Judge: Cherol J. Nellon, Case: 22STCV19184, Date: 2023-05-15 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV19184    Hearing Date: May 15, 2023    Dept: 28

Ruling on Defendant Harmander Dhaliwal' Unopposed Motions to Compel Responses to Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories and Request for Production

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

On December 12, 2022, Defendant Harmander Dhaliwal served Form Interrogatories, Set No. One, Special Interrogatories, Set No. One, and Request for Production of Documents, Set No. One, on Plaintiff Jazmin Alfaro.

On November 11, 2022, Defendant Harmander Dhaliwal served Special Interrogatories, Set No. One, on Plaintiff Perez Pena.

Responses were due on December 12, 2022. Plaintiffs Jazmin Alfaro and Perez Pena failed to provide timely responses. Defendant Harmander Dhaliwal 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 Jazmin Alfaro and Perez Pena to provide verified responses to the interrogatories compliant with Code of Civ. Proc. §§ 2030.210 (a) and 2030.220 without objections by May 25, 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 Jazmin Alfaro 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 25, 2023.

Defendant Harmander Dhaliwal requests monetary sanctions totaling $3,255.00.

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 $1,040.85 calculated as follows:

Defendant requests $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 work at a rate of $75.00 per hour and 1 $60.00

filling fee. The Court notes all motions are substantially similar, all unopposed and all will be heard concurrently. The Court will not award sanctions based on legal assistant’s work. The Court grants sanctions totaling $1,040.85, based on 5 hours of attorney’s work and 4 filling fees. The Court divides the total sanctions between the two Plaintiffs based on the motions filed against each Plaintiff.

Sanctions total $260.21 and are payable by Plaintiff Perez Pena and his counsel by June 15, 2023.

Sanctions total $780.64 and are payable by Plaintiff Jazmin Alfaro and her counsel by June 15, 2023.

Moving Party is to give notice of this ruling.