On 02/02/2018 ALEJANDRO FUENTES-AGUILAR filed a Contract - Other Contract lawsuit against MIRAGE AUTO SALES LEASING, INC. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Spring Street Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. The Judge overseeing this case is ELAINE LU. The case status is Disposed - Dismissed.
*******0326
02/02/2018
Disposed - Dismissed
Los Angeles County Superior Courts
Spring Street Courthouse
Los Angeles, California
ELAINE LU
FUENTES-AGUILAR ALEJANDRO
SANTIAGO EIRA GERONIMO
MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING INC
HUDSON INSURANCE COMPANY
DEMIRCI SUSAN
DEMIRCI IGYA
SARABI MOHAMMAD
JOHNSON BOYD COOPER
GASCOU CHRISTIAN JEAN
AGRELLA DANIEL MILES
HOPKINS RONALD WARREN
Court documents are not available for this case.
DocketOn the Amended Complaint (1st) filed by Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar on 02/26/2020, entered Order for Dismissal without prejudice as to the entire action
DocketMinute Order (Order to Show Cause Re: Failure to File Proof of Service)
DocketCertificate of Mailing for (Order to Show Cause Re: Failure to File Proof of Service) of 02/05/2021; Filed by: Clerk
DocketOrder to Show Cause Re: Failure to File Proof of Service scheduled for 02/05/2021 at 10:30 AM in Spring Street Courthouse at Department 26 updated: Result Date to 02/05/2021; Result Type to Held
DocketNon-Jury Trial scheduled for 04/07/2021 at 08:30 AM in Spring Street Courthouse at Department 26 Not Held - Vacated by Court on 02/05/2021
DocketHearing on Ex Parte Application For Leave to File Amended Complaint scheduled for 09/23/2020 at 01:30 PM in Spring Street Courthouse at Department 26 Not Held - Vacated by Court on 09/22/2020
DocketHearing on Ex Parte Application For Leave to File Amended Complaint scheduled for 09/23/2020 at 01:30 PM in Spring Street Courthouse at Department 26
DocketNotice of Change of Firm Name; Filed by: Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (Plaintiff); New Firm Name: Johnson Injury Law, APC
DocketUpdated -- Boyd Cooper Johnson (Attorney): Organization Name changed from Law Offices of Boyd C. Johnson to Johnson Injury Law, APC
DocketOn the Amended Complaint (1st) filed by Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar on 02/26/2020, entered Request for Dismissal without prejudice filed by Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar as to Hudson Insurance Company
DocketProof of Service by Substituted Service; Filed by: Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (Plaintiff); Eira Geronimo Santiago (Plaintiff); As to: Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc (Defendant); Proof of Mailing Date: 05/21/2018; Service Cost: 55.00; Service Cost Waived: No
DocketProof of Personal Service; Filed by: Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (Plaintiff); Eira Geronimo Santiago (Plaintiff); As to: Hudson Insurance Company (Defendant); Service Date: 06/12/2018; Service Cost: 105.00; Service Cost Waived: No
DocketCase reassigned to Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Department 77
DocketCase assigned to Hon. Elaine Lu in Department 77 Stanley Mosk Courthouse
DocketNon-Jury Trial scheduled for 08/02/2019 at 08:30 AM in Stanley Mosk Courthouse at Department 77
DocketOrder to Show Cause - Failure to File Proof of Service scheduled for 02/05/2021 at 08:30 AM in Stanley Mosk Courthouse at Department 77
DocketNotice of Case Assignment - Limited Civil Case; Filed by: Clerk
DocketSummons on Complaint; Issued and Filed by: Clerk
DocketCivil Case Cover Sheet; Filed by: Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (Plaintiff)
DocketComplaint; Filed by: Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (Plaintiff); As to: Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc (Defendant)
Case Number: 18STLC00326 Hearing Date: February 27, 2020 Dept: 26
Fuentes-Aguilar v. Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc., et al.
MOTION TO COMPEL RESPONSES TO REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION
AND REQUEST FOR SANCTIONS
(CCP § 2031.300)
TENTATIVE RULING:
Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar’s Motion to Compel Responses to Requests for Production and Request for Sanctions IS GRANTED. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. IS TO SERVE VERIFIED RESPONSES TO THE REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS WITHOUT OBJECTION WITHIN 20 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. AND ITS COUNSEL OF RECORD ARE JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY TO PAY SANCTIONS OF $375.00 TO PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL WITHIN 30 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER.
