Judge: Deirdre Hill, Case: 22TRCV00403, Date: 2022-09-29 Tentative Ruling

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Case Number: 22TRCV00403    Hearing Date: September 29, 2022    Dept: M

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

Southwest District

Torrance Dept. M

 

NORMA WESOLOWSKI, et al.,

 

 

 

Plaintiffs,

 

Case No.:

 

 

22TRCV00403

 

vs.

 

 

[Tentative] Ruling

 

 

AMAL ZAKY, et al.,

 

 

 

Defendants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hearing Date:                          September 29, 2022

 

Moving Parties:                      Defendants Amal Zaky and Palo Vista Property Management

Responding Party:                  Plaintiffs Norma Wesolowski, Brenda Zuniga, and Yessenia Bueno

 

Demurrer to Complaint

           

            The court considered the moving and opposition papers.  No reply has been filed.

 

RULING

            The demurrer to complaint is CONTINUED to _______________.

 

BACKGROUND

            On May 27, 2022, plaintiffs Norma Wesolowski, Brenda Zuniga, and Yessenia Bueno filed a complaint against defendants Amal Zaky and Palo Vista Property Management for (1) breach of contract, (2) private nuisance, (3) unfair competition (Business and Professions Code section 17200), (4) negligence, and (5) failure to return security deposit.

 

LEGAL AUTHORITY

When considering demurrers, courts read the allegations liberally and in context.  Taylor v. City of Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 1216, 1228.  “A demurrer tests the pleadings alone and not the evidence or other extrinsic matters.  Therefore, it lies only where the defects appear on the face of the pleading or are judicially noticed.”  SKF Farms v. Superior Court (1984) 153 Cal.App.3d 902, 905.  “The only issue involved in a demurrer hearing is whether the complaint, as it stands, unconnected with extraneous matters, states a cause of action.”  Hahn v. Mirda (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 740, 747. 

 

DISCUSSION

            Plaintiffs filed an opposition to the demurrer on September 2, 2022.  Plaintiffs have not filed a proof of service demonstrating the opposition was served on defendants.  Defendants have not filed a reply in support of their demurrer or otherwise indicated they have received a copy of plaintiffs’ opposition.  It is thus unclear whether defendants were properly served with plaintiffs’ opposition.  Under these circumstances, the court will continue the demurrer to allow plaintiffs an opportunity to serve the opposition on defendants and file proof of service of such, as well as to allow defendants an opportunity to file a reply.

            Accordingly, the demurrer to complaint is continued to ______________.

            Plaintiffs are ordered to serve the opposition papers on defendants and file proof of service of such.

            Reply due per code.

Defendants are ordered to give notice of the ruling.