Judge: Malcolm Mackey, Case: 21STCV00657, Date: 2022-10-21 Tentative Ruling



Case Number: 21STCV00657    Hearing Date: October 21, 2022    Dept: 55

MAJOR LEAGUE TRUCKING, INC. v. CONTAINER TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS, LLC                                                                                                                        21STCV00657 

Hearing Date:  10/21/22,  Dept. 55

#10:   MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION OF ISSUANCE OF DISCOVERY SANCTIONS.

 

Notice:  Okay

No Opposition

 

MP:  Plaintiff

RP:  

 

 

Summary

 

On 1/7/21, Plaintiff filed a Complaint alleging that defendants wrongfully took two trailer chasses, and a shipping container of goods and office equipment, and wrote a check with insufficient funds.

The causes action are:

1. CONVERSION

2. NEGLIGENCE

3. INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE.

 

 

MP Positions

 

Moving party requests an order reconsidering the order of 4/20/22, awarding discovery sanctions against Plaintiff in the sum of $1,935, on grounds including the following:

 

·         The motion to compel discovery responses had been ordered off calendar per the posted tentative ruling, and so there was no pending motion under which sanctions could be awarded.

·         Moving party’s submission on the Court’s tentative ruling taking the motion off calendar, had waived any claim it might have had to sanctions under the motion.

 

 

Tentative Ruling

 

The unopposed motion is granted.

The failure to file a proper and timely opposition in trial court creates a waiver of the issues on any appeal.  Bell v. Am. Title Ins. Co. (1991) 226 Cal. App. 3d 1589, 1602;  Cabrini Villas Homeowners Assn. v. Haghverdian (2003) 111 Cal. App. 4th 683, 693.  A judge in a civil case is not "'obligated to seek out theories [a party] might have advanced, or to articulate … that which … [a party] has left unspoken.'"  Mesecher v. County of San Diego (1992) 9 Cal. App. 4th 1677, 1686.

Where respondents served untimely discovery responses after parties have filed motions to compel initial responses, courts have broad discretion as to ruling, including ordering the motion off calendar.  Sinaiko Healthcare Consulting, Inc., v. Klugman (2007) 148 Cal.App.4th 390, 409.