Judge: Jon R. Takasugi, Case: 20STCV31185, Date: 2025-04-23 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 20STCV31185    Hearing Date: April 23, 2025    Dept: 17

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

DEPARTMENT 17

TENTATIVE RULING

Defendant 1999 Sycamore, LLC’s motion for leave to file a Cross-Complaint for Interpleader is GRANTED.

On 8/17/2020, Plaintiffs Jedidiah and Lizette Baker (collectively, Plaintiffs) filed suit against Service Freak Hospitality, LLC, LLC, Robert Haro, and Jana Vicktor, alleging: (1) wrongful eviction; (2) retaliatory eviction; (3) common law retaliatory eviction; (4) failure to pay minimum wage; (5) failure to indemnify for business expenses; (6) unfair business practices; and (7) breach of the implied warranty of habitability.

            On 3/11/2025, Defendant 1999 Sycamore, LLC (Defendant) moved for leave to file a Cross-Complaint for Interpleader to resolve conflicting claims regarding a settlement fund of $55,000. Additionally, Defendant request that the Court grant Defendant leave to deposit the $55,000 that Defendant agreed to pay Plaintiffs in exchange for a full and final release of their claims with the Clerk of the Court. Lastly, Defendant requests that this Court enter an order restraining Plaintiffs from instituting or further prosecuting any other proceeding in any court in this state affecting the rights and obligations as between the parties to the interpleader until further order of the court.

            The motion is unopposed.

Discussion   

            Defendant seeks leave to file a Cross-Complaint for Interpleader to resolve competing claims to a $55,000 settlement fund. Cross-Defendants Jedidiah Baker, Lizette Baker, and Campbell & Farahani, LLP assert conflicting claims to the entire settlement amount. Cross-Complainant, having no interest in the funds, seeks to interplead the disputed amount and be discharged from liability.

Under CCP section 386, interpleader is an equitable remedy that allows a disinterested stakeholder to deposit disputed funds with the court and require competing claimants to litigate their respective rights. Courts have long recognized interpleader as appropriate where conflicting claims expose a party to multiple liability. (Southern California Gas Co. v. Flannery (2014) 232 Cal.App.4th 477, 486-487.)

Here, Cross-Complainant faces potential liability from multiple claimants asserting rights to the same $55,000 settlement funds. Because Cross-Complainant disclaims any interest in the funds and seeks to deposit them with the Court, interpleader is the appropriate remedy. (Farmers New World Life Ins. Co. v. Rees (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 307, 316-317.)

After review, the Court finds that leave should be granted, as should the other requested relief. The Court takes the non-opposition to the motion to be a concession to the motion on the merits.

Based on the foregoing, Defendant 1999 Sycamore, LLC’s motion for leave to file a Cross-Complaint for Interpleader is granted.

It is so ordered.

Dated:  April    , 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.