Judge: Cherol J. Nellon, Case: 22STCV11830, Date: 2023-05-17 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV11830    Hearing Date: May 17, 2023    Dept: 28

Ruling on Defendant Lily A. Lovegren' Unopposed Motions to Compel Responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories and Request for Production

Having reviewed Defendant Lily A. Lovegren's unopposed Motions to Compel Responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and Request for Production of Documents, the Court rules as follows.

On November 2, 2022, Defendant Lily A. Lovegren served Form Interrogatories, Set No. One, Special Interrogatories, Set No. One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set No. One, on Plaintiff Josalyn Watson.

Responses were due on January 16, 2023. Plaintiff Josalyn Watson failed to provide timely responses. Defendant Lily A. Lovegren 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 Plaintiff Josalyn Watson to provide verified responses to the interrogatories compliant with Code of Civ. Proc. §§ 2030.210 (a) and 2030.220 without objections by May 27, 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 Plaintiff Josalyn Watson 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 May 27, 2023.

Defendant Lily A. Lovegren requests monetary sanctions totaling $1,366.02.

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 $820.68 calculated as follows:

Defendant requests sanctions of $455.34 for each motion, based on 2 hours of attorney’s work at a rate of $160.17 per hour, 1 hour of legal assistant time at a rate of $75.00 per hour and 1 $60.00 filling fee. Attorney’s work is based on time spent meeting and conferring, reviewing the motion and appearing at the hearing. The Court notes all motions are substantially similar, all unopposed and all will be heard concurrently. The Court will not grant sanctions based on legal

assistant time. The Court grants sanctions totaling $820.68 across all motions, based on 4 hours of attorney’s work and 3 filling fees.

The sanctions total $820.68 and are payable by Plaintiff Josalyn Watson by June 16, 2023.

Moving Party is to give notice of this ruling.