Judge: Lisa R. Jaskol, Case: 21STCV21937, Date: 2024-01-23 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV21937    Hearing Date: January 23, 2024    Dept: 28

Having reviewed Defendant Reynoldo Macapagal Abrenica’s unopposed motions to compel responses to form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and demand for production, the Court rules as follows. 

On April 27, 2023, Defendant Reynoldo Macapagal Abrenica (“Defendant”) served form interrogatories, set one, special interrogatories, set one, and demand for production, set one, on Plaintiff Marlon Lee (“Plaintiff”). 

Responses were due on October 20, 2023. Plaintiff failed to provide timely, verified responses and had not provided responses by the time Defendant filed these motions on January 2, 2024. 

The Court grants Defendant’s motions to compel responses to the form and special interrogatories under Code of Civil Procedure section 2030.290, subdivision (b), and orders Plaintiff to provide verified responses to the form and special interrogatories compliant with Code of Civil Procedure sections 2030.210, section (a), and 2030.220 without objections by February 22, 2024. 

The Court grants Defendant’s motion to compel responses to the demand for production under Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.300 and orders Plaintiff to provide verified responses compliant with Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.210 and to produce the documents, electronically stored information, and/or other things requested without objections by February 22, 2024. 

Defendant requests $1,311.65 for each motion based on five hours of attorney’s time at a rate of $250.00 per hour and one $61.65 filing fee.  Counsel spent two hours drafting each motion and anticipated spending one hour to reply to any opposition and two hours to attend the hearing. 

The motions are substantially similar, they are unopposed, and they will be heard together. The Court awards sanctions of $1,184.95 for all three motions based on four hours of attorney’s time and three $61.65 filing fees.  (See Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2023.030, subd. (a), 2030.290, subd. (c), 2031.300, subd. (c).) 

The Court orders Plaintiff Marlon Lee and his counsel to pay Defendant Reynoldo Macapagal Abrenica $1,184.95 by February 22, 2024. 

Moving party is to give notice of this ruling.