Judge: Elaine W. Mandel, Case: 22SMCV00251, Date: 2024-08-12 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22SMCV00251    Hearing Date: August 12, 2024    Dept: P

Tentative Ruling

SM 10000 Property LLC v. Darius Johnson, Case No. 22SMCV00251  

Hearing date: August 12, 2024

Plaintiff SM 10000 Property LLC’s Motion to Compel Responses to 1) Special Interrogatories and 2) Request for Production; Request for Sanctions

Landlord plaintiff SM 10000 Property alleges breach-of-contract against tenant defendant Johnson for failure to pay rent. The court entered default on September 14, 2022. SM 10000 moves to compel responses to special interrogatories and request for production as well as $1,650 in sanctions.

SM 10000 propounded discovery on April 25, 2023, “asking for Defendant’s financial assets, employment history, real property, income, etc.” Ishu Decl. ¶4; Exh. 1. More than 30 days have lapsed without response. No opposition has been filed.

SM 10000 seeks an order compelling responses and $1,650 in sanctions for three hours at $300 per hour spent drafting each motion, with an additional three hours anticipated for opposition and reply. Id. ¶ 2, 4. This is excessive, given the simplicity of the motions and lack of opposition. The court awards four hours total for preparation and appearance ($1,200). GRANTED. Sanctions payable within 30 days.