Judge: Serena R. Murillo, Case: 20STCV19231, Date: 2022-08-18 Tentative Ruling
Case Number: 20STCV19231 Hearing Date: August 18, 2022 Dept: 29
TENTATIVE
Defendant Comprehensive Distribution Services, Inc.’s motion to compel the deposition of
Plaintiff is GRANTED. Plaintiff
Ricardo Gonzales Gutierrez is ordered to appear for deposition
within 30 days of this order. The request
for sanctions is GRANTED. Plaintiff
Ricardo Gonzales Gutierrez is ordered to pay monetary
sanctions in the amount of $350 within 30 days of this order.
Legal
Standard
Any party may obtain discovery …
by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action.
(Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.010.)
Where a party objects to the deposition, the
proper remedy is an objection under Code of Civil Procedure section 2025.410.
If such an objection is made within three calendar days before the deposition
date, the objecting party must make personal service of that objection. (Code
Civ. Proc. 2025.410, subd. (b).)
CCP section¿2025.450(a)
provides:¿“If, after service of a deposition notice, a party to the action . .
. , without having served a valid objection under Section 2025.410, fails to
appear for examination, or to proceed with it, or to produce for¿inspection any
document . . . described in the deposition notice, the party giving the notice
may move for an order compelling
the deponent’s attendance and testimony, and the production for inspection of
any document . . . described in the deposition notice.” (Code Civ. Proc.,
§ 2025.450(a).)
CCP section¿2025.450(b) provides:¿“A
motion under subdivision (a)… shall be accompanied by a meet and confer
declaration under Section 2016.040, or, when the deponent fails to attend the
deposition and produce the documents, electronically stored information, or
things described in the deposition notice, by a declaration stating that the
petitioner has contacted the deponent to inquire about the nonappearance.”¿ (Id.,
§ 2025.450(b).)
Discussion
On or about
September 10, 2021, Defendant served an Amended Notice of Taking Plaintiff’s
Deposition set for January 24, 2022, via Zoom. (Hall Decl., Exh. A.) On January
24, 2022, the date of the properly noticed deposition, Plaintiff In-Pro-Per did
not appear for his deposition. (Id., ¶ 3.) An attempt was made to contact him the
day before to confirm but he did not return the message. (Id.)
As
Plaintiff was properly served with the notice of deposition, did not object
under CCP section 2025.410, failed to appear,
and failed to file an opposition to this motion, the motion to compel Plaintiff
to appear for deposition is GRANTED. Plaintiff is ordered to appear for
deposition within 30 days of this order.
Sanctions
If a motion under CCP section¿2025.450(a) is granted, the court shall impose a monetary sanction in favor of the
party who noticed the deposition and against the deponent or the party with
whom the deponent is affiliated, unless the court finds that the one subject to
the sanction acted with substantial justification or that other circumstances
make the imposition of the sanction unjust. (CCP section¿2025.450(g)(1).)
As the motion to compel Plaintiff’s deposition is
granted, Defendant’s request for sanctions is granted. Thus,
the Court imposes sanctions against Plaintiff and in favor of Defendant, in the
amount of $350 ($175 per hour, for 2 hours) to be paid within 30 days of this
order.
Conclusion
Accordingly, Defendant Comprehensive Distribution Services, Inc.’s motion to compel the deposition of
Plaintiff is GRANTED. Plaintiff
Ricardo Gonzales Gutierrez is ordered to appear for deposition
within 30 days of this order. The request
for sanctions is GRANTED. Plaintiff
Ricardo Gonzales Gutierrez is ordered to pay monetary
sanctions in the amount of $350 within 30 days of this order.
Moving party is ordered to give notice.