Sandra Flores v. State Center Joint Community College District

(47) Tentative Ruling

Re: Sandra Flores v. State Center Joint Community College District Superior Court Case No. 25CECG05483

Hearing Date: August 19, 2026 (Dept. 503)

Motion: by Defendant Moonlight Packing Company, LLC to Compel Initial Responses to (1) Form Interrogatories, Set One; (2) Special Interrogatories, Set One; and (3) Request for Production, Set One, from plaintiff Sandra Flores

Tentative Ruling:

To grant each of the motions to compel initial responses to form and special interrogatories, and request for production of documents. Within ten (10) days of service of the order by the clerk, plaintiff Sandra Flores shall serve verified responses, without objections, to Form Interrogatories—General, Set One; Special Interrogatories, Set One; and Request for Production, Set One; and produce all documents responsive to the Request for Production.

To impose monetary sanctions in the total amount of $1,005.00 against plaintiff Sandra Flores, in favor of defendant Moonlight Packing Company, LLC. Within thirty (30) days of service of the order by the clerk, plaintiff Sandra Flores shall pay sanctions to defendant Moonlight Packing Company, LLC counsel at Vogl Meredith Burke & Streza LLP.

Explanation:

Initial Responses to Interrogatories and Request for Production

Within 30 days of service of interrogatories, the party to whom the interrogatories are propounded shall serve the original of the response to them on the propounding party. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2030.260.) Within 30 days of service of a demand for inspection, the party to whom the interrogatories are propounded shall serve the original of the response to them on the propounding party. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2031.260.) A party that fails to serve a timely response to a discovery request waives “any objection” to the request. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.290, subd. (a), 2031.300, subd. (a).) The propounding party may move for an order compelling a party to respond to the discovery request. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.290, subd. (b), 2031.300, subd. (b).)

To date, defendant Moonlight Packing Company, LLC (“defendant”) has received no response to the interrogatories and request for production propounded on plaintiff Sandra Flores (“plaintiff”). (Streza Decls., ¶ 7.) Accordingly, an order compelling plaintiff to provide initial, verified responses is warranted. (Code Civ. Proc. § 2030.290, subd. (b), 2031.300 subd. (b).) All objections are waived. (Id., §§ 2030.290, subd. (a), 2031.300, subd. (a).)

Monetary Sanctions

Sanctions are mandatory unless the court finds that the party acted “with substantial justification” or other circumstances that would render sanctions “unjust.” (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.290 subd. (c), 2031.300, subd. (c).)

The court finds no circumstances that would render the mandatory sanctions unjust. Defendant was entitled to propound the discovery at issue. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2030.020, subd. (b); 2031.020, subd. (b); 2033.020, subd. (b).) Plaintiff thereafter was obligated to provide timely, verified responses, or seek other timely relief. As plaintiff did neither, defendant’s motions, and request for sanctions, are appropriate.

Defendant seeks sanctions in the amount of $2,655, calculated at $885 per motion. However, the amount of sanctions may be reduced as the motions are straightforward, without issue, and arising from the same set of facts. The motions are virtually identical. Further, defendant has not needed to spend time on the anticipated opposition, reply, and hearing or to meet and confer. The court finds it reasonable to allow for three hours of preparation for all three motions, calculated at counsel’s hourly rate of $275 per hour, and to allow for recovery of the three motion filing fees. Accordingly, monetary sanctions will be imposed in the total amount of $1,005.00 against plaintiff Sandra Flores.

Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 3.1312(a), and Code of Civil Procedure section 1019.5, subdivision (a), no further written order is necessary. The minute order adopting this tentative ruling will serve as the order of the court and service by the clerk will constitute notice of the order.

Tentative Ruling

Issued By: JS on 8/17/2026. (Judge’s initials) (Date)

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