Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 21STCV11190, Date: 2022-10-20 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV11190    Hearing Date: October 20, 2022    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: October 20, 2022

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

(3) Motions to Be Relieved as Counsel

Moving Party: Anna M. Carno, counsel of record for Defendants Wild Living Foods, LLC, Richard Torres and Lizbeth Sanchez

Responding Party: None

T/R:     THE MOTIONS ARE GRANTED. COUNSEL TO FILE PROOF OF SERVICE OF ORDER ON DEFENDANTS WITHIN 5 DAYS OF NOTICE OF RULING. COUNSEL WILL BE RELIEVED UPON FILING OF PROOF OF SERVICE OF ORDER.

THE COURT WILL SET AN OSC RE REPRESENTATION OF CORPORATE DEFENDANT WILD LIVING FOODS LLC.

COUNSEL TO NOTICE.

The Court considers the moving papers. No opposition has been received.

The Court may issue an order allowing an attorney to withdraw from representation, after notice to the client.  (CCP § 284.)  The attorney may withdraw from representation where the withdrawal would not result in undue prejudice to the client’s interest. Counsel cannot withdraw at a critical point in the litigation.  (Ramirez v. Sturdevant (1994) 21 Cal. App. 4th 904, 915; see California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-700.)

Attorney Anna M. Carno, counsel of record for Defendants Wild Living Foods, LLC, Richard Torres, and Lizbeth Sanchez, seeks to withdraw from representation of Defendants. Counsel states that there has been a break-down in the attorney-client relationship. Trial is set for December 19, 2022; no prejudice will result from counsel’s withdrawal. Counsel has complied with CRC 3.1362.

There is good cause for counsel’s withdrawal. The motions are GRANTED.  Corporate Defendant Wild Living Foods LLC may not represent itself. The Court will set an OSC re representation of the corporate entity.