Judge: William A. Crowfoot, Case: 21STCV16853, Date: 2022-10-17 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 21STCV16853    Hearing Date: October 17, 2022    Dept: 27

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

Claudia A. Smith seeks to be relieved as counsel of record for Plaintiff Natalie Harris on grounds that the client has become uncooperative and verbally abusive causing a complete and irreparable breakdown of the attorney-client relationship.  Absent a showing of resulting prejudice, an attorney’s request for withdrawal should be granted.  (People v. Prince (1968) 268 Cal.App.2d 398, 406.) 

The Court notes that trial in this matter is currently set for November 1, 2022, and Plaintiff filed an “optional reply” in which she states that she does not oppose the motion while disputing her attorney’s characterization of their interactions.  Accordingly, the Court finds no prejudice will result from granting this motion.  However, counsel failed to separately lodge a proposed order.  The hearing on this motion is thus CONTINUED to October 21, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.  The proposed order must be filed no later than October 19, 2022,   

The Final Status Conference in this matter is continued to October 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.

To the extent that Plaintiff and Defendant agree that this case is ready for mediation, they may jointly seek a referral by this Court to the ResolveLA mediation program when they appear for the Final Status Conference. PI Hub courts do not order cases to mandatory settlement conferences.

The Plaintiff’s request that the Court order that Plaintiffs’ counsel to provide documentation of hours worked and billing, costs, fees, or monetary costs, or documentation of settlement offers is DENIED.  Any issues between Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s counsel that require the intervention of a court must be pursued in an action separate from this one, among other reasons because it is neither necessary nor appropriate for the Defendant in this case to be a party to that matter.

Moving party to give notice.

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the Court at SSCDEPT27@lacourt.org indicating intention to submit on the tentative as directed by the instructions provided on the court website at www.lacourt.org.  Please be advised that 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 matter.  Unless you receive a submission from all other parties in the matter, you should assume that others might appear at the hearing to argue.  If the Court does not receive emails from the parties indicating submission on this tentative ruling and there are no appearances at the hearing, the Court may, at its discretion, adopt the tentative as the final order or place the motion off calendar.