Judge: Randall J. Sherman, Case: JCCP5194, Date: 2022-11-18 Tentative Ruling

Defendants Aaron Thomas Company, Inc. and Aaron Thomas’s unopposed Motion to Stay Pending Resolution of Related Cases is granted.  The court’s OSC re Stay is ordered off calendar.  The included coordinated case of Hernandez v. Aaron Thomas, Inc. is ordered stayed pending the resolution of the earlier-filed, included coordinated cases of Rivera v. Aaron Thomas Company, Inc., Navarro-Reyes v. Aaron Thomas Company, Inc., and Chico-Perez v. Aaron Thomas Company, Inc., or until further order of this court.

A court has inherent power, in its discretion, to stay proceedings when such a stay will accommodate the ends of justice.  OTO, L.L.C. v. Kho (2019) 8 Cal. 5th 111, 141.  This court concludes that a stay here will accommodate the ends of justice because it is in the interests of the efficient utilization of both judicial facilities and the parties’, counsel’s and the court’s resources to allow the earlier-filed cases to proceed first.  The Hernandez case is a later-filed wage and hour class action case which alleges the same claims plaintiffs make in the three other included coordinated cases.  The court already stayed the Chico-Perez case on July 1, 2022.  It is therefore in the interests of comity and the conservation of judicial resources to allow the earlier-filed cases to proceed first.  Lawyers Title Ins. Corp. v. Superior Court (1984) 151 Cal. App. 3d 455, 460.  The doctrine of exclusive concurrent jurisdiction also applies, further justifying a stay.  Shaw v. Superior Court (May 3, 2022) 2022 DJDAR 4445.

Defendants are ordered to give notice of the ruling unless notice is waived.