ANALYSIS:
Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (“Plaintiff”) propounded Requests for Production, Set One on Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc. (“Defendant”) on November 7, 2019. (Motion, Johnson Decl., ¶4 and Exh. 1.) Despite numerous extensions of the time to respond, Defendant has not served responses to date. (Id. at ¶¶4-15.) On December 18, 2019, Plaintiff filed the instant Motion to Compel Responses to the Request for Production and Request for Sanctions (“the Motion”). To date, no opposition has been filed.
There is no requirement for a prior meet and confer effort before a motion to compel initial responses can be filed. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.300.) Further, the motion can be brought any time after the responding party fails to provide the responses. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.300.) In light of Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc.’s failure to provide responses, Plaintiff is entitled to an order that Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc.serve verified responses, without objection, to the Requests for Production.
The Court also finds Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc.’s failure to timely respond a misuse of the discovery process. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2023.010, subd. (d).) Sanctions are appropriate under Code of Civil Procedure sections 2023.010 and 2023.030, and have been properly noticed. However, the amount sought is excessive given the simplicity of this motion. The request for sanctions is granted jointly and severally against Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc. and its counsel of record in the amount of $375.00 based on one hour of attorney time billed at $375.00. (Motion, Johnson Decl., ¶6.)
Therefore, Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar’s Motion to Compel Responses to Requests for Production and Request for Sanctions IS GRANTED. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. IS TO SERVE VERIFIED RESPONSES TO THE REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS WITHOUT OBJECTION WITHIN 20 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. AND ITS COUNSEL OF RECORD ARE JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY TO PAY SANCTIONS OF $375.00 TO PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL WITHIN 30 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER.
Moving party to give notice.
Case Number: 18STLC00326 Hearing Date: February 13, 2020 Dept: 26
Fuentes-Aguilar v. Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc., et al.
MOTION TO DEEM REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION ADMITTED; SANCTIONS
(CCP § 2033.280)
TENTATIVE RULING:
Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar’s Motion to Deem Requests for Admission Admitted Against Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc. is GRANTED. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. TO PAY SANCTIONS OF $375.00 TO PLAINITFF’S COUNSEL WITHIN 30 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER.
ANALYSIS:
On November 7, 2019, Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar (“Plaintiff”) served Requests for Admissions, Set One, on Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc. (“Defendant Mirage”). (Motion, Johnson Decl., ¶4 and Exhs. 1-3.) To date, Plaintiff has not received verified responses to the discovery requests from Defendant Mirage. (Id. at ¶5.) As a result, Plaintiff filed the instant Motion to Deem the Truth of Matters Specified in Requests for Admissions Admitted Against Defendant Mirage and for Monetary Sanctions (the “Motion”) on December 18, 2019.
In violation of Code of Civil Procedure section 2033.250, Defendant Mirage has not provided verified responses to the discovery propounded by Plaintiff. Nor has Defendant Mirage filed an opposition to the Motion. There is no requirement for a prior meet and confer effort before a motion to deem requests for admission can be filed. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2033.280.) Further, the motion can be brought any time after the responding party fails to provide the responses. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2033.280.)
The Court finds the failure to respond a misuse of the discovery process. Sanctions are appropriate under Code of Civil Procedure sections 2023.010, 2023.030 and 2033.280 and have been properly noticed. However, the amount of sanctions requested is excessive given the simplicity of this unopposed Motion. Sanctions are granted against Defendant Mirage in the amount of $375.00, based on one hour of attorney time billed at $375.00 per hour. (Motion, Johnson Decl., ¶6.)
Based on the foregoing, Plaintiff Alejandro Fuentes-Aguilar’s Motion to Deem Requests for Admission Admitted Against Defendant Mirage Auto Sales & Leasing, Inc. is GRANTED. DEFENDANT MIRAGE AUTO SALES & LEASING, INC. TO PAY SANCTIONS OF $375.00 TO PLAINITFF’S COUNSEL WITHIN 30 DAYS’ NOTICE OF THIS ORDER.
Moving party to give notice.
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