Judge: Mark C. Kim, Case: 21LBCV00491, Date: 2023-01-19 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21LBCV00491    Hearing Date: January 19, 2023    Dept: S27

Plaintiffs and Cross-Defendants have motions to compel further responses on calendar today (1/19/23), 1/26/23, 1/31/23, 2/02/23, 2/21/23, and 2/23/23.  The Court has reviewed the motion on calendar today, and notes that the parties are engaged in ongoing settlement discussions with the assistance of a mediator.  The Court also notes that the parties agreed to an extension of time to file the motions, but opposing counsel did not participate in any meaningful meet and confer discussion in connection with the motions before they were filed.

The hearing on all of the motions to compel further responses is continued to 2/23/23.  The Court has briefly reviewed the responses to discovery and finds they consist largely of objections; Defendants are reminded that they have the burden to justify their objections by way of opposition to the motions if they wish to stand by the objections.  The Court strongly admonishes Defendants to meaningfully participate in the meet and confer process prior to the deadline for filing opposition to the continued hearing, and strongly admonishes Defendants to provide code-compliant responses to all of the subject discovery. 

The Court will consider the issue of sanctions on 2/23/23.  Nothing in this ruling should be construed to imply that Defendants can avoid sanctions entirely by complying with their discovery obligations at this late date.  The Court will consider the issue of sanctions on its own merits on 2/23/23. 

Plaintiffs are ordered to give notice. 

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the court at gdcdepts27@lacourt.org indicating intention to submit on the tentative as directed by the instructions provided on the court website at www.lacourt.org.  If the department does not receive an email indicating the parties are submitting on the tentative and there are no appearances at the hearing, the motion may be placed off calendar.  If a party submits on the tentative, the party’s email must include the case number and must identify the party submitting on the tentative. If any party does not submit on the tentative, the party should make arrangements to appear remotely at the hearing on this matter.