Judge: Jon R. Takasugi, Case: 21STCV37189, Date: 2023-11-16 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV37189    Hearing Date: November 16, 2023    Dept: 17

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

DEPARTMENT 17

TENTATIVE RULING

Defendant’s motions to compel are GRANTED, and its motion to have its RFAs deemed admitted is GRANTED. Each Plaintiff is sanctioned, jointly and severally with counsel, $2,100.00

            On 10/7/2021, Ariel Williamson Maule and 32 other members of the Iota Sweethearts, Inc. (collectively, Plaintiffs) initiated this action against the Iota Sweethearts, Inc. (IOTA or Defendant). On 12/1/2021, Plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint (FAC), alleging: (1) violation of California Corporations Code section 5341; and (2) violation of California Corporations Code section 5222.

            Now, Defendant moves to compel all Plaintiffs to provide initial responses to its Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and Demands for Production. Defendant also move to have its Requests for Admission (RFAs) deemed admitted.

Discussion

            Defendant served the subject discovery on 8/4/2023. As such, responses were due on 9/7/2023. To date, no responses have been received.

            Plaintiffs did not oppose this motion and thus have not offered any substantial justification for their failure to timely respond to discovery.

            Based on the foregoing, Defendant’s motions to compel are granted, and its RFAs are deemed admitted. Each Plaintiff is sanctioned, jointly and severally with counsel, $2,100.00. ($350/hr x 2 hr x 3 motions= $2,100.)

It is so ordered.

Dated:  November    , 2023

   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.