Judge: Melissa R. Mccormick, Case: Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs v. Pfaffly, Date: 2023-08-17 Tentative Ruling

Plaintiff Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance’s Motion to Consolidate

Plaintiff Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance moves for an order consolidating OCSC Case Nos. 2022-01286688 and 2023-01305736 with this case (OCSC Case No. 2022-01249842) for all purposes.  Plaintiff’s counsel in Case No. 2022-01249842 also represents the plaintiffs in Case Nos. 2022-01286688 and 2023-01305736.  For the following reasons, plaintiff’s unopposed motion is granted.

The court previously ordered Case No. 2022-01286688 related to this case.  See 11/7/22 Order.  Defendants in Case No. 2023-01305736, a limited jurisdiction case, filed a Notice of Related Case on April 4, 2023.  No parties filed objections to the Notice of Related Case.  See Cal. R. Ct. 3.300(g).  The court finds that Case No. 2022-01249842 and Case No. 2023-01305736 meet the criteria for relatedness set forth in California Rule of Court 3.300, orders the cases related, and orders Case No. 2023-01305736 transferred to this department.  See Cal. R. Ct. 3.300(h)(1)(B).

If actions involving a common question of law or fact are pending the same court, a judge of that court may order a joint hearing or trial of any or all the matters at issue in the actions.  Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 1048(a).  Case Nos. 2022-01249842, 2022-01286688, and 2023-01305736 involve the same defendants, the same or similar issues, and potentially the same or similar evidence.  These facts warrant consolidation of the cases. 

The court deems Case No. 2022-01249842 the lead case.

The trial remains scheduled for June 24, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C13.

Clerk to give notice in OCSC Case Nos. 2022-01249842, 2022-01286688 and 2023-01305736.