Judge: Holly J. Fujie, Case: 20STCV48541, Date: 2023-03-24 Tentative Ruling
DEPARTMENT 56 JUDGE HOLLY J. FUJIE, LAW AND MOTION RULINGS. The court makes every effort to post tentative rulings by 5.00 pm of the court day before the hearing. The tentative ruling will not become the final ruling until the hearing [see CRC 3.1308(a)(2)], and are also available in the courtroom on the day of the hearing [see CRC 3.1308(b)]. If the parties wish to submit on the tentative ruling and avoid a court appearance, all counsel must agree and choose which counsel will give notice. That counsel must 1) call Dept 56 by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing (213/633-0656) and state that all parties will submit on the tentative ruling, and 2) serve notice of the ruling on all parties. If any party declines to submit on the tentative ruling, then no telephone call is necessary and all parties should appear at the hearing in person or by Court Call. Court reporters are not provided, and parties who want a record of motions and other proceedings must hire a privately retained certified court reporter.
Case Number: 20STCV48541 Hearing Date: March 24, 2023 Dept: 56
SUPERIOR
COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR
THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT
Plaintiff, vs. JOHN HILBURN DAVIS, IV, et al.,
Defendants. |
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[TENTATIVE] ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO BE
RELIEVED AS COUNSEL Date:
March 24, 2023 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept. 56 Non-Jury Trial: April 25, 2023 |
MOVING PARTY: Brandon Scott Reif (“Reif”)
Reif
seeks to be relieved as counsel for Defendants Digital Brands Group, Inc.
(“DBG”), Denim.LA, INC (“DLA”), and John Hilburn Davis, IV (“Davis”)
(collectively, “Defendants”). Reif’s motions to be relieved as counsel (collectively,
the “Motions”) are compliant with California Rules of Court, rule 3.1362.
The Motions are unopposed. Any
opposition papers were required to have been filed and served at least nine
court days before the hearing under California Code of Civil Procedure
section 1005, subdivision (b).
DISCUSSION
The
court has discretion on whether to allow an attorney to withdraw, and a motion
to withdraw will not be granted where withdrawal would prejudice the
client. (Ramirez v. Sturdevant (1994) 21 Cal.App.4th 904, 915.)
In
support of the Motions, Reif declares that there has been a breakdown in
communication such that continuing Defendants’ representation is
impossible. The Court finds this to be
an adequate basis for withdrawal. For
this reason and because they are unopposed, the Court GRANTS the Motions. (Sexton
v. Superior Court (1997) 58 Cal.App.4th 1403, 1410.) As business entities, DBG
and DLA must be represented by counsel. (See
Caressa Camille, Inc. v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Bd. (2002) 99
Cal.App.4th 1094, 1101.) The Court will
hold an OSC regarding DBG and DLA’s representation on April 14, 2023 at 8:30
a.m. in this department. On its own
motion, the Court CONTINUES the trial to June 12, 2023.
Moving
party is ordered to give notice of this ruling.
In consideration
of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Court¿strongly¿encourages
that appearances on all proceedings, including this one, be made
by LACourtConnect if the parties do not submit on the tentative.¿¿If
you instead intend to make an appearance in person at Court on this matter, you
must send an email by 2 p.m. on the last Court day before the scheduled date of
the hearing to¿SMC_DEPT56@lacourt.org¿stating your intention to appear in person.¿
The Court will then inform you by close of business that day of the time your
hearing will be held. The time set for the hearing may be at any time during
that scheduled hearing day, or it may be necessary to schedule the hearing for
another date if the Court is unable to accommodate all personal appearances set
on that date.¿ This rule is necessary to ensure that adequate precautions can
be taken for proper social distancing.
Parties who intend to submit on this
tentative must send an email to the Court at SMC_DEPT56@lacourt.org as directed
by the instructions provided on the court website at www.lacourt.org. If
the department does not receive an email and there are no appearances at the
hearing, the motion will be placed off calendar.
Dated this 24th day of March 2023
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Hon.
Holly J. Fujie Judge
of the Superior Court |