Judge: H. Chester Horn, Jr., Case: 1, Date: 2023-02-27 Tentative Ruling

If the parties wish to submit on the tentative ruling and avoid a court appearance on the matter, the moving party must contact the opposing party and all other parties who have appeared in the action and confirm that each will submit on the tentative ruling. Please call the court no later than 4:30 p.m. on the court day before the hearing, leave a message with the court clerk at (310) 260-3629 advising her that all parties will submit on the tentative ruling and waive hearing, and finally, serve notice of the Court's ruling on all parties entitled to receive service. If any party declines to submit on the tentative ruling, then no telephone call is necessary, and all parties should appear at the hearing.

Case Number: 1`8STCV00359    Hearing Date: February 27, 2023    Dept: I

YESENIA CAMPOS v. FOOD 4 LESS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC., ET AL.

18STCV00359

Tentative Ruling Re: Defendants’ Motion to Tax Costs

                This matter was tried to a jury resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of $3,463,799.48.  Plaintiff subsequently filed a Costs Bill seeking $90, 650.96.  The defendant seeks to tax two categories of the costs sought by the plaintiff.  First, defendant argues that the costs sought for models, blowups and copies of exhibits in the amount of $19,732.32 on the ground that they are excessive.  Second, defendant argues that the costs sought in the Category “Other” in the amount of $39,952.96, including plaintiff’s travel and lodging expenses as well as those of her attorneys are excessive or not authorized by law.

                The court has reviewed the papers of the parties, including the declarations and invoices submitted by counsel for  the plaintiff.  The Court concludes that the costs sought for Models, blowups and Copies of Exhibits are reasonable and expressly authorized by C.C.P. sec. 1033.5(a)(13).  The Court notes that this was a lengthy and complicated trial involving the use of multiple photos, videos and other electronic equipment.  The Court finds that the cost incurred by plaintiff in tis category were al reasonable and therefor recoverable as costs.  With respect to the “other” category, the Court finds the costs sought for travel and lodging expenses d of the plaintiff and here attorneys during the trial are not recoverable.  [Lada v. California State Auto, Assn. (App. 1, Dist. 1993),19 Cal.App. 4^th 761;Gorman v. Tassajara (App. 6 Dist. 2009), 178 Cal.App.4^th 44.]  Accordingly, the court will tax the travel costs sought in the amount of $13,280.36.  In addition, the Court finds that the costs sought for the trial tech’s appearance at a pretrial hearing at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in the amount of $3,000, and the costs sought for removal of boxes from the courtroom after trial in the amount of $2,000 are also not recoverable.  Accordingly, the Court will tax the additional amount of $5,000 from the ”Other” category.  In summary, the Court will tax a total of$18,280.36 from the Costs bill.  The Clerk will amend the judgment accordingly.