Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 23STCV31788, Date: 2024-07-30 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STCV31788    Hearing Date: July 30, 2024    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: July 30, 2024

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

Motion to Be Relieved as Counsel

Moving Party: Steven S. Vahidi of Vahidi Law Group, counsel of record for Defendant David Raymond Steckel

Responding Party: None

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

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 when 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.)  

Steven S. Vahidi of Vahidi Law Group, counsel of record for Defendant David Raymond Steckel, seeks to withdraw from representation of Defendant.  Counsel states the attorney-client relationship has broken down.  Trial is set for July 21, 2025; no prejudice will result from counsel’s withdrawal.  Counsel has complied with CRC 3.1362.

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