Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
Tentative Ruling
On June 17, 2026, the Parties filed a stipulated petition to coordinate the following actions: (1) JANE S.A. DOE-126, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Sacramento County, Case No. 26CV009578); (2) JANE B.G. DOE-151, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Sacramento County, Case No. 26CV009581); (3) JANE C.M. DOE-176, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Sacramento County, Case No. 26CV010286); and (4) JANE S.C. DOE-201, et al. v. State of California, et al., et al. (Sacramento County, Case No. 26CV011271). (Stipulated Petition.)
While the Parties filed an omnibus petition, they failed to provide the requested Word document listing the cases to be added and the plaintiffs in each case, consistent with the format used by the Court in its prior minute orders granting petitions, including a table with columns for Case Name, County, Case Number, and Filing Date, along with a paragraph listing plaintiffs names in the following format: [Case Name] (Case No. [INSERT NUMBER]) includes the following plaintiffs: (1) [Name 1], (2) [Name 2], (6- 26-26 Minute Order.) Counsel is reminded to provide the requested document with future Add-On Petitions.
Background
On April 26, 2023, 26 individual Jane Does filed a Petition for Coordination of Actions. (Petition for Coordination.) On July 11, 2023, the Court granted Plaintiffs Petition for Coordination as to 24 cases. (7-11-23 Order on Submitted Matter.) On February 9, 2024, the Court granted Plaintiffs petition to add on 78 additional cases arising out of Madera and San Bernardino Counties. (2-9-24 Minute Order.) On March 15, 2024, the Court granted two additional petitions to add on 224 cases from Sacramento County. (3- 15-24 Minute Order [petitions by Plaintiffs in 223 Doe cases and Plaintiffs in the Roe case].)
On January 10, 2025, the Court granted a stipulated petition to add another case filed in Madera County. (1-10-25 Minute Order [the Jane Doe #1 N.F.P. matter].) On February 21, 2025, the Court granted two petitions to add three additional cases. (2-21- 25 Minute Order.) On April 11, 2025, the Court granted three petitions to add 17 additional cases. (4-11-25 Minute Order.) On May 30, 2025, the Court granted two petitions to add nine additional cases. (5-30-25 Minute Order.) On August 29, 2025, the Court granted three petitions to add nine additional cases. (8-29-25 Minute Order.)
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On November 21, 2025, the Court granted four petitions to add 35 additional cases. (11-21- 25 Minute Order.) On January 16, 2026, the Court granted five petitions to add seven additional cases. (1-16-26 Minute Order.) On March 27, 2026, the Court granted 4 petitions to add 24 additional cases. (3-27-26 Minute Order.) On April 10, 2026, the Court granted one petition to add one case. (4-10-26 Minute Order.) On May 15, 2026,
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
the Court granted one petition to add two cases. (5-15-26 Minute Order.) On May 22, 2026, the Court granted one petition to add two cases. (5-22-26 Minute Order.) Finally, on June 26, 2026, the Court granted one petition to add one case. (6-26-26 Minute Order.)
Legal Standard
If a case shares common questions of fact or law with cases already coordinated under Code of Civil Procedure section 404, the parties may ask that the coordination trial judge include that case in the coordinated proceedings. This request can be made by the court's own motion, by any party (with a supporting affidavit showing the case meets the requirements of Section 404.1), or by all plaintiffs or all defendants together (also with a supporting affidavit). The coordination judge will then decide whether to include the case based on the standards in Section 404.1. (Code Civ. Proc. (CCP), § 404.4; CRC rule 3.544.)
Section 404.1 provides that coordination of civil actions sharing a common question of fact or law is appropriate if one judge hearing all of the actions for all purposes in a selected site will promote the ends of justice taking into account whether the common questions of fact or law is predominating and significant to the litigation; the convenience of parties, witnesses, and counsel; the relative development of the actions and the work product of counsel; the efficient utilization of judicial facilities and manpower; the calendar of the courts; the disadvantages of duplicative and inconsistent rulings, orders, or judgments; and, the likelihood of settlement of the actions without further litigation should coordination be denied. (CCP, § 404.1.)
Analysis
Applying the criteria set forth in rule 3.400(b) of the California Rules of Court, these actions are likely to involve: (1) numerous pretrial motions raising difficult or novel legal issues that will be time-consuming to resolve; (2) management of a substantial amount of documentary evidence; and, (3) management of a large number of separately represented parties. Accordingly, the Court affirms their designations as complex.
