On 02/25/2019 ALMA DELIA JIMENEZ VILLEGAS filed a Personal Injury - Motor Vehicle lawsuit against VANESSA MARIE VENTURA. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Spring Street Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. The Judge overseeing this case is WENDY CHANG. The case status is Pending - Other Pending.
*******2027
02/25/2019
Pending - Other Pending
Los Angeles County Superior Courts
Spring Street Courthouse
Los Angeles, California
WENDY CHANG
JIMENEZ VILLEGAS ALMA DELIA
PEREZ TAPIA LUIS REY
VENTURA VANESSA MARIE
JIMENEZ DANIEL F.
FAAL ALI
1/12/2021: Certificate of Mailing for - Certificate of Mailing for (Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery (not "Further Discovery")) of 01/12/2021
1/12/2021: Minute Order - Minute Order (Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery (not "Further Discovery"))
1/13/2021: Certificate of Mailing for - Certificate of Mailing for (Hearing on Motion to Compel DEPOSITION) of 01/13/2021
1/13/2021: Minute Order - Minute Order (Hearing on Motion to Compel DEPOSITION)
11/25/2020: Stipulation and Order (name extension) - Stipulation and Order STIPULATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL DATE [C.C.P. 595.2]
12/2/2020: Request for Dismissal - Request for Dismissal
12/7/2020: Motion to Compel (name extension) - Motion to Compel NOTICE OF MOTION TO COMPEL THE DEPOSITION OF PLAINTIFF AND FOR AN ORDER IMPOSING MONETARY SANCTIONS; MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES; AND DECL
10/13/2020: Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion - Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion
10/13/2020: Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion - Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion
3/12/2020: Answer - Answer
3/12/2020: Notice of Posting of Jury Fees - Notice of Posting of Jury Fees
6/5/2020: Stipulation and Order (name extension) - Stipulation and Order to Continue Trial, [and Related Motion/Discovery Dates]
6/10/2020: Notice of Ruling - Notice of Ruling
2/25/2019: Summons - Summons on Complaint
2/25/2019: Complaint - Complaint
2/25/2019: Civil Case Cover Sheet - Civil Case Cover Sheet
2/25/2019: First Amended Standing Order - First Amended Standing Order
2/25/2019: Notice of Case Assignment - Limited Civil Case - Notice of Case Assignment - Limited Civil Case
Hearing11/02/2021 at 08:30 AM in Department 26 at 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Jury Trial
Hearing03/30/2021 at 09:30 AM in Department 26 at 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery (not "Further Discovery")
DocketNotice of Ruling; Filed by: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant)
DocketUpdated -- Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion: Filed By: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant); Result: Denied; Result Date: 01/13/2021
DocketUpdated -- Motion to Compel Discovery (not Further Discovery) - 1 moving party, 1 motion: Filed By: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant); Result: Denied; Result Date: 01/13/2021
DocketMinute Order (Hearing on Motion to Compel DEPOSITION)
DocketCertificate of Mailing for (Hearing on Motion to Compel DEPOSITION) of 01/13/2021; Filed by: Clerk
DocketHearing on Motion to Compel DEPOSITION scheduled for 01/13/2021 at 10:00 AM in Spring Street Courthouse at Department 26 updated: Result Date to 01/13/2021; Result Type to Held
DocketUpdated -- Motion to Compel NOTICE OF MOTION TO COMPEL THE DEPOSITION OF PLAINTIFF AND FOR AN ORDER IMPOSING MONETARY SANCTIONS; MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES; AND DECLARATION: Filed By: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant); Result: Granted; Result Date: 01/12/2021
DocketMinute Order (Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery (not "Further Discovery"))
DocketNotice of Posting of Jury Fees; Filed by: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant)
DocketProof of Personal Service; Filed by: Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (Plaintiff); As to: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant); Service Date: 02/09/2020; Service Cost: 50.00; Service Cost Waived: No
DocketNon-Jury Trial scheduled for 08/24/2020 at 08:30 AM in Stanley Mosk Courthouse at Department 94
DocketOrder to Show Cause Re: Failure to File Proof of Service scheduled for 02/28/2022 at 08:30 AM in Stanley Mosk Courthouse at Department 94
DocketCase assigned to Hon. Wendy Chang in Department 94 Stanley Mosk Courthouse
DocketComplaint; Filed by: Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (Plaintiff); Luis Rey Perez Tapia (Plaintiff); As to: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant)
DocketCivil Case Cover Sheet; Filed by: Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (Plaintiff); Luis Rey Perez Tapia (Plaintiff); As to: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant)
DocketSummons on Complaint; Issued and Filed by: Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (Plaintiff); Luis Rey Perez Tapia (Plaintiff); As to: Vanessa Marie Ventura (Defendant)
DocketNotice of Case Assignment - Limited Civil Case; Filed by: Clerk
DocketFirst Amended Standing Order; Filed by: Clerk
Case Number: 19STLC02027 Hearing Date: January 13, 2021 Dept: 26
Villegas v. Ventura, et al.
MOTION TO COMPEL DEPOSITION; REQUEST FOR SANCTIONS
(CCP § 2025.450)
TENTATIVE RULING:
Defendant Vanessa Marie Ventura’s Motion to Compel Plaintiff’s Deposition and Request for Sanctions is DENIED.
