Judge: Curtis A. Kin, Case: 22STCV02398, Date: 2022-12-06 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV02398    Hearing Date: December 6, 2022    Dept: 72

MOTIONS TO COMPEL RESPONSES TO:

(1) FORM INTERROGATORIES-GENERAL;

(2) SPECIAL INTERROGATORIES; AND

(3) REQUESTS FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

Date:                      12/6/22 (8:30 AM)                 

Case:                     Jessica Liu v. Lisa Ho Tzu Ting et al. (22STCV02398)

TENTATIVE RULING:

Defendant David Ting, as Trustee of The Ting Family Trust’s UNOPPOSED Motions to Compel Discovery Responses to Form Interrogatories-General, Set One; Special Interrogatories, Set One, Set One; and Request for Production of Documents, Set One are GRANTED.

On July 29, 2022, defendant David Ting, as Trustee of the Ting Family Trust, served the first sets of Form Interrogatories-General, Special Interrogatories, and Request for Production of Documents on plaintiff Jessica Liu by email. (Motschenbacher Decl. ¶ 3 & Exs. A-C.) The deadline to serve responses to the discovery was August 30, 2022. (CCP §§ 2030.260(a), 2031.260(a) [responses to be served 30 days after service); CCP § 1010.6(a)(4)(B) [two court days added for email service].) Despite efforts to meet and confer, no responses have been served. (Motschenbacher ¶¶ 4-8 & Exs. D, E.) Accordingly, all objections are waived. (CCP §§ 2030.290(a), 2031.300(a).)

The motions are GRANTED. Within 15 days of this ruling, plaintiff Jessica Liu shall serve written verified responses, without objection, to: (1) Form Interrogatories-General, Set One; (2) Special Interrogatories, Set One; and (3) Request for Production of Documents, Set One propounded by defendant David Ting, as Trustee of The Ting Family Trust and produce documents that are responsive to Request for Production of Documents, Set One.

For failing to comply with discovery obligations and thereby forcing defendant to file these three motions, the Court imposes a total of $410 in monetary sanctions on plaintiff Jessica Liu and counsel of record, jointly and severally. The monetary sanctions are based on 1.5 hours of work preparing all three motions, instead of the 1.5 hours claimed for each motion, and 0.5 hours preparing for and attending the hearing for all three motions, instead of the 1.5 hours claimed for each motion, all at an hourly rate of $205. Monetary sanctions shall be paid to counsel for defendant David Ting, as Trustee of The Ting Family Trust within 30 days hereof.