Judge: Joseph Lipner, Case: 23STCV19286, Date: 2025-06-05 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV19286    Hearing Date: June 5, 2025    Dept: 72

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT 72

TENTATIVE RULING

            Defendant GH Hospitality Group US, Inc. (“Defendant”) moves to compel answers to certain deposition questions posed to Plaintiff Jose Rangel (“Plaintiff”) and certain document requests.  The Court rules as follows:

Question 1:  Denied.  Defendant has Plaintiff’s phone number.

Question 2:  Denied.  Defendant had a right to ask for the phone in discovery but not real time in a deposition.

Question 3:  Granted so long as attorney-client communications are carved out of the question.

Question 4:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.  Instruction not to answer was improper.

Question 5:  Denied.  Plaintiff answered the question.

Question 6:  Denied.  Plaintiff could not answer without revealing attorney-client communications and work product.

Question 7:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.  Instruction not to answer was improper.

Question 8:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 9:  Granted. Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 10:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 11:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 12:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 13:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 14:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 15:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 16:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 17:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 18:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 19:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 20:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 21:  Granted.  Plaintiff must answer this question.

Question 22:  Denied.  Attorney-client privilege.

Question 23:  Denied.  Attorney-client privilege.

Question 24:  Granted so long as attorney-client communications are carved out of the question.

Question 25:  Granted so long as attorney-client communications are carved out of the question.

Requests for Production 119, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 134, 135, 147, 148, 149, 150, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168:  Denied.  These were subject to Defendant’s first set of request for documents.

Plaintiff may avoid answering Questions 8-21 if he definitively disclaims any right to reinstatement or backpay.

The Court denies the parties’ respective requests for sanctions.

Certain of the exchanges between counsel at the deposition were rude and unprofessional.  The attorneys are admonished to exhibit courtesy and professionalism at all times.  Failure to do so may subject attorneys to sanctions.