Judge: John J. Kralik, Case: 24NNCV00436, Date: 2025-05-23 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24NNCV00436    Hearing Date: May 23, 2025    Dept: NCB

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

North Central District

Department B

On February 27, 2025, Plaintiff Nathalie De Jesus Jimenez (“Plaintiff”) filed a motion to compel initial responses from Defendant FCA US LLC (“Defendant”) for Request for Production of Documents (“RPD”), set one.  

On November 25, 2024, Plaintiff served on Defendant the discovery requests.  Plaintiff argues that Defendant agreed to produce documents responsive to 21 RPDs (Nos. 1, 10, 12-16, 21, 26-32, and 41-46), but failed to do so and only produced some but not all documents.  Exhibit 2 of the motion includes Defendant’s responses to the RPD.  Plaintiff moves pursuant to CCP § 2031.320, which states: “(a) If a party filing a response to a demand for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling under Sections 2031.210, 2031.220, 2031.230, 2031.240, and 2031.280 thereafter fails to permit the inspection, copying, testing, or sampling in accordance with that party's statement of compliance, the demanding party may move for an order compelling compliance.” 

As Defendant represented it would produce documents, the motion is granted pursuant to CCP § 2031.320(a). 

Plaintiff requests sanctions against Defendant and its attorney in the amount of $3,000 (= 8 hours on the motion plus anticipated 2 hours for the reply and appearance at the hearing, at $300/hour).  The request is granted in the reasonable amount of $1,000 on this relatively simple motion. 

CONCLUSION AND ORDER

            Plaintiff’s motion to compel Defendant to respond to the RPD is granted pursuant to CCP § 2031.320(a).  Defendant is ordered to provide responses within 30 days of notice of this order. 

Defendant and its counsel of record, jointly and severally, are ordered to pay monetary sanctions in the amount of $1,000 to Plaintiff, by and through counsel, within 20 days of notice of this order.