Judge: Lee S. Arian, Case: 23STCV17256, Date: 2025-04-17 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV17256    Hearing Date: April 17, 2025    Dept: 27

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

On July 24, 2023, Plaintiff filed this motor vehicle accident case. Trial is set for May 21, 2025. Defendant Justin Minoo moves the Court to continue the trial to December 2025.

Defendant intends to file a motion for summary adjudication on the issue of punitive damages but requires additional time to do so. Specifically, Plaintiff seeks exemplary damages based on the allegation that Defendant fled the scene of the accident. However, at her deposition on February 12, 2025, Plaintiff admitted that Defendant remained at the scene and exchanged information. Defendant asserts that he has been diligent in pursuing discovery. Although Plaintiff’s deposition was completed on February 12, 2025, additional time is needed to complete discovery, including Plaintiff’s independent medical examination and the depositions of Plaintiff’s treating physicians.

        Under California Rules of Court, rule 3.714, cases such as this should be resolved within two years. Nonetheless, it appears that the parties are moving the case toward trial in a reasonable manner, so the Court will permit the case to go beyond the two-year timeframe.  The new Trial Date is set for December 8, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. The Final Status Conference is continued to November 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. All case-related deadlines will follow the new trial date.   The parties should treat the new trial date as firm.

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.