YOLANDA BONILLA VS COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ET AL

Tentative Rulings

Case Number: BC682754    Hearing Date: August 27, 2020    Dept: C

YOLANDA BONILLA vs. COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ET AL

CASE NO.:  BC682754 

HEARING:  08/27/2020

JUDGE: OLIVIA ROSALES

#7

TENATIVE ORDER

Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Further Responses to Form Interrogatories (set one), Special Interrogatories (set one), Request for Production of Documents (set one), and Request for Admissions (set one) directed towards Bellflower Unified School District is TAKEN OFF CALENDAR.

Moving Party to give Notice.

A motion to compel a further response must be noticed within 45 days of the service of the verified response, or any supplemental response, or on or before any specific later date to which the propounding party and the responding party have agreed in writing. (CCP §§ 2030.300(c), 2031.310(c), 2033.290(c); see also Sexton v. Superior Court (1997) 58 Cal.App.4th 1403, 1409; Vidal Sassoon, Inc. v. Superior Court (1983) 147 Cal.App.3d 681, 685).) Otherwise, the propounding party waives any right to compel further responses. (Id.)

On June 12, 2019, Plaintiff Yolanda Bonilla (“Plaintiff”) served Defendant Bellflower Unified School District (“Defendant”) Form Interrogatories, Special Interrogatories, Request for Production of Documents, and Request for Admissions. After an IDC on August 5, 2019, Plaintiff again served Defendant identical discovery requests on the same date. Defendant initially served Plaintiff responses on September 9, 2019, containing only objections. On October 16, 2019, Plaintiff filed the instant motions to compel further responses to over 200 discovery requests. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the Court ultimately continued the instant motions to August 27, 2020.

Both Defendant and Plaintiff filed supplemental oppositions and supplemental replies on August 14 and 21, 2020, respectively. The Court notes, generally, sur-replies, supplemental oppositions, and new evidence are not permitted. (See Jay v. Mahaffey (2013) 218 Cal.App.4^th 1522, 1537-1538.) However, given the instant case’s exceptional circumstances, the Court shall address the parties’ arguments.

In sum, Plaintiff’s original ground to compel further responses is based on Defendant serving meritless objections. However, this is no longer the current state of discovery. On April 6 and August 5, 2020, Defendant served verified supplemental responses to Plaintiff’s above discovery requests. Albeit, the supplemental responses contain a hybrid of substantive answers and objections, which Plaintiff contends is unsatisfactory. Pursuant to CCP sections 2030.300(c), 2031.310(c), and 2033.290(c), a motion to compel a further response must be noticed within 45 days of the service of the verified response, or any supplemental response. Therefore, Plaintiff has 45 days to file motions to the compel further responses to Defendant’s latest verified supplemental responses—which were served on August 5, 2020.

Additionally, the Court reminds the parties of CRC, rule 3.26, which governs civility in litigation. Specifically, Appendix 3.A, subdivision (d)(1), states, “Counsel should at all times be civil and courteous in communicating with adversaries, whether in writing or orally.”

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motions are TAKEN OFF CALENDAR. The Court notes Plaintiff is still within the 45-day limit to file motion to compel further responses to the above discovery requests.

Case Number: BC682754    Hearing Date: February 05, 2020    Dept: SEC

BONILLA v. COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

CASE NO.:  BC682754

HEARING:  02/05/2020

#13

TENTATIVE ORDER

Defendant BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT’s Motion to Reclassify is DENIED.

Opposing Party to give Notice.

Defendant BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (“BUSD”) argues that Plaintiff’s case is incorrectly classified as an unlimited jurisdiction case, and should be reclassified as a limited jurisdiction case where Plaintiff’s Government Code Claim only seeks $15,000.00 in damages.

In Opposition, Plaintiff argues that BUSD’s is untimely and that BUSD has not shown that the matter will “necessarily” result in a verdict below $25,000.00.

“If a party files a motion for reclassification after the time for that party to amend the party’s initial pleading or respond to a complaint, cross-complaint, or other initial pleading, the court shall grant the motion and enter an order for reclassification only if both the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The case is incorrectly classified. (2) The moving party shows good cause for not seeking reclassification earlier.” (CCP §403.040(b).)

