Judge: Lee S. Arian, Case: 22STCV30108, Date: 2025-02-27 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV30108    Hearing Date: February 27, 2025    Dept: 27

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

 

VERONICA CURIEL,

            Plaintiff,

            vs.

 

LISBETH A. BONAFICIO, et al.,

 

            Defendants.

 

 

 

 

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    CASE NO.: 22STCV30108

 

[TENTATIVE RULING] MOTIONS TO COMPEL INITIAL DISCOVERY RESPONSES ARE GRANTED

 

Dept. 27

1:30 p.m.

February 25, 2025

 

On August 28, 2024, Defendant Lisbeth A. Bonifacio served Form Interrogatories, Set One; Special Interrogatories, Set One; and Request for Production of Documents, Set One, on Plaintiff. Responses were due by the statutory deadline of September 30, 2024, but none were provided. On October 21, 2024, Counsel for Defendant met and conferred with Plaintiff's counsel, who indicated they would provide responses by the end of the following week. However, no responses were received by the promised date. Defendant then attempted to meet and confer further, but no communications were provided in response. Defendant has not received any of the discovery responses at issue and now moves the Court to compel initial responses.

Plaintiff did not file an opposition to the motions to compel, nor was any filing made indicating that the responses were provided prior to the hearing. Accordingly, the motions are granted. Plaintiff is ordered to provide complete and verified responses to Defendant Lisbeth A. Bonifacio's Form Interrogatories, Set One; Special Interrogatories, Set One; and Request for Production of Documents, Set One, within 20 days of today's date, without objections.

The Court finds that Plaintiff failed to act with substantial justification in not responding to the discovery requests and orders sanctions in the amount of $1,000 against Plaintiff and her counsel of record, jointly and severally.

Moving party is to give notice.

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the Court at SSCDEPT27@lacourt.org indicating intention to submit on the tentative as directed by the instructions provided on the court’s website at www.lacourt.org.  Please be advised that if you submit on the tentative and elect not to appear at the hearing, the opposing party may nevertheless appear at the hearing and argue the matter.  Unless you receive a submission from all other parties in the matter, you should assume that others might appear at the hearing to argue.  If the Court does not receive emails from the parties indicating submission on this tentative ruling and there are no appearances at the hearing, the Court may, at its discretion, adopt the tentative as the final order or place the motion off calendar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hon. Lee S. Arian

Judge of the Superior Court