Judge: Teresa A. Beaudet, Case: 19STCV21850, Date: 2023-05-17 Tentative Ruling



Case Number: 19STCV21850    Hearing Date: May 17, 2023    Dept: 50

 

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

Department 50

 

richard meng, et al.,

                        Plaintiffs,

            vs.

 

leon richard mays, et al.,

                        Defendants.

Case No.:

19STCV21850

Hearing Date:

May 17, 2023

Hearing Time:

2:00 p.m.

[TENTATIVE] ORDER RE:

 

DEFENDANT LEON RICHARD MAYS’ DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFFS’ FOURTH AMENDED COMPLAINT

 

 

Background

Plaintiffs Richard Meng and Vivian Meng (jointly “Plaintiffs”) filed this action on June 21, 2019 against, inter alia, Defendant Leon Richard Mays (“Mays”).

The operative Fourth Amended Complaint (“FAC”) was filed by Plaintiffs on January 27, 2023. The FAC asserts causes of action for (1) intentional misrepresentation, (2) negligence, (3) fraudulent conveyance, (4) “withdrawn,” (5) violation of Business and Professions Code section 7160, (6) aiding and abetting unlicensed contracting, (7) conversion, (8) unjust enrichment, (9) rescission, (10) disgorgement under Business and Professions Code section 7031, and (11) breach of fiduciary duty.

Mays in pro per, now demurs to the eleventh cause of action of the FAC. Plaintiffs oppose.

Discussion

As an initial matter, the Court notes that Mays did not file any declaration demonstrating that he met and conferred with Plaintiffs in advance of filing the instant demurrer.

Pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 430.41, subdivision (a), “[b]efore filing a demurrer pursuant to this chapter, the demurring party shall meet and confer in person or by telephone with the party who filed the pleading that is subject to demurrer for the purpose of determining whether an agreement can be reached that would resolve the objections to be raised in the demurrer. If an amended complaint, cross-complaint, or answer is filed, the responding party shall meet and confer again with the party who filed the amended pleading before filing a demurrer to the amended pleading.(Emphasis added.) Such meeting and conferring must be done in good faith with an effort to try to resolve the issues subject to the demurrer.  

In addition, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 430.41, subdivision (a)(3), “[t]he demurring party shall file and serve with the demurrer a declaration stating either of the following: (A) The means by which the demurring party met and conferred with the party who filed the pleading subject to demurrer, and that the parties did not reach an agreement resolving the objections raised in the demurrer. (B) That the party who filed the pleading subject to demurrer failed to respond to the meet and confer request of the demurring party or otherwise failed to meet and confer in good faith.

In light of the foregoing, the hearing on Mays’s demurrer is continued to _______________, 2023 at 2 p.m. in Dept. 50.¿ 

Mays is¿ordered to meet¿and confer¿with Plaintiffs within 10 days of the date of this order.¿If the parties are unable to resolve the pleading issues¿or if the parties are otherwise unable to meet and confer in good faith, Mays is to¿thereafter¿file and serve¿a declaration setting forth the efforts to meet and confer in compliance with¿Code of Civil Procedure section 430.41, subdivision (a)(3) within 15 days of this order.¿¿ 

Mays is ordered to give notice of this order.¿¿ 

 

DATED:  May 17, 2023                                 ________________________________

Hon. Teresa A. Beaudet

Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court