Judge: Robert B. Broadbelt, Case: 22STCV01197, Date: 2025-03-04 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCV01197    Hearing Date: March 4, 2025    Dept: 53

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles – Central District

Department 53

 

 

nestor martinez, individually and as successor in interest to Juan Carlos Martinez Almazan , et al.;

 

Plaintiffs,

 

 

vs.

 

 

rio hondo subacute and nursing center, llc , et al.;

 

Defendants.

Case No.:

22STCV01197

 

 

Hearing Date:

March 4, 2025

 

 

Time:

10:00 a.m.

 

 

 

[tentative] Order RE:

 

(1)   defendant’s motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal

(2)   motion to seal defendant’s motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal

 

 

MOVING PARTY:                 Defendant Rio Hondo Subacute and Nursing Center, LLC    

 

RESPONDING PARTY:       Unopposed

(1)   Motion to Enforce Settlement and Enter Dismissal

(2)   Motion to Seal Motion to Enforce Settlement and Enter Dismissal

The court considered the moving papers filed in connection with each motion.  No opposition papers were filed.

DISCUSSION

Now pending before the court are two motions filed by defendant Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center, LLC (“Defendant”): (1) Defendant’s motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal, and (2) Defendant’s motion to seal its motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal.

Defendant filed its motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal on January 16, 2025, for a hearing date of July 23, 2025, moving for relief on the ground that plaintiff Nestor Martinez (“Plaintiff”) has not fulfilled his obligations under the parties’ settlement agreement.  (Def. Mot to Enforce Settlement, p. 2:2-8.)  Thereafter, on January 22, 2025, the court issued an order granting Defendant’s ex parte application and advancing the hearing on this motion from July 23, 2025 to March 4, 2025.  (Jan. 22, 2025 Minute Order, p. 1.)  The court ordered Defendant to give notice of its ruling.  (Ibid.; Jan. 22, 2025 Order Granting Defendant’s Ex Parte Application to Specially Set Hearing on Motion to Enforce Settlement and Dismiss, p. 2:12-13.)

Defendant did not file a notice of ruling or proof of service of the notice of the court’s ruling.  Thus, Defendant has not shown that it gave Plaintiff and all other parties who have appeared in this action notice of the advanced hearing date on its pending motion to enforce settlement and to dismiss this action.  Instead, it appears that Plaintiff has only been given notice of the original July 23, 2025 hearing date on this motion.

Based on the defect with notice set forth above, the court finds that it is appropriate, and therefore exercises its discretion, to continue the hearing on Defendant’s motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal in order to give Plaintiff an opportunity to file an opposition to this motion, if desired. 

The court further exercises its discretion to continue the hearing on Defendant’s motion to seal its motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal so that the court may rule on those matters at the same time.

ORDER

            The court orders that the hearing on defendant Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center, LLC’s motion to enforce settlement and enter dismissal is continued to April 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in Department 53.

            The court orders that the hearing on defendant Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center, LLC’s motion to seal motion enforce settlement and enter dismissal is continued to April 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in Department 53.

            The court orders defendant Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center, LLC (1) to give notice of this ruling to plaintiff Nestor Martinez and all other parties who have appeared in this action, and (2) to file a proof of service of the notice of ruling with the court no later than March 14, 2025.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 

DATED:  March 4, 2025

 

_____________________________

Robert B. Broadbelt III

Judge of the Superior Court