Judge: Jon R. Takasugi, Case: 24STCV08354, Date: 2025-05-07 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24STCV08354    Hearing Date: May 7, 2025    Dept: 17

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

DEPARTMENT 17

TENTATIVE RULING

            Defendant Swallah’s motion to his RFAs deemed admitted as to Defendant Ritchie is GRANTED.

            Defendant Swallah’s motions to compel initial responses from Defendant Ritchie to his Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and RFPs are GRANTED.

            Defendant Ritchie is sanctioned, jointly and severally with counsel, $350 per set of discovery for a total of $1,400.00.

            On 4/2/2024, Plaintiff I Hsien Jocelyn Wu (Plaintiff) filed suit against Julius Miles Ritchie, Daud Swallah, and Uber Technologies, Inc., alleging: (1) motor vehicle negligence; (2) general negligence; and (3) vicarious liability negligence.

             On 3/19/2025 Defendant Daud Swallah (Swallah) moved to have his Requests for Admission (RFAs) deemed admitted against Defendant Julius Miles Ritchie (Ritchie). Swallah also moved to compel initial responses from Ritchie to his Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and Requests for Production (RFPs)

            The Court has consolidated its analysis of all discovery sets (the Subject Discovery) into a single ruling for ease.

            The motions are unopposed.

Discussion

            On 11/4/2024, Defendant Swallah served Defendant Ritchie with the Subject Discovery. As such, responses were due by 12/9/2024.  To date, no responses have been received.

            Defendant Ritchie failed to oppose this motion and thus has not offered any justification for the failure to respond. Accordingly, sanctions are warranted.

Based on the foregoing, Defendant Swallah’s motion to his RFAs deemed admitted as to Defendant Ritchie is granted. Defendant Swallah’s motion to compel initial responses from Defendant Ritchie to his Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, and RFPs is granted. Defendant Ritchie is sanctioned, jointly and severally with counsel, $350 per set of discovery for a total of $1,400.00.

It is so ordered.

Dated:  May    , 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.