Judge: David A. Hoffer, Case: 30-2021-1196798, Date: 2022-09-19 Tentative Ruling

Before the court are two unopposed motions by plaintiff Joe Specht (“plaintiff”) to compel discovery responses from defendant Advanced Industrial Solutions, Inc. (“AIS”)

Plaintiff’s motion to compel AIS to respond to plaintiff’s first set of Special Interrogatories (“SROGS”) is GRANTED. Plaintiff has shown that AIS failed to serve any responses at all. (CCP §2030.290)

Plaintiff’s motion to compel AIS to respond to plaintiff’s second set of Requests for Production of Documents (“RFPS”) is GRANTED. Plaintiff has shown that AIS failed to serve any responses at all. (CCP §2031.300)

AIS is ordered to serve code-compliant, verified responses, without objections, to all SROGS in the first set and all RFPS in the second set within 20 days of this hearing.

Sanctions

AIS is ordered to pay reasonable sanctions in the total amount of $960 to plaintiff within 45 days. Having failed to oppose the motions, AIS has not demonstrated substantial justification or other circumstances which make the imposition of the sanction unjust. (CCP §§2030.290(c), 2031.300(c))  Sanctions are awarded against AIS alone as plaintiff did not seek sanctions against AIS’ counsel, The Zacher Firm, in the Notice of Motion. (See CCP §2023.040) Reduced sanctions are awarded as the two motions are nearly identical and only reasonable expenses incurred for the costs of bringing the motion may be awarded. (Cornerstone Realty Advisors, LLC v. Summit Healthcare REIT, Inc. (2020) 56 Cal.App.5th 771, 790))

Plaintiff is ordered to give notice of this ruling.