Judge: Thomas D. Long, Case: 20STCV42994, Date: 2022-08-25 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 20STCV42994    Hearing Date: August 25, 2022    Dept: 48

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

MOTION TO RELATE CASES

On August 10, 2021, Plaintiff Stacy Kate Yeh filed a motion to relate 86 cases (RES ID: 128342918775).  On September 2, 2021, the Court granted the motion.

On November 23, 2021, Defendant Barrington Pacific LLC filed a motion to relate all Barrington, Shores, and De Glendon actions (RES ID: 415047431660).  On December 23, 2021, the Court granted the motion.

On June 2, 2022, the Court continued the Hearing on Motion - Other Motion to Relate Cases scheduled for 12/16/2021 (RES ID: 446447144425) to August 25, 2022.  Upon review of the Court’s docket, there is no corresponding motion for this hearing reservation, and all prior motions to relate have been ruled upon.  The hearing is therefore taken OFF CALENDAR.

OSC RE: CONSOLIDATION OF ALL RELATED CASES

On July 25, 2022, the Court indicated that for effective case management, judicial economy, and use of court resources, it intends to consolidate all actions under this case number.  The Court ordered any objections to be filed at least ten days before the August 25, 2022 Order to Show Cause Re: Consolidation of All Related Cases.  No objections were filed.

Consolidation is appropriate when the consolidation of multiple cases involving common questions of fact and law would avoid unnecessary costs or delay.  (Code Civ. Proc., § 1048, subd. (a).)  “A consolidation of actions does not affect the rights of the parties.  The purpose of consolidation is merely to promote trial convenience and economy by avoiding duplication of procedure, particularly in the proof of issues common to both actions.”  (Wouldridge v. Burns (1968) 265 Cal. App. 2d 82, 86.)

The related actions involve similar allegations against defendants who are subsidiaries/affiliates of each other.  Counsel for both sides previously represented to the Court that they represent all the parties in all of the related cases.  Consolidation of the related actions would therefore avoid unnecessary costs, delay, and duplication of efforts.

Accordingly, the Court CONSOLIDATES all currently related cases under Case No. 20STCV42994.  All filings are to be made under the 20STCV42994 case number and must indicate what underlying case the pleading pertains to.

Clerk to give notice.

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the Court at SMCDEPT48@lacourt.org indicating intention to submit.  Parties intending to appear are encouraged to appear remotely and should be prepared to comply with Dept. 48’s new requirement that those attending court in person wear a surgical or N95 or KN95 mask.

         Dated this 25th day of August 2022