Judge: Robert B. Broadbelt, Case: 25STCV02748, Date: 2025-06-05 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 25STCV02748    Hearing Date: June 5, 2025    Dept: 53

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles – Central District

Department 53

On or about April 1, 2025, a petition for coordination, denominated In Re: Stone Countertop Worker Silicosis Cases, was filed with the Judicial Council of California.  On May 14, 2025, the Chair of the Judicial Council of California issued an Order Assigning Coordination Motion Judge and Setting Date for Hearing in the Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 5378 – Silicosis Cases.  Pursuant to the terms of that order, the Assistant Supervising Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Civil Complex, has been assigned to sit as coordination motion judge to determine whether the included actions (including this action) are complex pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 3.502 and, if so, whether coordination of those actions is appropriate.  The hearing on the petition for coordination is set for August 20, 2025 in Department 7 of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Civil Complex.  (June 4, 2025 minute order,   p. 1.)

The court finds that it is in furtherance of judicial efficiency and justice, and therefore exercises its discretion, to stay this action pending determination of that petition on the terms set forth below.  (Freiberg v. City of Mission Viejo (1995) 33 Cal.App.4th 1484, 1489 [“Trial courts generally have the inherent power to stay proceedings in the interests of justice and to promote judicial efficiency”].) 

The court orders that this case is stayed until the petition for coordination, denominated In Re: Stone Countertop Worker Silicosis Cases with the Judicial Council of California, is determined, or on further order of the court, except as follows: plaintiffs Rolando Sanchez Flores and Angelica Lopez Vasquez shall be permitted to file Doe amendments to correct the names of currently-named defendants and to seek the dismissal of incorrectly named defendants; to file Doe amendments to substitute named defendants in place of Doe defendants; to serve any named defendants with the summons and complaint, and to file proofs of service thereof; and any served defendant, shall within the time permitted to file a response, file a Notice of Appearance or a motion to quash service of summons on the ground of lack of jurisdiction of the court pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 418.10, subdivision (a)(1), but no other filing. 

The court sets for hearing a Status Conference re stay of action pending determination of petition for coordination on September 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in Department 53.

            The court orders defendant Arizona Tile, LLC to give notice of this ruling.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED:  June 5, 2025

_____________________________

Robert B. Broadbelt III

Judge of the Superior Court