MORGAN SPRINGER vs CENTINELA FEED AND PET SUPPLIES, INC.

IT IS SO ORDERED. DATED: August 24, 2026 __________________________ ELAINE LU Judge of the Superior Court

distributes a tentative ruling for the Case Management Order. The parties are welcome to provide input and propose modification(s) to any aspect of the CMO at the Initial Status Conference. If all parties submit on the tentative CMO prior to the commencement of the August 24, 2026 ISC, the Court will adopt the tentative CMO, and the parties need not appear. However, if there is any matter that any party would like to discuss, including any proposed change to this tentative CMO, that party should not submit on this tentative but instead appear at the ISC to raise the issue. To avoid a failure to appear, please make sure to check in with Department 9 court staff and wait for the case to be called unless you receive notification that all parties have submitted on the tentative CMO.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES MORGAN SPRINGER vs CENTINELA FEED AND PET SUPPLIES, INC., 26STCV07776 [TENTATIVE] CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER

This action has been designated as complex pursuant to CRC 3.400(a), and thus requires exceptional judicial management. All provisions of this CMO are deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of Rule 3.400(a), and to promote effective decision-making by the Court. They are based upon individual consideration of this complex action, including the Status Conference Reports previously filed by the parties.

1. Mediation: The parties are ordered to meet and confer regarding their willingness to participate in private mediation, and if agreeable to all parties, the parties may schedule a mediation. The parties are further ordered to file a Joint Status Report Re: Mediation Efforts, including whether the Parties have agreed to mediate, the identity of any mediator they may have selected, and the date of any mediation they may have scheduled, by no later than September 24, 2026. A Non-Appearance Case Review Re Mediation Efforts is set for October 1, 2026 at 8:30 AM, Department 9.

If the parties agree to a voluntary, informal exchange of discovery prior to mediating, the Court encourages (but does not require or order) the parties to include a custodian's declaration with each production of discovery so that if the mediation is unsuccessful, the parties will have declarations to authenticate the documents already produced.

2. Applicable Arbitration Agreement(s): Defendant states that it is evaluating whether any applicable arbitration clauses or class action waivers exist and reserves its rights related to its position.

3. Defendant's Responsive Pleading: The Court hereby lifts the stay to permit Defendant to file and serve any Motion to Compel Arbitration or a Responsive Pleading to the operative Complaint. Defendant must file and serve any Motion to Compel Arbitration or a Responsive Pleading by no later than September 24, 2026. Before filing any motion, the moving party must contact the Court Staff in Department 9 when ready to file the moving papers to obtain a hearing date and a briefing schedule. The Court sets a Non-Appearance Case Review Re: Filing and Serving of Defendant's Responsive Pleading for October 1, 2026, 8:30 AM, Department 9.

4. Phased Discovery. Discovery shall be phased. Discovery will be phased with the stay lifted once Defendant files and serves an answer or, if applicable, after the Court rules on any pleading challenge. At that time, the Court will permit class certification discovery only. Merits-based discovery will be allowed only after the Court rules on Plaintiff's anticipated class certification motion. If there is a dispute concerning whether a given discovery request is certification or merits-based, the parties are to request an informal discovery conference through CaseAnywhere or other electronic bulletin.

5. Class list discovery. The decision in In Re Insurance Installment Fee cases (2012) 211 Cal.App.4th 1395, 1426-1429, held that the notice procedure prescribed by the trial court and followed by the defendant was necessary to protect privacy rights under the California Constitution. Therefore, upon the Court's lifting of the stay on class certification discovery, the parties shall use the procedure described in Belaire-West Landscape v Superior Court (2008) 149 Cal.App.4th 554 to notify putative class members, as described in the applicable paragraph of the currently operative complaint, giving them the opportunity to opt out. The parties must share the cost of the procedure equally.

a. Plaintiff is to take the lead and prepare a proposed letter to be sent out by the agreed-upon third party administrator. The parties must discuss and settle upon a final version.

b. The letter must be written using the administrator's letterhead, not that of any party.

c. The defense must turn over the contact information consisting of name, address, phone number, and email address (if available) to the third-party administrator.

d. In the event the putative class list is greater than 400 people, the administrator must randomly select a sample of no more than 400. The contact information for those persons who did not opt out must be turned over to the plaintiff.

6. Payroll Records Discovery. Responses to any payroll record discovery requests must be uniquely numbered and redacted so that putative class member's identifying information, i.e., name, social security numbers, etc. are not revealed.

7. Protective Order. Parties are alerted that model protective orders may be found at Los Angeles Superior Court website at http://www.lacourt.org/division/civil/CI0043.aspx. The parties are encouraged to use these model orders as shown, or if modified, as a template for the modified order. A redlined courtesy copy must be posted on the e-service bulletin board and lodged with the court at the time of filing. The parties must use the redlined version to identify any changes proposed to the model order.

8. E-service & E-filing. Electronic service is not the same as electronic filing. The parties have agreed, and the Court has signed an order authorizing Case Anywhere as the e-service to be used in this case. Argument must not be posted on the bulletin board. For information on electronic filing in the Complex Courts, please refer to https://www.lacourt.org/division/efiling/efiling2.aspx and http://www.lacourt.org/division/efiling/pdf/ComplexefilingFAQs.pdf.

a. The parties should be aware that if they submit a proposed order, then if and when the Court approves the order, the final signed order will be electronically returned to the Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP). After lodging a proposed order, the parties must frequently monitor and check with their EFSP because the final, signed order will not be automatically uploaded to CaseAnywhere or any other electronic bulletin board.