ANALYSIS:
Plaintiffs Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (“Plaintiff”) and Luis Rey Perez Tapia filed the instant action for motor vehicle negligence against Defendant Vanessa Marie Ventura (“Defendant”) on February 25, 2019. Tapia was dismissed from the action on December 3, 2020. Defendant filed the instant Motion to Compel Plaintiff’s Attendance at Deposition on December 7, 2020. To date, no opposition has been filed.
Legal Standard
Code of Civil Procedure section 2025.450, section (a) states in relevant part:
If, after service of a deposition notice, a party to the action or an officer, director, managing agent, or employee of a party, or a person designated by an organization that is a party under Section 2025.230, without having served a valid objection under Section 2025.410, fails to appear for examination, or to proceed with it, or to produce for inspection any document, electronically stored information, or tangible thing described in the deposition notice, the party giving the notice may move for an order compelling the deponent’s attendance and testimony, and the production for inspection of any document, electronically stored information, or tangible thing described in the deposition notice.
(Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.450, subd. (a).) The motion must also “set forth specific facts showing good cause justifying the production for inspection of any document, electronically stored information, or tangible thing described in the deposition notice” and “be accompanied by a meet and confer declaration under Section 2016.040.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.450, subds. (b)(1), (2).) A court shall impose monetary sanctions if the motion to compel is granted, unless the one subject to sanction acted with substantial justification or other circumstances would make the imposition of the sanction unjust. (Code. Civ. Proc., § 2025.450, subd. (g)(1).)
Discussion
The motion is not accompanied by a meet and confer declaration demonstrating that defense counsel reached out to Plaintiff’s counsel to resolve this discovery dispute without the Court’s intervention. Specifically, the declaration must state “that the petitioner has contacted the deponent to inquire about the nonappearance.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 2025.450, subd. (b)(2).) Rather, the supporting declaration merely states that following the Plaintiff’s failure to appear at her properly noticed deposition on November 4, 2020, Defendant filed the instant Motion. (Motion, Faal Decl., ¶¶2-5 and Exhs. A-D.) The Motion cannot be granted without moving party’s demonstration of an adequate meet and confer effort.
The Court further notes that the deposition notice includes a request for production of documents. (Id. at Exh. A, Exh. A.) However, the Motion fails to “set forth specific facts showing good cause justifying the production for inspection of any document, electronically stored information, or tangible thing described in the deposition notice,” as required under the moving statute.
In light of Defendant’s failure to comply with the mandatory requirements for relief under Code of Civil Procedure section 2025.450, the Motion to Compel Plaintiff’s Deposition and Request for Sanctions is DENIED.
Court clerk to give notice.
Case Number: 19STLC02027 Hearing Date: January 12, 2021 Dept: 26
Villegas v. Ventura, et al.
MOTION TO COMPEL RESPONSES TO REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION AND SANCTIONS
(CCP §§ 2031.300, 2023.010)
TENTATIVE RULING:
Defendant Vanessa Marie Ventura’s Motion for Order Compelling Plaintiff To Respond to Request for Production of Documents; Request For Sanctions is GRANTED. PLAINTIFF TO SERVE VERIFIED RESPONSES WITHOUT OBJECTION TO THE DISCOVERY REQUESTS WITHIN 20 DAYS’ SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. THE COURT FURTHER ORDERS THAT PLAINTIFF PAY SANCTIONS OF $260.00 TO DEFENSE COUNSEL WITHIN 20 DAYS’ SERVICE OF THIS ORDER.
ANALYSIS:
Plaintiffs Alma Delia Jimenez Villegas (“Plaintiff”) and Luis Rey Perez Tapia filed the instant action for motor vehicle negligence against Defendant Vanessa Marie Ventura (“Defendant”) on February 25, 2019. Tapia was dismissed from the action on December 3, 2020.
On May 11, 2020, Defendant served Request for Production of Documents on Plaintiff. (Motion, Faal Decl. ¶2 and Exh. A.) To date, Defendant has not received any verified responses to the discovery requests from Plaintiff. (Id. at ¶¶3-5.) Defendant filed the instant Motion to Compel Discovery Responses on October 14, 2020. To date, no opposition has been filed.
Due to Plaintiff’s failure to respond to the written discovery, the Motion is GRANTED as to the Request for Production of Documents, Set One. Plaintiff is ordered to serve verified responses, without objections, to Request for Production of Documents, Set One within twenty (20) days’ service of this Order. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.300.)
The Court also finds that Plaintiff’s failure to respond is a misuse of the discovery procedures. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2023.010, et seq.) The requested sanctions have been properly noticed but are excessive give the simplicity of this motions. Sanctions are appropriate in the amount of $260.00 based on one hour of attorney time billed at $20.00 per hour, plus a $60.00 filing fee. (Motions, Villegas Decl., ¶6.)
Therefore, Defendant Vanessa Marie Ventura’s Motion for Order Compelling Plaintiff to Respond to Request for Production of Documents; Request For Sanctions is GRANTED. PLAINTIFF TO SERVE VERIFIED RESPONSES WITHOUT OBJECTION TO THE DISCOVERY REQUESTS WITHIN 20 DAYS’ SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. THE COURT FURTHER ORDERS THAT PLAINTIFF PAY SANCTIONS OF $260.00 TO DEFENSE COUNSEL WITHIN 20 DAYS’ SERVICE OF THIS ORDER.
Moving party to give notice.