Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 22STCV17343, Date: 2024-01-22 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV17343    Hearing Date: February 29, 2024    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: February 29, 2024

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

Motion to Compel Responses to Discovery

Moving Party: Defendants Masoud Koshki, Shlomo Harari and P&J LaBrea, LLC

Responding Party: Plaintiff Arthur Edward Ezor

T/R:     DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

DEFENDANTS TO NOTICE. 

If the parties wish to submit on the tentative, please email the courtroom at SMCdept54@lacourt.org with notice to opposing counsel (or self-represented party) before 8:00 am on the day of the hearing. 

The Court considers the moving papers, opposition, and reply.

Defendants move to compel responses and/or further responses to special interrogatories, sets one and two, and requests for production of documents, set one. Defendants served the discovery on August 9, 2023. Plaintiff served a response via letter on October 10, 2023. Defendants assert the letter is not a proper discovery response. Defendants do not provide a separate statement showing which requests require further response. In opposition, Plaintiff asserts he already responded to discovery. Defendants seek monetary and terminating sanctions.

It is unclear exactly how and to what extent Plaintiff has responded to discovery. An order compelling further responses and awarding sanctions is not supported by this record. Plaintiff must provide discovery responses that comply with the Code of Civil Procedure.  If Plaintiff’s responses are evasive or incomplete, Defendants may then file a motion to compel further (which would include a separate statement).

The Court will not require an informal discovery conference before hearing any renewed motion.