CHIKODI CHIMA VS. ANNE COSTIN ET AL

Matter on the Law & Motion / Discovery calendar for Thursday, October 9, 2025, Line 12. DEFENDANTS HONORABLE ANNE COSTIN, JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, JORDENNE FERENCZI's DEMURRER to 1ST Amended COMPLAINT. Tentative ruling: Sustain demurrer without leave to amend.

In the First Amended Complaint filed on July 22, 2025 ("FAC"), Plaintiff alleges that the defendants, the Honorable Anne Costin (Judge Costin), and Jordenne Ferenczi, courtroom clerk, violated Plaintiff's rights to due process and a fair hearing under California law (California Constitution, Civil Code 52.1) in connection with a child custody hearing in case FPT-19-377669 Chikodi Chima v. Alexandra Liss.

Defendants demurred to the FAC on two grounds: first, that Plaintiff failed to allege compliance with the CA Government Claims Act; second, that the FAC failed to state facts sufficient to allege a cause of action against either defendant. Defendants assert that Judge Costin's performance of judicial acts is entitled to absolute judicial immunity, and that the conduct of courtroom clerk Ferenczi, as described in the FAC, is protected by quasi-judicial immunity. They argue that the allegations of the FAC further fail to state a valid cause of action pursuant to Civil Code 52.1, subd. (k). (The Court's complete tentative ruling has been emailed to the parties.)

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Any party who contests a tentative ruling must send an email to contestdept301tr@sftc.org with a copy to all other parties by 4pm stating, without argument, the portion(s) of the tentative ruling that the party contests. The subject line of the email shall include the line number, case name and case number. The text of the email shall include the name and contact information, including email address, of the attorney or party who will appear at the hearing.

Counsel for the prevailing party is required to prepare a proposed order which repeats verbatim the substantive portion of the tentative ruling and must email it to contestdept301tr@sftc.org prior to the hearing even if the tentative ruling is not contested.

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