Judge: Steven A. Ellis, Case: 19STCV30461, Date: 2023-09-08 Tentative Ruling

DEPARTMENT 29 - LAW AND MOTION RULINGS IMPORTANT  (PLEASE SEND YOUR E-MAIL TO DEPT. 29 NOT DEPT. 2)

Communicating with the Court Staff re the Tentative Ruling 1. Please notify the courtroom staff by email not later than 9:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing if you wish to submit on the tentative ruling rather than argue the motion. The email address is SSCDEPT29@lacourt.org. Please do not use any other email address. 2. You must include the other parties on the email by "cc." 3. Include the word "SUBMISSION" in all caps in the Subject line and include your name, contact information, the case number, and the party you represent in the body of the email. If you submit on the tentative and elect not to appear at the hearing, the opposing party may nevertheless appear at the hearing and argue the motions. THE COURT WILL HEAR ARGUMENT UNLESS BOTH SIDES SUBMIT ON THE TENTATIVE.  4. Include the words "SUBMISSION BUT WILL APPEAR" if you submit, but one or both parties will nevertheless appear. 5. For other communications with Court Staff a. OFF-CALENDAR should appear in all caps in the Subject line where all parties have agreed to have a matter placed off-calendar. All counsel should be cc'ed (and where appropriate parties not represented by counsel) and the body of the email should state: (a) name and case number; (b) date of proceeding. b. CASE SETTLED should appear in all caps in the Subject line where all parties have agreed that the case has settled for all purposes. All counsel should be cc'ed (and where appropriate parties not represented by counsel) and the body of the email should state: (a) name and case number; (b) whether notice of settlement/dismissal documents have been filed; (c) if (b) has not been done, a date one year from the date of your email which will be a date set by the court for an OSC for dismissal of the case. c. STIPULATION should appear in all caps in the Subject line where all parties have stipulated that a matter before the court can be postponed. All counsel should be cc'ed (and where appropriate parties not represented by counsel) and the body of the email should state: (a) name and case number; (b) what proceeding is agreed to be postponed e.g. Trial, FSC; (c) the agreed-upon future date; (d) whether all parties waive notice if the Court informs all counsel/parties that the agreed-upon date is satisfactory. This communication should be used only for matters that are agreed to be postponed and not for orders shortening time. 6. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ALL COMMUNICATIONS WITH COURT STAFF DEAL ONLY WITH SCHEDULING AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS AND DO NOT DISCUSS THE MERITS OF ANY CASE. (UPDATED 6/17/2020) 

IMPORTANT:  In light of the COVID-19 emergency, the Court encourages all parties to appear remotely.  The capacity in the courtroom is extremely limited.  The Court appreciates the cooperation of counsel and the litigants. 

ALSO NOTE:  If the moving party does not contact the court to submit on the tentative and does not appear (either remotely or in person), the motion will be taken off calendar.  THE TENTATIVE RULING WILL NOT BE THE ORDER OF THE COURT.

Case Number: 19STCV30461    Hearing Date: September 8, 2023    Dept: 29

TENTATIVE

Javier Solis Martinez’s Motion for an Order for Substitution of Party is denied without prejudice.

Legal Standard

CCP section 377.31 provides that “[o]n motion after the death of a person who commenced an action or proceeding, the court shall allow a pending action or proceeding that does not abate to be continued by the decedent’s personal representative or, if none, by the decedent’s successor in interest.”  (Code Civ. Proc., § 377.31.) 

Under Probate Code section 58(a), a personal representative is defined as an “executor, administrator, special administrator… successor personal representative.”  

CCP section 377.32 provides that a person who seeks to commence such an action as the decedent’s successor in interest must file an affidavit or declaration providing the following: 

1.      The decedent’s name 

2.      The date and place of the decedent’s death 

3.      “No proceeding is now pending in California for administration of the decedent’s estate.” 

4.      If the decedent’s estate was administered, a copy of the final order showing the distribution of the decedent’s cause of action to the successor in interest.

5.      Either of the following, as appropriate, with facts in support thereof: 

A.      “The affiant or declarant is the decedent’s successor in interest (as defined in Section 377.11 of the California Code of Civil Procedure) and succeeds to the decedent’s interest in the action or proceeding.” 

B.      “The affiant or declarant is authorized to act on behalf of the decedent’s successor in interest (as defined in Section 377.11 of the California Code of Civil Procedure) with respect to the decedent’s interest in the action or proceeding.” 

6.      “No other person has a superior right to commence the action or proceeding or to be substituted for the decedent in the pending action or proceeding.” 

7.      “The affiant or declarant affirms or declares under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.” 

(Code Civ. Proc., § 377.32(a).)  A certified copy of the decedent’s death certificate must also be attached to the affidavit or declaration.  (Id., § 377.32(c).) 

“‘Decedent’s successor in interest’ means the beneficiary of the decedent’s estate or other successor in interest who succeeds to a cause of action or to a particular item of the property that is the subject of a cause of action.”  (Code. Civ. Proc., § 377.11.) A “beneficiary of the decedent’s estate” means “if the decedent died without a will, the sole person or all of the persons who succeed to a cause of action, or to a particular item of property that is the subject of a cause of action, under Sections 6401¿and¿6402 of the Probate Code¿or, if the law of a sister state or foreign nation governs succession to the cause of action or particular item of property, under the law of the sister state or foreign nation.” (Code of Civ. Proc., § 377.10.)

Discussion

“‘[V]oluntary dismissal of an action or special proceeding terminates the court’s jurisdiction over the matter.’”  (Mesa RHF Partners, L.P. v. City of Los Angeles (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 913, 917 (quoting In re Conservatorship of Martha P. (2004) 117 Cal.App.4th 857, 867) (alteration in original).)  “‘[I[t is a well-settled proposition of law that where the plaintiff has filed a voluntary dismissal of an action . . ., the court is without jurisdiction to act further [citations], and any subsequent orders of the court are simply void. [Citation.]”  (Paniagua v. Orange County Fire Authority (2007) 149 Cal.App.4th 83, 89 (quoting Gherman v. Colburn (1971) 18 Cal.App.3d 1046, 1050) (alterations in original).)

Here, since the time of the filing of Plaintiffs’ Complaint, Plaintiff Gloria Rodriguez has died. In light of Decedent’s death, Javier Solis Martinez moves for an order substituting him as Plaintiff Gloria Rodriguez’s as Successor in Interest.

However, this instant case was dismissed in its entirety, as to all parties and all causes of action, on May 31, 2022. The Court thus lacks jurisdiction to hear Javier Solis Martinez’s motion and grant the relief sought by him.

Therefore, the motion for an order for substitution of party is denied without prejudice.

Conclusion

Accordingly, Javier Solis Martinez’s Motion for an Order for Substitution of Party is denied without prejudice.

Moving party is directed to give notice.