The Court has reviewed the Parties petition, the Courts July 11, 2023 Order granting the initial petition to coordinate, and this Courts prior orders granting petitions to add-on cases. The additional complaints arise out of the same type of incidents, including the same government entity defendants, and raise the same causes of action as those already coordinated under the coordinated proceeding. (Stipulated Petition, pp. 3:12-22, 4:5-10, 6:3-7.) Moreover, the additional cases are in the early stages of litigation, and no
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
responses have been filed. (Id., pp. 4:10-12, 6:25-7:1.)
This Court has not yet determined that the coordinated cases share common questions. However, coordination may still be appropriate notwithstanding a lack of commonality. (See McGhan Medical Corp. v. Superior Court (1992) 11 Cal.App.4th 804, 811-814 and Ford Motor Warranty Cases (2017) 11 Cal.App.5th 626, 645.) Moreover, the coordination statutes and rules expressly contemplate add-on cases. Unless there is some distinction between the coordinated and add-on cases, there is no basis for a coordination trial judge's refusal to add cases to the coordination proceeding. (Ford Motor Warranty Cases, supra, 11 Cal.App.5th at p. 626.)
No such distinction is apparent at this time. That said, the Court notes that a coordinating judge has the authority to sever unique cases at appropriate stages. Thus, the rules permit: the coordination trial judge to order any issue or defense tried separately; order hearings conducted at various sites in the state to provide convenience to witnesses, parties and counsel; prescribe all manner of pretrial discovery devices designed to aid the litigation; sever cases or claims and transfer them back to their original venue; and try specific issues separately. (Ford Motor Warranty Cases, supra, 11 Cal.App.5th 626, 644-645, internal citations to McGhan omitted.)
Accordingly, the Court GRANTS the Parties petition. The Court orders the following cases to be coordinated into JCCP 5276:
Case Name County Case Number Filing Date Jane S.A. Doe-126, et al. v. State of Sacramento 26CV009578 4-15-26 California, et al. Jane B.G. Doe-151, et al. v. State of Sacramento 26CV009581 4-15-26 California, et al. Jane C.M. Doe-176, et al. v. State of Sacramento 26CV010286 4-24-26 California, et al. Jane S.C. Doe-201, et al. v. State of Sacramento 26CV011271 5-11-26 California, et al.
Jane S.A. Doe-126, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Case No. 26CV009578) includes the following plaintiffs: (1) JANE S.A. DOE-126; (2) JANE B.C. DOE-127; (3) JANE T.H. DOE-128; (4) JANE S.M. DOE-129; (5) JANE D.E. DOE-130; (6) JANE S.L. DOE-131; (7) JANE A.S. DOE-132; (8) JANE P.S. DOE-133; (9) JANE V.A DOE-134; (10) JANE R.A. DOE-135; (11) JANE E.A. DOE-136; (12) JANE J.A. DOE-137; (13) JANE L.A. DOE-138; (14) JANE S.B. DOE-139; (15) JANE R.B, DOE-140; (16) JANE K.B. DOE- 141; (17) JANE T.C. DOE-142; (18) JANE H.D. DOE-143; (19) JANE J.T. DOE-144; (20) JANE N.F. DOE-145; (21) JANE N.G. DOE-146; (22) JANE Y.D. DOE-147; (23)
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
JANE T.S. DOE-148; (24) JANE A.H. DOE-149; and (25) JANE M.L. DOE-150.
Jane B.G. Doe-151, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Case No. 26CV009581) includes the following plaintiffs: (1) JANE B.G. DOE-151; (2) JANE K.G. DOE-152; (3) JANE T.G.W. DOE-153; (4) JANE N.M. DOE-154; (5) JANE R.S. DOE-155; (6) JANE E.S. DOE-156; (7) JANE V.G. DOE-157; (8) JANE A K. DOE-158; (9) JANE A.F. DOE-159; (10) JANE G.G. DOE-160; (11) JANE Q.K. DOE-161; (12) JANE T.R. DOE-162; (13) JANE J.G. DOE-163; (14) JANE E.M. DOE-164; (15) JANE V.M. DOE-165; (16) JANE A.M. DOE-166; (17) JANE A M. DOE-167; (18) JANE S.M. DOE-168; (19) JANE S.M. DOE-169; (20) JANE A H. DOE-170; (21) JANE K.M. DOE-171; (22) JANE J.B. DOE- 172; (23) JANE C.H. DOE-173; (24) JANE M.A. DOE-174; and (25) JANE S.L.W. DOE- 175.
