FLETCHER, et al. vs DUCK, et al.

25CV010459: FLETCHER, et al. vs DUCK, et al. 08/10/2026 Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery Responses in Department 8C

Tentative Ruling

NOTICE:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any oral arguments regarding this tentative ruling will be heard at 1:30 p.m. in Department 8C in the Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Courthouse at 500 G Street, Sacramento, CA, the Hon. Richard C. Miadich presiding.

Any party who wishes to contest the tentative ruling below must:

(1) request a hearing by calling the Law and Motion Oral Argument Request Line for Department 8C at (916) 874-8380, by 4:00 p.m. the Court day before the noticed hearing date, and leave a voicemail message (a) identifying themselves as the party requesting oral argument; (b) indicating the specific matter/motion for which they are requesting oral argument; and (c) confirming that they have notified the opposing party of their intention to appear; and

(2) advise the opposing party of the location and time of hearing pursuant to Local Rule 1.06.

If a hearing is not requested by 4:00 p.m. on the Court day before the noticed hearing date, the tentative ruling will become the final order of the Court.

If a hearing is requested, the Court prefers in-person attendance by the parties. However, parties may appear by Zoom unless the Court specifically orders in-person attendance. Parties choosing to appear by Zoom are reminded, however, that a Zoom appearance is still a formal appearance before the Court. Parties appearing via Zoom should do so from a quiet location, free from undue distractions, and wear attire suitable for an in-person court appearance.

The parties may join the Zoom session for hearing on the tentative ruling by audio and/or video through the following link:

https://saccourt-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/16039062174

SIP Address:

16039062174@sip.zoomgov.com

(833) 568-8864

25CV010459: FLETCHER, et al. vs DUCK, et al. 08/10/2026 Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery Responses in Department 8C

ID: 16039062174

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 at https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/court-reporters/docs/crtrp-6a.pdf. Parties may contact Court- Approved Official Reporters Pro Tempore by utilizing the list of Court Approved Official Reporters Pro Tempore available at https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/court-reporters/docs/crtrp- 13.Pdf

A Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (CV/E-206) is required to be signed by each party, the private court reporter, and the Judge prior to the hearing, if not using a reporter from the Court’s Approved Official Reporter Pro Tempore list.

Once the form is signed it must be filed with the clerk. 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) and it must be filed with the clerk at least 10 days prior to the hearing or at the time the proceeding is scheduled if less than 10 days away. Once approved, the clerk will be forward the form to the Court Reporter’s Office and an official reporter will be provided.

TENTATIVE RULING

***NOTICE: EFFECTIVE APRIL 13, 2026, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS MOVED TO THE TANI G. CANTIL-SAKAUYE COURTHOUSE LOCATED AT 500 G STREET SACRAMENTO, CA. ALL MOTIONS NOTICED FOR DEPARTMENT 28 WILL BE HEARD IN DEPARTMENT 8C OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE. ALL PAPERS FOR THIS DEPARTMENT MUST BE FILED AT THIS NEW LOCATION AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE. ALL HEARINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT THIS NEW LOCATION***

The notice of motion does not provide notice of the Court’s tentative ruling system, as required by Local Rule 1.06. Moving counsel is directed to contact opposing counsel and advise of Local Rule 1.06 and the Court’s tentative ruling procedure and the manner to request a hearing. If moving counsel is unable to contact opposing counsel prior to the hearing, moving counsel is ordered to appear at the hearing by Zoom or in person.

Defendant Patrick Henry Duck Jr.’s (“Defendant”) moves to compel Plaintiffs Shawnna Fletcher and Veronica Salazar (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) to serve responses to Defendant’s (1) Form

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO

25CV010459: FLETCHER, et al. vs DUCK, et al. 08/10/2026 Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery Responses in Department 8C

Interrogatories, Set One to Fletcher; (2) Form Interrogatories, Set One to Salazar; (3) Request for Production of Documents, Set One to Fletcher; and (4) Request for Production of Documents, Set One to Salazar. (See Notice of Motion, pp. 2:2-5.) The motion is unopposed.

Defendant’s moving papers establish that he served the subject discovery on Plaintiffs on November 18, 2025 and that Plaintiffs have not served responses. (See Ostrander Decl., ¶¶ 2-5, Exhs. A and B.)

Defendant filed his motion on February 6, 2026. At that time, Local Rule 2.31(E) provided:

Parties shall make separate reservations for each remedy before filing multiple discovery- related motions in the same case with the same hearing date. When simultaneously filing multiple discovery-related motions in the same case with the same hearing date, each motion shall be filed as a separate document and a separate filing fee paid for each. Parties may not combine motions pertaining to different types of discovery within the same document. Failure to comply with any part of this rule regarding discovery motions may, in the discretion of the Court, be grounds for the motions being dropped without consideration.

(Former[1] Local Rule 2.31(E), emphasis added.)

Here, Defendant has filed as a single motion, with a single reservation and single filing fee paid, seeking four remedies and involving four discovery sets. Thus, the motion does not comply with Local Rule 2.31(E).

However, since the motion is unopposed and since it is clear that Defendant is entitled to an order compelling Plaintiffs’ responses, the Court, in its discretion, declines to drop the motion without consideration. Therefore, Defendant’s motion is GRANTED on the condition that Defendant submits three additional $60.00 filing fees at or before the hearing. If the three additional filing fees are not paid, the motion will be dropped in its entirety.

If the three additional filing fees are paid, then Plaintiffs shall serve verified responses, without objections, to Defendant’s (1) Form Interrogatories, Set One to Fletcher; (2) Form Interrogatories, Set One to Salazar; (3) Request for Production of Documents, Set One to Fletcher; and (4) Request for Production of Documents, Set One to Salazar, by no later than August 24, 2026, or a later date agreed to by the parties in writing.

This minute order is effective immediately. No formal order or other notice is required. (Code Civ. Proc. § 1019.5; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1312.)

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO

25CV010459: FLETCHER, et al. vs DUCK, et al. 08/10/2026 Hearing on Motion to Compel Discovery Responses in Department 8C [1] Local Rule 2.31(E) was amended effective July 1, 2026, but current version of the rule is substantially the same as

the prior version.