This case was last updated from Los Angeles County Superior Courts on 02/17/2020 at 10:41:28 (UTC).

KIMBERLY FIELD VS LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET AL.

Case Summary

On 05/21/2019 KIMBERLY FIELD filed a Labor - Wrongful Termination lawsuit against LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. The Judge overseeing this case is YOLANDA OROZCO. The case status is Pending - Other Pending.
Case Details Parties Documents Dockets

 

Case Details

  • Case Number:

    ********

  • Filing Date:

    05/21/2019

  • Case Status:

    Pending - Other Pending

  • Case Type:

    Labor - Wrongful Termination

  • County, State:

    Los Angeles, California

Judge Details

Presiding Judge

YOLANDA OROZCO

 

Party Details

Plaintiff

FIELD KIMBERLY

Defendants

LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT

DOES 1 THOUGH 10

Attorney/Law Firm Details

Plaintiff Attorney

EBRAHIMIAN JONATHAN

Defendant Attorney

DARROLL EILEEN PALMER

 

Court Documents

Complaint

5/21/2019: Complaint

Notice of Case Assignment - Unlimited Civil Case

5/21/2019: Notice of Case Assignment - Unlimited Civil Case

Civil Case Cover Sheet

5/21/2019: Civil Case Cover Sheet

Summons - SUMMONS ON COMPLAINT

5/21/2019: Summons - SUMMONS ON COMPLAINT

Notice of Case Management Conference

5/24/2019: Notice of Case Management Conference

Answer

6/26/2019: Answer

Certificate of Mailing for - CERTIFICATE OF MAILING FOR (COURT ORDER) OF 08/26/2019

8/26/2019: Certificate of Mailing for - CERTIFICATE OF MAILING FOR (COURT ORDER) OF 08/26/2019

Minute Order - MINUTE ORDER (COURT ORDER)

8/26/2019: Minute Order - MINUTE ORDER (COURT ORDER)

Notice of Posting of Jury Fees

10/4/2019: Notice of Posting of Jury Fees

Case Management Statement

10/2/2019: Case Management Statement

Case Management Statement

10/3/2019: Case Management Statement

Minute Order - MINUTE ORDER (CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE)

10/17/2019: Minute Order - MINUTE ORDER (CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE)

Case Management Order

10/17/2019: Case Management Order

1 More Documents Available

 

Docket Entries

10/19/2020

Hearing10/19/2020 at 09:30 AM in Department 31 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Jury Trial

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10/09/2020

Hearing10/09/2020 at 08:30 AM in Department 31 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Final Status Conference

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08/06/2020

Hearing08/06/2020 at 08:30 AM in Department 31 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Post-Mediation Status Conference

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10/17/2019

Docketat 08:30 AM in Department 31, Yolanda Orozco, Presiding; Case Management Conference - Held

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10/17/2019

DocketMinute Order ( (Case Management Conference)); Filed by Clerk

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10/17/2019

DocketCase Management Order; Filed by Clerk

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10/04/2019

DocketNotice of Posting of Jury Fees; Filed by LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT (Defendant)

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10/03/2019

DocketCase Management Statement; Filed by LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT (Defendant)

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10/02/2019

DocketCase Management Statement; Filed by Jonathan Ebrahimian (Attorney); KIMBERLY FIELD (Plaintiff)

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09/18/2019

Docketat 08:30 AM in Department 31, Yolanda Orozco, Presiding; Case Management Conference - Not Held - Continued - Court's Motion

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08/26/2019

Docketat 08:30 AM in Department 31, Yolanda Orozco, Presiding; Court Order

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08/26/2019

DocketMinute Order ( (Court Order)); Filed by Clerk

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08/26/2019

DocketCertificate of Mailing for ((Court Order) of 08/26/2019); Filed by Clerk

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06/26/2019

DocketAnswer; Filed by LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT (Defendant)

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05/24/2019

DocketNotice of Case Management Conference; Filed by Clerk

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05/21/2019

DocketComplaint; Filed by KIMBERLY FIELD (Plaintiff)

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05/21/2019

DocketSummons (on Complaint); Filed by KIMBERLY FIELD (Plaintiff)

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05/21/2019

DocketNotice of Case Assignment - Unlimited Civil Case; Filed by Clerk

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05/21/2019

DocketCivil Case Cover Sheet; Filed by KIMBERLY FIELD (Plaintiff)

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Tentative Rulings

Case Number: *******7739    Hearing Date: October 06, 2020    Dept: 31

DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR DISCOVERY SANCTIONS IS GRANTED.

