Judge: John J. Kralik, Case: 23BBCV02904, Date: 2025-03-14 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23BBCV02904    Hearing Date: March 14, 2025    Dept: NCB

 

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

North Central District

Department B

 

 

andrew ruelas lopez, et al.,

                        Plaintiffs,

            v.

 

george zamoraplasencia,

 

                        Defendant.

 

  Case No.:  23BBCV02904

 

  Hearing Date:  March 14, 2025

 

 [TENTATIVE] order RE:

motion to be relieved as counsel

 

 

Defense counsel, Hannah A. Amor/Law Offices of Stephen A. Shapiro (“Counsel”), moves to be relieved as counsel for Defendant George Zamora Placensia (“Defendant”). 

Counsel filed this instant motion to be relieved as counsel on February 14, 2025.  Counsel has filed the requisite forms pursuant to CRC Rule 3.1362. 

According to the declaration of Counsel, Counsel seeks to be relieved as counsel because Counsel has not been able to communicate with Defendant.  Counsel states that they have sent at least 6 letters to Defendant since September 2023 requesting that he call Counsel, but Defendant never called Counsel and 2 letters came back returned unopened to sender.  Counsel states that Defendant’s phone number is not in service and Counsel does not have Defendant’s email address.  Counsel states that an investigator was hired to locate Defendant, but he was not found.  (MC-052, §2.)  For these reasons, Counsel seeks to withdraw from representing Defendant in this action. 

Counsel served Defendant at his last known mailing address, which Counsel was unable to confirm.  However, Counsel made efforts to mail the papers to Defendant’s last known mail address (return receipt requested), calling Defendant’s last known phone number, and hiring an investigator.  Plaintiffs’ counsel was also served with the motion by e-mail.

As for future hearing dates, the Final Status Conference is set for November 6, 2025 and the Trial is set for November 17, 2025.  Thus, there is time for Defendant to obtain substitute counsel.

Accordingly, the motion to be relieved as counsel is granted.  The order electronically lodged by Counsel will be signed at the hearing.  The order will become effective upon the filing of a proof of service of a signed copy of the order on Defendant. 

Notice to be provided by Counsel.

 

 

 

DATED: March 14, 2025                                                       ___________________________

                                                                                          John J. Kralik

                                                                                          Judge of the Superior Court