Vanessa Singh vs. State of California, Department of General Services

34-2022-00328643-CU-OE-GDS: Vanessa Singh vs. State of California, Department of General Services 08/07/2026 Order to Show Cause Re: sanctions in Department 8A

Tentative Ruling

The Court, on its own motion, set this matter for an Order to Show Cause why this action, Case No. 34-2022-00328643 and the later-filed action, Case No. 26CV002821 (the “2026 Lawsuit”), should not be consolidated. Both actions are between the same parties — Plaintiff Vanessa Singh (“Singh”) and Defendant State of California, Department of General Services (“DGS”) — and are pending before this Court.

Having considered the papers filed by both parties in response to the Order to Show Cause, together with the record in each action, and good cause appearing, the Court rules as follows.

Consolidation

The 2026 Lawsuit asserts two causes of action: Anticipatory Retaliation in violation of Government Code section 12940(h), and Failure to Prevent Anticipatory Retaliation in violation of Government Code section 12940(k). Both causes of action arise from DGS’s alleged reinsertion of, and refusal to remove, the Notice of Adverse Action–Demotion (the “NOAA”) and the related State Personnel Board decision from Singh’s Official Personnel File.Those claims relate to Singh’s employment and her personnel file, the same subject matter resolved by the settlement placed on the record in this case on September 22, 2025 and enforced by the Judgment entered in this case on February 11, 2026. The Court finds that the later-filed 2026 Lawsuit is duplicative of the present case.

Accordingly, on the Court’s own motion, Case No. 34-2022-00328643 and Case No. 26CV002821 are CONSOLIDATED. Case No. 34-2022-00328643 shall be the lead case, and all further papers shall be filed under the lead case number. All future hearings in Case No. 26CV002821 are vacated.

Dismissal

34-2022-00328643-CU-OE-GDS: Vanessa Singh vs. State of California, Department of General Services 08/07/2026 Order to Show Cause Re: sanctions in Department 8A

As set forth in the Court’s July 24, 2026 order, the Court has found that Singh materially breached the clear and unambiguous terms of the settlement agreement placed on the record on September 22, 2025 and the Judgment entered on February 11, 2026 by filing the 2026 Lawsuit asserting claims she had released under the general release of all claims. The Court incorporates the findings of fact and conclusions of law set forth in its July 24, 2026 order. The claims asserted in the 2026 Lawsuit fall squarely within the general release, which extinguished “any and all claims to the present date” relating to Singh’s employment and personnel file, and which this Court has construed to contain no “carve out” for personnel-file claims. Singh filed the 2026 Lawsuit in direct violation of that settlement agreement and the Judgment entered in this case.