“[N]o suit for money damages may be brought against a public entity on a cause of action for which a claim is required to be presented…until a written claim therefor has been presented to the public entity….” (Cal. Gov. Code §945.4.) “A claim shall be presented by the claimant…and shall show…(f) The amount claimed if it totals less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) as of the date of presentation of the claim, including the estimated amount of any prospective injury, damage, or loss, insofar as it may be known at the time of the presentation of the claim, together with the basis of computation of the amount claimed. If the amount claimed exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000), no dollar amount shall be included in the claim. However, it shall indicate whether the claim would be a limited civil case.” (Cal. Gov. Code §910(f).) However, “a] statutory claim need only list ‘[t]he amount claimed…as of the date of presentation…, including the estimated amount of any prospective injury, damage, or loss, insofar as it may be known….’ (§910, subd. (f).) The claims statute does not require that a plaintiff be clairvoyant or accurately predict his future damages. It is well settled that a plaintiff who suffers continuing damages may be awarded damages accruing after submission of the claim. (Amador Valley Investors v. City of Livermore (1974) 43 Cal.App.3d 483, 489-490 [ ].)” (Ocean Services Corp. v. Ventura Port. Dist. (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 1762, 1778.)

The Court can transfer to limited jurisdiction only if “it becomes clear that the matter will ‘necessarily’ result in a verdict below the superior court jurisdictional amount.” (Walker v. Superior Court (1991) 53 Cal.3d 257, 262.)

BUSD’s Motion to Reclassify is denied. As indicated above, Plaintiff is not barred from seeking damages in excess from those itemized in her Government Claim. Although Plaintiff initially submitted a Government Claim seeking only $15,000 in damages, the Court finds that a verdict over $25,000.00 is not virtually unattainable based on Plaintiff’s prayer for damages and alleged injuries.

BUSD’s evidentiary objections to the Declaration of Thomas Kielty are OVERRULED.

Case Number: BC682754    Hearing Date: November 13, 2019    Dept: 3

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES – CENTRAL DISTRICT

After review of the court file, the Court makes the following order:

Department 3 of the Personal Injury Court has determined that the above entitled action is complicated based upon the number of pretrial hearings and/or the complexity of the issues presented.

AT THE DIRECTION OF DEPARTMENT 1:

This case is hereby transferred and reassigned to the following Independent Calendar Court in THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT, JUDGE BERNAL presiding in DEPT. F of the NORWALK Courthouse, for all purposes except trial. Department 1 hereby delegates to the Independent Calendar Court the authority to assign the cause for trial to that Independent Calendar Court.

The Order is signed and filed this date, and incorporated herein by reference. Any pending motions or hearings, including trial and status conferences, will be reset, continued or vacated at the direction of the newly assigned Independent Calendar court.

Upon receipt of this notice, counsel for Plaintiff shall give notice to all parties of record.

DATED: November 7, 2019 ___________________________

Hon. Jon Takasugi

Judge of the Superior Court

Case Number: BC682754    Hearing Date: November 07, 2019    Dept: 3

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES – CENTRAL DISTRICT

After review of the court file, the Court makes the following order:

Department 3 of the Personal Injury Court has determined that the above entitled action is complicated based upon the number of pretrial hearings and/or the complexity of the issues presented.

AT THE DIRECTION OF DEPARTMENT 1:

This case is hereby transferred and reassigned to the following Independent Calendar Court in THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT, JUDGE BERNAL presiding in DEPT. F of the NORWALK Courthouse, for all purposes except trial. Department 1 hereby delegates to the Independent Calendar Court the authority to assign the cause for trial to that Independent Calendar Court.

The Order is signed and filed this date, and incorporated herein by reference. Any pending motions or hearings, including trial and status conferences, will be reset, continued or vacated at the direction of the newly assigned Independent Calendar court.

Upon receipt of this notice, counsel for Plaintiff shall give notice to all parties of record.

DATED: November 7, 2019 ___________________________

Hon. Jon Takasugi

Judge of the Superior Court