Judge: Maurice A. Leiter, Case: 24STCV23251, Date: 2025-04-15 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24STCV23251    Hearing Date: April 15, 2025    Dept: 54

Hearing Date: April 15, 2025

Department 54, Judge Maurice A. Leiter

Motion to Transfer Venue

Moving Party: Defendants Bobby Hanada and Linda Hanada

Responding Party: Plaintiffs Adriana Maldonado Serrano, et al.

T/R:     DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO TRANSFER VENUE IS GRANTED.

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.

CCP § 395(a) provides, in pertinent part, “If the action is for injury to person or personal property or for death from wrongful act or negligence, the superior court in either the county where the injury occurs or the injury causing death occurs or the county where the defendants, or some of them reside at the commencement of the action, is a proper court for the trial of the action.”

Defendants move to transfer venue to Orange County. This is a landlord-tenant habitability action. Defendants represent that the subject rental units are in Orange County, the Plaintiffs live in Orange County and the Defendants live in Orange County.

In opposition, Plaintiffs assert that venue is proper in Los Angeles because they have added “Garden Homes Apartments” as a dba Defendant in the first amended complaint. Plaintiffs state that Garden Homes is not registered with the California Secretary of State.

In reply, Defendants argue that the addition of Garden Homes makes no difference to the venue issue, and even if it did Defendants have since registered Garden Homes with the Secretary of State as an Orange County entity.

The Court finds that Orange County is the proper venue for this action. There are no parties or facts associated with Los Angeles County.

Defendants’ motion is GRANTED.