Judge: Edward B. Moreton, Jr., Case: 21SMCV00061, Date: 2022-10-27 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21SMCV00061    Hearing Date: October 27, 2022    Dept: 200

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles – West District

Beverly Hills Courthouse / Department 200

On October 3, 2022, defense counsel, Stephen Madoni, called the clerk to inform the Court that discovery issues have been resolved; the informal discovery conference (IDC) on those issues has been canceled, and counsel will take Defendant’s motion to compel further discovery off calendar.  On October 25, 2022, however, Defendant informed the court he is not taking his motion to compel off calendar; he was attempting to schedule an IDC, and he will be appearing at the hearing on October 27, 2022.  There is no opposition to Defendant’s motion.        

The Court denies without prejudice Defendant’s motion to compel.  Under this Department’s rules, the parties are required to attend an IDC or obtain the Court’s permission to file any motions to compel.  Defendant did neither.  Further in the event a motion to compel is allowed, the parties are required to file a “JOINT STATEMENT consisting of a four-column document set up as follows: The first column will identify the number of the discovery request; the second, the text of the discovery request; the third, the text of the response, and the fourth, bullet pointed statements, one from each party, as to why a further response should or should not be compelled.”  No such joint statement has been filed.  Accordingly, Court DENIES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Defendant’s motion compelling Plaintiff to provide further responses to special interrogatories, set one, and for order of sanctions in the amount of $1,860. 

DATED: October 27, 2022                                                   ___________________________

Edward B. Moreton, Jr.

Judge of the Superior Court