Judge: Kevin C. Brazile, Case: 24STCV01935, Date: 2024-07-17 Tentative Ruling

Hearing Date: July 17, 2024

Case Name: Freedman + Taitelman, LLP v. S.P. Das Enterprises, LLC, et al.

Case No.: 22STCV07779

Matter: Motion to Compel Further Responses

Moving Party: Plaintiff Freedman + Taitelman, LLP

Responding Party: Defendants Das Films, LLC and Sriram Das

Notice: OK

Ruling: The Motion is granted in part.

Moving party to give notice.

If counsel do not submit on the tentative, they are strongly 

encouraged to appear by LACourtConnect rather than in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This is an action in which Plaintiff Freedman + Taitelman, LLP, a law firm, alleges that Defendants S.P. Das Enterprises, LLC d.b.a. Das Films, LLC (“Das Films”) and Sriram Das failed to tender $286,969.62 in outstanding attorneys’ fees.  Plaintiff also alleges that Defendant Sriram Das is an alter ego of Das Films.  

Plaintiff now seeks to compel further responses from Defendants as to its requests for production, set one, nos.  1-11, 13-40.  This discovery generally pertains to Plaintiff’s alter ego allegations.  Plaintiff supports its requests by pointing to statements during negotiations by Defendants’ counsel to the effect that Das Films has substantial liabilities and little income.   

Defendants contend that the requests are overbroad in light of their privacy rights.  

The Motion is granted as to request nos. 1-11, 14-34, and 36-40, which seek information as to corporate organization, transactions between the Defendants, capital contributions, liabilities, income, financial statements, and subsidiaries.  This is all directly relevant to establishing whether a unity of interest exists between the Defendants.  The Court, however, will temporally narrow request nos. 14-34 and 36-40 to January 1, 2016, until the present.  

The Motion is denied as to request no. 13, which seeks all of Defendants’ quickbooks.  The Court believes this request is currently overbroad.  

The Motion is denied as to request no. 35, which seeks all asset information for subsidiaries.  This too is overbroad.  

The Motion is granted in part as set forth herein.  Further responses and production are to be provided within 30 days.  The Court declines to award sanctions.  The objections are overruled.

Moving party to give notice.

If counsel do not submit on the tentative, they are strongly encouraged to appear by LACourtConnect rather than in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.