Judge: Jill Feeney, Case: 21STCV12122, Date: 2022-09-30 Tentative Ruling
Case Number: 21STCV12122 Hearing Date: September 30, 2022 Dept: 30
Department 30, Spring Street Courthouse
September 30, 2022
21STCV12122
Motion to Compel Plaintiff’s Further Responses to Form Interrogatories and Request for Sanctions
Motion to Compel Plaintiff’s Further Responses to Special Interrogatories and Request for Sanctions
DECISION
The motion is granted in part and denied in part as set forth below.
Plaintiff must serve verified further responses within 35 days after the date of this order.
Sanctions in the amount of $3,667 are imposed jointly and severally on Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s Counsel. Sanctions are due within 35 days after the date of this order.
Discussion
Form Interrogatories
The motion is denied with respect to Form Interrogatory No. 2.1
The motion is granted with respect to Form Interrogatory No. 2.6.
Plaintiff must clearly state that he had no employment for the five years prior to the accident if that is the case.
The motion is granted with respect to Form Interrogatory no. 6.5.
Plaintiff must answer the question without objections.
Special Interrogatories
The motion is granted with respect to No. 6, No. 9, No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, No. 14, No. 15, No. 30, and 31.
Sanctions
Defendant requests sanctions in the amount of $2,445 per motion. Defendant’s counsel estimates 12 hours of work per motion and indicates that he has in the past been awarded an hourly rate of over $400. Defendant also requests the two motion fees. Although the work involved in these matters is substantial, the Court is not inclined to award the same amount on each motion as some of the work is duplicative. Therefore, the Court awards sanctions totaling: $3,667 jointly and severally against Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s counsel of record.
