 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV22874    Hearing Date: April 18, 2023    Dept: 28

Ruling on Defendant FIC - Master Lessee LLC' Unopposed Motions to Compel Responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories and Request for Production

Having reviewed Defendant FIC - Master Lessee LLC's unopposed Motions to Compel Responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and Request for Production of Documents, the Court rules as follows.

On May 25, 2022, Defendant FIC - Master Lessee LLC served Form Interrogatories, Set No. One, Special Interrogatories, Set No. One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set No. One, on Plaintiffs Caroline Thompson and Jessie Vesagas.

Responses were due on June 28, 2022. Plaintiffs Caroline Thompson and Jessie Vesagas failed to provide timely responses. Defendant FIC - Master Lessee LLC now moves to compel code-compliant responses.

The Court grants the motions to compel responses to the form and special interrogatories pursuant to Code of Civ. Proc. § 2030.290(b) and orders Plaintiffs Caroline Thompson and Jessie Vesagas to provide verified responses to the interrogatories compliant with Code of Civ. Proc. §§ 2030.210 (a) and 2030.220 without objections by April 28, 2023. The Court grants the motion to compel responses to the request for production and production of items pursuant to Code of Civ. Proc. § 2031.300 and orders Plaintiffs Caroline Thompson and Jessie Vesagas to provide verified responses pursuant to Code of Civ. Proc. § 2031.210 and to produce the documents, electronically stored information, and/or other things requested without objections by April 28, 2023.

Defendant FIC - Master Lessee LLC requests monetary sanctions totaling $2,292.00

The Court awards sanctions pursuant to Code of Civ. Proc. § 2023.030 (a), Code of Civ. Proc. § 2030.290 (c) and Code of Civ. Proc. § 2031.300 (c) in the amount of $1,060.00 calculated as follows:

Defendant requests sanctions totaling $764.00 for each motion, based on 3.2 hours of attorney’s work at a rate of $220.00 per hour and 1 $60.00 filling fee. 1.6 hours were spent drafting the motion and 1.6 hours are anticipated in replying to any opposition or attending the

hearing on the motion. The Court notes all motions are substantially similar, all unopposed and all will be heard concurrently. The Court grants sanctions totaling $1,060.00, based on 4 hours of attorney’s work and 3 filling fees.

The sanctions total $1,060.00 and are payable by Plaintiffs Caroline Thompson and Jessie Vesagas and their counsel by May 18, 2023.

Moving Party is to give notice of this ruling.