Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 23STCV16635, Date: 2025-01-16 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV16635    Hearing Date: January 16, 2025    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: January 16, 2025

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

Motions to Be Relieved as Counsel

Moving Party: James C. Pettis, counsel of record for Defendants Omerta Farms, LLC and Jonathan Lachman

Responding Party: None

T/R:     THE MOTION IS GRANTED.

COUNSEL 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 8:30 am on the day of the hearing. 

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—for example, 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 James C. Pettis, counsel of record for Defendant Omerta Farms, LLC, seeks to withdraw from representation of defendant Omerta Farms, LLC. Counsel states that that the relationship between him and the client has broken down. Counsel has complied with CRC 3.1362.

Trial is set for February 24, 2025, but the Court also notes that these Defendants are listed in the Court’s file as being in default. The Court also notes that Defendant Omerta Farms, as a corporation, must be represented by counsel. The parties should address these issues at argument.

 The Court finds there is good cause for Counsel’s withdrawal. The motion is GRANTED.