9. Hearing Dates and Briefing Schedule for Motions: Department 9 does not use the Los Angeles Superior Court online Court Reservation System (CRS) to set motion hearing dates. To request a hearing date and briefing schedule for any and all motions (other than motions in limine), the moving party must call the Court Staff in Department 9 when ready to file the moving papers. The first page of the Notice of Motion must clearly set forth the hearing date and briefing schedule obtained from the Court. Failure to file and serve moving papers within 1 court day of obtaining the briefing schedule and hearing date may result in the Court vacating the hearing date. At the trial setting conference, the Court will specially set a briefing schedule for all motions in limine, which are generally heard at the Final Status Conference.

10. Class Certification Motion. The Court hereby sets the deadline for Plaintiff to file and serve any Motion for Class Certification as August 24, 2027. Plaintiff is reminded that Plaintiff's brief must contain a trial plan. The trial plan MUST be filed as a separate brief. The Court sets a Non-Appearance Case Review for August 31, 2027, 8:30 AM, Department 9.

11. Discovery conferences. Participation in an informal discovery conference is not a prerequisite to filing a motion to compel further or other discovery motion in Department 9. However, the Court strongly encourages informal discovery conferences as a more efficient and cost effective alternative to resolve discovery disputes without unnecessary motion practice. The Court will likely consider the parties' voluntary participation in an informal discovery conference or other similar efforts when subsequently assessing a party's request for discovery sanctions.

Any party may post a message on the electronic bulletin board to request an informal discovery conference. The Court will either reply to the message or issue a minute order setting the conference. A party's request for or voluntary participation in an informal discovery conference does not extend the deadline to file and serve a timely motion to compel further responses. If the parties wish, they may negotiate and stipulate to a mutually agreeable extension in writing. Because informal discovery conferences are informal, no court reporter or audio recording is permitted.

12. Potential Related Cases. As soon as Counsel become aware of any potentially related case(s), including any class action involving overlapping claims or any PAGA case involving the same representative plaintiff, Counsel are ordered to file and serve a Notice of Related Case in the instant case and in the potentially related case(s) pursuant California Rule of court Rule 3.300. This is a continuing obligation on both Plaintiffs and Defendants while this case is pending.

13. Settlement. File a Notice of Settlement on Judicial Council form CM-200, a mandatory form.

a. Consider using the form wage and hour settlement agreements now available on the court's website at https://www.lacourt.org/forms/all - "Civil Forms" section. With input and unanimous consensus from an Ad Hoc Wage and Hour Committee, the court posted: (1) a form class action settlement agreement, (2) a form class action/PAGA settlement agreement, (3) and a form PAGA settlement agreement. Using these forms should cut down on attorney negotiation time and reduce the lag time between a successful mediation and execution of a long form agreement. Filing a motion that is based on a form agreement and includes a redlined copy identifying modifications will also expedite the court's review process and help reduce the current backlog on hearings.

b. If settlement includes dismissal of class action claims (such as a PAGA only settlement or an individual settlement), then Plaintiff must comply with CRC 3.769 and 3.770 in order to obtain dismissal of class claims. Do NOT use Judicial Council Form Civ-110, Request for Dismissal. Plaintiff is ordered to download (1) the instant signed order from the Court's website, (2) the minute order for today, and (3) the signed order authorizing electronic service provider, to give formal notice of each of these to all other parties, and to file proof of service of such within five (5) days.

IT IS SO ORDERED. DATED: August 24, 2026 __________________________ ELAINE LU Judge of the Superior Court

Case Number: 26STCV08635 Hearing Date: August 24, 2026 Dept: 9 The court has granted Plaintiff's request for dismissal. Plaintiff need not appear at the 8/24/26 initial status conference.

Case Number: 26STCV13782 Hearing Date: August 24, 2026 Dept: 9 The Court has signed the STIPULATION TO CONTINUE INITIAL STATUS CONFERENCE; [PROPOSED] ORDER lodged on 8/14/26. By stipulation of the parties, the Initial Status Conference is continued to October 26, 2026 at 10:00 a.m Defendants are to give formal notice of this order to all other parties and file proof of service of such.

Case Number: 26STCV13811 Hearing Date: August 24, 2026 Dept: 9 The Court hereby distributes a tentative ruling for the Case Management Order. The parties are welcome to provide input and propose modification(s) to any aspect of the CMO at the Initial Status Conference. If all parties submit on the tentative CMO prior to the commencement of the August 24, 2026 ISC, the Court will adopt the tentative CMO, and the parties need not appear. However, if there is any matter that any party would like to discuss, including any proposed change to this tentative CMO, that party should not submit on this tentative but instead appear at the ISC to raise the issue. To avoid a failure to appear, please make sure to check in with Department 9 court staff and wait for the case to be called unless you receive notification that all parties have submitted on the tentative CMO.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PHILIP VANDERPUYE-ORGLE vs NORTH LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER, INC., 26STCV13811 [TENTATIVE] CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER

This action has been designated as complex pursuant to CRC 3.400(a), and thus requires exceptional judicial management. All provisions of this CMO are deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of Rule 3.400(a), and to promote effective decision-making by the Court. They are based upon individual consideration of this complex action, including the Status Conference Reports previously filed by the parties.