Shelton v. Children’s Hospital of Orange County
Motions for Summary Judgment and/or Adjudication
Motion type
Causes of action
Parties
Ruling
Defendant’s evidence are immaterial to the disposition of the motion.
Defendant to give notice.
109 Quiroz v. Cable Tech Motion to Consolidate Corp., 2023-01340996
110 Shelton v. Children’s Motions for Summary Judgment and/or Adjudication – Hospital of Orange GRANTED IN PART County, 2025-01451163 In October 2021, then 15-year-old Makyla Shelton underwent surgery at CHOC to remove a carcinoma on her neck. Doctors Kevin Huoh, M.D. and Gurpreet Ahuja, M.D. informed Makyla and her parents, Rodger and Jill Shelton, that the entire tumor had been removed and the margins were clean or clear. In April or May 2022, an MRI showed a tumor recurrence. Makyla obtained a second opinion at UCLA, where she underwent a second surgery and received radiation treatment.
Makyla, Rodger and Jill Shelton sued doctors Huoh and Ahuja for medical malpractice. These defendants filed separate motions for summary judgment and/or adjudication. (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c.) The motions are generally identical and rely on the exact same expert declaration and evidence.
Plaintiffs oppose the motions but request a continuance in order to conduct additional discovery including: the depositions of Dr. Huoh and Dr. Ahuja, the depositions of the pathologists who reported the frozen sections and the final margin status, a person-most-knowledgeable deposition of CHOC concerning the Tumor Board's composition and deliberations, the deposition of the oncologist alleged to have described the situation as "political," and the production of pathology slides and
blocks and imaging studies in a form permitting independent expert review.
First, the motion for summary judgment is GRANTED as to Plaintiffs Rodger Shelton and Jill Shelton. In the opposition, Plaintiffs appear to concede that they do not have standing to assert a medical malpractice cause of action against Defendant. Notably, even if Plaintiffs had standing to bring the first cause of action, the cause of action is barred by the one year after discovery of the injury statute of limitations. (See Code Civ. Proc., § 340.5; Young v. Haines (1986) 41 Cal.3d 883, 897, fn. 10.)
The Court finds, however, that Defendants have not established that Plaintiff Makyla Shelton is barred from bringing the first cause of action for medical malpractice by Code of Civil Procedure section 340.5. As a minor, Makyla’s claim is not subject to the one year statute of limitations discussed in the moving papers. (Young v. Haines (1986) 41 Cal.3d 883) Summary judgment on Makyla’s claim is DENIED as to this argument.
As to Defendants’ remaining arguments that (1) the care and treatment he rendered to Makyla was well-within the standard of care at all times and (2) no act or omission by them caused Makyla’s claimed injuries, Makyla requests a continuance pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 437c(h). Makyla’s counsel’s declaration identified specific depositions and specific materials her expert witness needed to review. The declaration states that all of this discovery was scheduled to be completed in August 2026. Defendants’ counsel’s declaration states that none of the discovery was even requested before Plaintiffs’ opposition to the MSJ was due.
At the hearing, counsel shall be prepared to provide the Court with the following:
1. A detailed list of the discovery necessary for Plaintiffs’ expert witness to provide a declaration in opposition to the MSJ.
2. Copies of documents (discovery request with proofs of service; copies of letters or emails, etc.)
showing when Plaintiffs requested the items identified in category #1.
3. Copies of documents (discovery responses with proofs of service; copies of letters or emails, etc.) showing Defendants’ response to the requests the items identified in category #1.
4. Identification of which of the items in category #1 have been provided/produced in full, which have been provided/produced in part, and which have yet to be provided/produced.
5. If the Court were to grant the continuance, when any remaining deponents would be available..
6. If the Court were to grant the continuance, when Plaintiffs would be prepared to file further opposition to the MSJ.
111 Solouki v. Saint-Gobain Motion to be Relieved as Counsel – CONTINUED Performance Plastics Corp., 2025-01507443 Gloria Tumanyan (“Moving Attorney”) moves to be relieved as counsel of record for plaintiff Tony Solouki.
Moving Attorney has not submitted the mandatory declaration (MC-052) and proposed order forms (MC- 053) required under the California Rules of Court.
Thus, the motion is CONTINUED to September 28, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Department N14. Moving Attorney is ORDERED to timely file and serve the appropriate forms prior to the continued hearing date.
Moving Attorney to give notice.
112 Virgili v. Crites, 2025- Motion to Compel Arbitration – CONTINUED TO 01527043 12/12/2026, 9:00 a.m. PER COURT’S 08/13/2026 ORDER
113 Yu v. Universal Waste Motion for Leave to Amend – MOOT Systems, 2026- 01548728
114 Red Hill Village v. Motion for Attorney Fees – GRANTED Shere, 2024-01424721 After this Court granted Plaintiff Red Hill Village, LLC’s motion for summary judgment, judgment was entered in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant Kaiser Shere. Based on the parties’ contract, Plaintiff now moves for an order granting attorney fees in the amount of $35,349.50.
The Court OVERRULES Defendant’s Evidentiary Objections Nos. 1, 2, 4-9, 11, 12. The Court SUSTAINS Objection Nos. 3 and 10 on the ground the “transaction listing report” attached as Exhibit 1 is hearsay.
Attorney Fees Provision Plaintiff brings the instant motion for attorney fees under Civil Code section 1717, pursuant to an agreement by the parties.
“ ‘Before section 1717 comes into play, it is necessary to determine whether the parties entered into an agreement for the payment of attorney fees, and if so, the scope of the attorney fee agreement.’ [Citation.]” (Mountain Air Enterprises, LLC v. Sundowner Tower, LLC (2017) 3 Cal.5th 744, 752.)
Defendant argues that Plaintiff did not attach or authenticate the Lease or Guaranty containing the fee clause. However, the reply argues that the operative Lease and Guaranty were submitted previously and attached to the Declaration of Bonaparte Lui in conjunction with Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, and requests that the Court take judicial notice of the documents filed on June 12, 2025.
The Court takes judicial notice of the Declaration of Bonaparte Lui in conjunction with Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, pursuant to Evidence Code section 452(d). (ROA 55.)
Paragraph 31 of the Lease provides for attorney fees and states, in part: “If any Party or Broker brings an action or proceeding involving the Premises whether founded in tort, contract or equity, or to declare rights hereunder,
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