Judge: Jon R. Takasugi, Case: 16STSC02527, Date: 2025-03-06 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 16STSC02527    Hearing Date: March 6, 2025    Dept: 17

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

DEPARTMENT 17

TENATIVE RULING

Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration is DENIED.

On 8/3/2016, pro per Plaintiff Deborah Elizabeth Gouch-Onassis) filed a small claims Complaint.

On 1/10/2025, Plaintiff moved for reconsideration of her vexatious litigant status.

Discussion

            Plaintiff’s motion is filed as a motion for reconsideration of vexatious litigant status. However, the handwritten motion uploaded to eCourt is borderline illegible, unintelligible, and incomprehensible in substance.  In addition, Plaintiff appears to be trying to re-pursue the same lawsuits from 2014-16 that lead to her being deemed a vexatious litigant. Indeed, this type of filing reinforces the reason Plaintiff was initially placed on the vexatious litigant list, (see 6/17/2019 Minute Order) and why her application to vacate her vexatious litigant status is denied.

            Plaintiff is urged to consult an attorney. Moreover, the Court reminds Plaintiff that she is not barred from pursuing new claims action as a result of her vexatious litigant status. Rather, Plaintiff must comply with the prefiling requirements placed on her by that status in order to move forward with her claim. (See 4/27/2018 Order.) This means that Plaintiff must first obtain leave of the presiding/supervising judge of the court where the litigation is to be proposed. (CCP § 291(a).)  Plaintiff’s presentation of legible, comprehensive pleadings is a prerequisite to obtaining such approval.

            Based on the foregoing, Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration is denied.

It is so ordered.

Dated:  March    , 2025

   Hon. Jon R. Takasugi
   Judge of the Superior Court

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the court at smcdept17@lacourt.org by 4 p.m. the day prior as directed by the instructions provided on the court website at www.lacourt.org.  If a party submits on the tentative, the party’s email must include the case number and must identify the party submitting on the tentative.  If all parties to a motion submit, the court will adopt this tentative as the final order.  If the department does not receive an email indicating the parties are submitting on the tentative and there are no appearances at the hearing, the motion may be placed off calendar.  For more information, please contact the court clerk at (213) 633-0517.