Jane C.M. Doe-176, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Case No. 26CV010286) includes the following plaintiffs: (1) JANE C.M. DOE-176; (2) JANE N.O. DOE-177; (3) JANE K.K. DOE-178; (4) JANE C.P. DOE-179; (5) JANE J.R. DOE-180; (6) JANE R.R. DOE- 181; (7) JANE R.R. DOE-182; (8) JANE R.R. DOE-183; (9) JANE K.R. DOE-184; (10) JANE A.R. DOE-185; (11) JANE E.R. DOE-186; (12) JANE A.H. DOE-187; (13) JANE F.R. DOE-188; (14). JANE J.S. DOE-189; (15) JANE M.S. DOE-190; (16) JANE C.S. DOE-191; (17) JANE S.S. DOE-192; (18) JANE C.S.DOE-193; (19) JANE K.S. DOE- 194; (20) JANE T.S. DOE-195; (21) JANE J.V. DOE-196; (22) JANE J.W. DOE-197; (23) JANE R.B. DOE-198; (24) JANE B.B. DOE-199; and (25) JANE V.K. DOE-200.
Jane S.C. Doe-201, et al. v. State of California, et al. (Case No. 26CV011271) includes the following plaintiffs: (1) JANE S.C. DOE-201; (2) JANE H.A. DOE-202; (3) JANE V.F. DOE-203; (4) JANE E.E. DOE-204; (5) JANE T.M. DOE-205; (6) JANE S.C DOE-206; (7) JANE L.A. DOE-207; (8) JANE K.C. DOE-208; (9) JANE J.A DOE-209; (10) JANE A.A DOE-210; (11) JANE S.C. DOE-211; (12) JANE K.A. DOE-212; (13) JANE C.A. DOE-213; (14) JANE A.B.T. DOE-214; (15) JANE S.B. DOE-215; (16) JANE C.D. DOE- 216; (17) JANE J.C. DOE-217; (18) JANE D.C. DOE-218; (19) JANE T.C.P. DOE-219; (20) JANE S.D DOE-220; (21) JANE L.D. DOE-221; (22) JANE A.S. DOE-222; (23) JANE S.W. DOE-223; (24) JANE M.D. DOE-224; and (25) JANE M.D. DOE-225.
JCCP 5276 is designated as the lead case and for good cause shown, is assigned to Judge Lauri A. Damrell, for all purposes.
All further proceedings in the above-listed actions are stayed and all hearings previously set are vacated. All future filings pertaining to the newly coordinated actions shall be filed using the lead case number and title.
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
Petitioners shall promptly serve this order pursuant to California Rules of Court rules 3.529 and 3.544.
To request oral argument on this matter, you must call Department 8B at (916) 874- 5762 by 4:00 p.m., the court day before this hearing and notification of oral argument must be made to the opposing party/counsel. If no call is made, the tentative ruling becomes the order of the court. (Local Rule 1.06.)
Parties requesting services of a court reporter will need to arrange for private court reporter services at their own expense, pursuant to Government Code §68086 and California Rules of Court, Rule 2.956. Requirements for requesting a court reporter are listed in the Policy for Official Reporter Pro Tempore available on the Sacramento Superior Court website. Parties may contact Court-Approved Official Reporters Pro Tempore by utilizing the list of Court Approved Official Reporters Pro Tempore.
If you are not using a reporter from the Courts Approved Official Reporter Pro Tempore list, a Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (CV/E-206) must be signed by each party, the private court reporter, and the Judge. The signed form must be filed with the clerk prior to the hearing.
If a litigant has been granted a fee waiver and requests a court reporter, the party must submit a Request for Court Reporter by a Party with a Fee Waiver (CV/E-211). The form must be filed with the clerk at least 10 days prior to the hearing or at the time the hearing is scheduled if less than 10 days away. Once approved, the clerk will forward the form to the Court Reporters Office and an official reporter will be provided.
If oral argument is requested, the Parties are encouraged to appear via Zoom with the links below:
To join by Zoom link - https://saccourt-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/16184738886 To join by phone dial (833) 568-8864 ID 16184738886
Moving Counsel is directed to notice all parties of this order.
Please note that the Complex Civil Case Department now provides information to assist you in managing your complex case on the Court website at https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/divisions/civil/complex-civil-cases. The Court strongly encourages parties to review this website regularly to stay abreast of the
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO
JCCP5276: CDCR Women's Facilities Cases 07/17/2026 Hearing on Petition to Coordinate Add-On Case (JCCP) Case No. 26CV009578; Case No. 26CV009581; Case No. 26CV010286; Case No. 26CV011271 in Department 8B
most recent complex civil case procedures. Please refer to the website before directly contacting the Court Clerk for information.