Judge: Mark H. Epstein, Case: 22SMCV00067, Date: 2024-10-18 Tentative Ruling

If the parties wish to submit on the tentative ruling and avoid a court appearance on the matter, the moving party must contact the opposing party and all other parties who have appeared in the action and confirm that each will submit on the tentative ruling. Please call the court no later than 4:30 p.m. on the court day before the hearing, leave a message with the court clerk at (310) 260-3629 advising her that all parties will submit on the tentative ruling and waive hearing, and finally, serve notice of the Court's ruling on all parties entitled to receive service. If any party declines to submit on the tentative ruling, then no telephone call is necessary, and all parties should appear at the hearing.

Case Number: 22SMCV00067    Hearing Date: October 18, 2024    Dept: I

The motion to compel is GRANTED.  The request for sanction is GRANTED in the reduced total amount of $1925 as against defendant but not counsel.  Defendant will provide verified responses, without objection (other than privilege) within 30 days of today.  Responsive documents will be provided at the same time.  If a document is withheld on the basis of privilege, a log will be provided when the documents are due.  The log must be sufficient to establish a prima facie case as to why the document is privileged.

Plaintiff served special interrogatories and requests for production on April 24, 2023.  Defendant has not provided any responses.  When the motion to compel was brought, no opposition was filed.  Under those circumstances, the court sees no reason not to grant the motion.  Sanctions are reduced, however, because the two motions are essentially one and the same.