Judge: Teresa A. Beaudet, Case: 21STCV36052, Date: 2023-08-10 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV36052    Hearing Date: February 8, 2024    Dept: 50

 

 

Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

Department 50

 

MAJED ELAAWAR,

                        Plaintiff,

            vs.

general motors, llc, et al.,

                        Defendants.

Case No.:

21STCV36052

Hearing Date:

February 8, 2024

Hearing Time:    10:00 a.m.

 

[TENTATIVE] ORDER RE: 

 

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO COMPEL THE DEPOSITION OF GENERAL MOTORS, LLC’S PERSON MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE

 

           

Background

Plaintiff Majed Elaawar (“Plaintiff”) filed this action on September 30, 2021 against Defendant General Motors, LLC (“GM”). Plaintiff filed the operative First Amended Complaint on March 15, 2022, asserting causes of action for (1) violation of subdivision (d) of Civil Code section 1793.2, (2) violation of subdivision (b) of Civil Code section 1793.2, (3) violation of subdivision (a)(3) of Civil Code section 1793.2, (4) breach of express written warranty, (5) breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, and (6) fraudulent inducement – concealment. 

Plaintiff now moves “for an order striking [GM’s] objections and compelling [GM] to produce a Person(s) Most Knowledgeable…witness for the categories identified in Plaintiff’s First Amended Notice of Deposition of the Person Most Knowledgeable for [GM].” It does not appear that an opposition to the motion was filed.

 

 

Discussion  

As an initial matter, the Court notes that it does not appear that any opposition to the instant motion was filed. However, on February 1, 2024, Plaintiff filed a “Reply to Defendant’s Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel the Deposition of the Person Most Knowledgeable for General Motors, LLC…”  Plaintiff’s reply references an opposition. (See Reply at pp. 7:28-8:1, “[i]n its Opposition, Defendant claims Plaintiff’s categories ‘invites production of trade secret material.’ (Opp. at p. 6:16-7:2).” Thus, it appears that an opposition may have been served.

The Court also notes that on January 26, 2024, GM filed a “Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel Further Responses to Requests for Production of Documents Set, One” and a “Declaration of Alexandria O. Pappas in Support of General Motors LLC’s Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel Further Responses to Requests for Production of Documents, Set One.” However, these opposition papers do not concern Plaintiff’s instant motion to compel the deposition of GM’s Person Most Knowledgeable.[1]

Conclusion

In light of the foregoing, the hearing on Plaintiff’s instant motion is continued to ____________, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in Dept. 50. GM shall immediately file any opposition to the instant motion that was served on Plaintiff. 

Plaintiff is ordered to give notice of this Order.¿¿

 

DATED:  February 8, 2024                            ________________________________

Hon. Teresa A. Beaudet

Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court



[1]The docket entry describes this filing as an opposition to the motion to compel the pmk deposition but GM’s opposition filed on January 26, 2024 asserts that “[t]his Court should sustain GM’s objections to Request for Production Nos. 12, 18-21, 23-25, 30, 39, 51, 53, 64, 76, 81, 83-85, and 89 on the merits.” (Opp’n at p. 9:23-24.) The opposition papers also list a hearing date of “July 26, 2023.” It thus appears that such opposition papers may have been incorrectly filed.