JESSEE OWENS KATZ ET AL VS. ANTHONY SAM ET AL

SF Superior Court - Law & Motion / Discovery Dept 302 - CGC24620876 - August 19, 2025 Hearing date: August 19, 2025 Case number: CGC24620876 Case title: JESSEE OWENS KATZ ET AL VS. ANTHONY SAM ET AL Case Number: | | CGC24620876 | Case Title: | | JESSEE OWENS KATZ ET AL VS. ANTHONY SAM ET AL | Court Date: | | 2025-08-19 09:00 AM | Calendar Matter: | | Notice Of Motion And Motion For Attorneys' Fees Under Code Of Civil Procedure Section 425.16(C)(1) | Rulings: | | Set for Law and Motion/Discovery Calendar on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Line 8. DEFENDANTs ANTHONY SAM, and GORDON LEE's Motion For Attorneys' Fees Under Code Of Civil Procedure Section 425.16(C)(1).

Defendant Anthony Sam's motion for attorneys' fees is granted in part. Mr. Sam is awarded $19,075 in fees and costs. Although this motion is unopposed, the court undertook an independent review to determine the amount of fees and costs that should be awarded to Mr. Sam's for his partially successful anti-SLAPP motion.

The court finds that counsel's requested rate of $425 is reasonable. The court reduces counsel's claimed 67.6 hours by 23 hours. 15 hours reduced due to partial success on the motion. Mr. Sam sought to eliminate the entire complaint and instead only succeeded in striking three paragraphs, albeit including a lengthy one, of a much longer complaint and not eliminating any of the causes of action in full. 2 hours are reduced for preparation of this motion since it reasonably should have taken an attorney charging $425 per hour at most 4 hours to file sufficient moving papers. 6 hours are reduced from the anticipated 8 hours to file reply papers that were not filed and oral argument. 44.6 x 425 = $18,955 + $120 in costs = $19,075.

For the 9:00 a.m. calendar, all attorneys and parties may appear in Department 302 remotely or in person. Remote hearings will be conducted by videoconference using Zoom. (Dept. 302 Zoom ID 160 409 7690; Passcode 516287.) To appear remotely at the hearing, go to the court's website at sfsuperiorcourt.org under "Online Services," navigate to "Tentative Rulings," and click on the appropriate link, or dial the corresponding phone number.

Any party who contests a tentative ruling must send an email to contestdept302tr@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 contestdept302tr@sftc.org prior to the hearing even if the tentative ruling is not contested.