Judge: William A. Crowfoot, Case: 23AHCV02684, Date: 2025-05-05 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23AHCV02684    Hearing Date: May 5, 2025    Dept: 3

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - NORTHEAST DISTRICT

Plaintiff Peter Saueracker (“Plaintiff”) filed this action on November 15, 2023, and passed away on or about January 29, 2025. Plaintiff’s surviving sister, Julia Wright (“Wright”) now moves to be substituted as Plaintiff’s successor-in-interest in this action. Defendant Stater Bros. Market filed a notice of non-opposition on April 22, 2025.

“A cause of action that survives the death of the person entitled to commence an action or proceeding passes to the decedent’s successor in interest . . . and an action may be commenced by the decedent’s personal representatives or, if none, by the decedent’s successor in interest.”  (Code Civ. Proc., § 377.30.)  After the death of a plaintiff, the court, on motion, shall allow a pending action that does not abate to be continued by the decedent’s personal representative or successor-in-interest.  (Code Civ. Proc., § 377.31.) The person who seeks to commence or continue a pending action as the decedent’s successor-in-interest shall execute and file an affidavit or declaration stating: (1) the decedent’s name, (2) the date and place of decedent’s death, (3) “No proceeding is now pending in California for administration of the decedent’s estate,” (4) a copy of the final order showing the distribution of the decedent’s cause of action to the successor-in-interest, if the decedent’s estate was administered, (5) either the affiant or declarant is the decedent’s successor in interest or the affiant or declarant is authorized to act on behalf of the decedent’s successor in interest, with facts in support thereof, (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,” and (7) the statements are true, under penalty of perjury.  (Code Civ. Proc., § 377.32.)

Wright submits a declaration with the requisite statutory elements to support her request to be substituted as Plaintiff’s successor-in-interest. She also submits declarations from her two siblings, Thomas W. Saueracker and Andres Saueracker, who both state that they have agreed to appoint Wright as the sole administrator for this action. All siblings agree that each will receive 33.33% of any settlement or verdict from this action.

In light of the foregoing, the unopposed motion to substitute Wright as Plaintiff’s successor-in-interest is GRANTED.

Moving party to give notice.

Dated this 5th day of May 2025

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the Court at ALHDEPT3@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.