Background

On May 21, 2019, Plaintiff Kimberly Field filed the instant action against Defendant Lowell Joint School District and Does 1 through 10. The Complaint asserts causes of action for:

  1. Employment Discrimination in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12940(a));

  2. Interference with Pregnancy Disability Leave Law in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12945(a));

  3. Failure to Provide Reasonable Accommodation in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12940(m), 12945(a));

  4. Failure to Engage in a Timely & Good-Faith Interactive Process in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12940(n), 12945(a));

  5. Retaliation in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12940(h), 12940(m), 12945(a)); and

  6. Failure to Prevent/Remedy Discrimination and/or Retaliation in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code ; 12940(k)).

On June 10, 2020, Defendant filed the instant motion to compel further responses to its Form Interrogatories-Employment Law, Set One, Nos. 202.1, 204.1, 204.2, 204.5, 207.2, 213.1, and 213.2. The motion also seeks sanctions in the amount of $1,855.00.

On August 19, 2020, the Court convened an Informal Discovery Conference (“IDC”) with the parties. On September 29, 2020, Defendant indicated that Plaintiff provided Third Supplemental Responses to the discovery at issue. However, Defendant still moves for an order for sanctions pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 2030.290(c), 2023.010, and 2023.030(a).

Legal Standard

Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.030 states, in relevant part:

To the extent authorized by the chapter governing any particular discovery method or any other provision of this title, the court, after notice to any affected party, person, or attorney, and after opportunity for hearing, may impose the following sanctions against anyone engaging in conduct that is a misuse of the discovery process:

(a) The court may impose a monetary sanction ordering that one engaging in the misuse of the discovery process, or any attorney advising that conduct, or both pay the reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred by anyone as a result of that conduct. The court may also impose this sanction on one unsuccessfully asserting that another has engaged in the misuse of the discovery process, or on any attorney who advised that assertion, or on both. If a monetary sanction is authorized by any provision of this title, the court shall impose that sanction unless it finds that the one subject to the sanction acted with substantial justification or that other circumstances make the imposition of the sanction unjust.

Misuses of the discovery process include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) Persisting, over objection and without substantial justification, in an attempt to obtain information or materials that are outside the scope of permissible discovery.

(b) Using a discovery method in a manner that does not comply with its specified procedures.

(c) Employing a discovery method in a manner or to an extent that causes unwarranted annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, or undue burden and expense.

(d) Failing to respond or to submit to an authorized method of discovery.

(e) Making, without substantial justification, an unmeritorious objection to discovery.

(f) Making an evasive response to discovery.

(g) Disobeying a court order to provide discovery.

(h) Making or opposing, unsuccessfully and without substantial justification, a motion to compel or to limit discovery.

(i) Failing to confer in person, by telephone, or by letter with an opposing party or attorney in a reasonable and good faith attempt to resolve informally any dispute concerning discovery, if the section governing a particular discovery motion requires the filing of a declaration stating facts showing that an attempt at informal resolution has been made.

Discussion

Defendant moves for sanctions in the amount of $1,855.00 against Plaintiff and her counsel of record, Johnathan Ebrahimian, in connection with the instant motion to compel further responses. Defendant asserts that despite Plaintiff providing supplemental responses, it has taken a year, multiple meet and confer letters, the instant motion to compel, and an IDC to get Plaintiff’s latest responses. Defendant contends that it served the subject interrogatories on September 6, 2019. (Suppl. Williams Decl. ¶ 2, Exh. H; Williams Decl., Exh. A.) 

Defendant seeks $1,855.00 in sanctions, consisting of 7.6 hours spent preparing the moving papers, more than 2 hours spent preparing a reply, and an anticipated 1 hour preparing and arguing the matter in court billed at a rate of $175 per hour.

The Court finds that Defendant is entitled to sanctions pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.030(a) for Plaintiff’s misuse of the discovery process. Moreover, the Court finds that the amount of Defendant’s request is reasonable.

Based on the foregoing, Defendant’s motion for sanctions is GRANTED. 

Conclusion

Defendant’s motion for sanctions is GRANTED. Plaintiff and her counsel of record, Johnathan Ebrahimian, are ordered to pay monetary sanctions to Defendant in the amount of $1,855.00 within 30 days.

The parties are strongly encouraged to attend all scheduled hearings virtually or by audio. Effective July 20, 2020, all matters will be scheduled virtually and/or with audio through the Court’s LACourtConnect technology. The parties are strongly encouraged to use LACourtConnect for all their matters. All social distancing protocols will be observed at the Courthouse and in the courtrooms.



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