Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 23STCV31756, Date: 2025-01-28 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV31756    Hearing Date: January 28, 2025    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: January 28, 2025

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

Motion to Consolidate

Moving Party: Cross-Defendant Joanna Hernandez Cruz[1]

Responding Party: None

T/R:      CROSS-DEFENDANT'S MOTION IS DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

CROSS-DEFENDANT 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. No opposition has been received.

“When actions involving a common question of law or fact are pending before the court, it may order a joint hearing or trial of any or all the matters in issue in the actions; it may order all the actions consolidated and it may make such orders concerning proceedings therein as may tend to avoid unnecessary costs or delay.”  (CCP § 1048(a).)

Cross-Defendant moves to consolidate (1) State Farm v. Castillo, Case Number 23STCV31756 (Castillo) and (2) Joanna Hernandez Cruz v. Lester Humberto Castillo Case Number 24VECV04464 (Cruz).

Cross-Defendant asserts that the two cases should be consolidated because they arise from the same motor vehicle accident. Cross-Defendant filed a notice of related case in Cruz 24VECV04464 but did not file one in this action. Cruz is not before this Court. The actions must be related before they can be consolidated, and the notice of related case must be filed in the earlier filed case.

Cross-Defendant's motion is DENIED without prejudice.