Williams v. Afarian

(03) Tentative Ruling

Re: Williams v. Afarian Case No. 24CECG04901

Hearing Date: May 20, 2026 (Dept. 403)

Motion: Defendant Fresno Community Hospital’s Motions to Compel Initial Responses to Discovery from Plaintiffs Jason John Williams and Melvin Lamonte Williams, Sr. and Request for Monetary Sanctions

Defendants Afarian, Coelho, Fujimoto, and Herger’s Motions to Compel Initial Responses to Discovery from Plaintiffs Jason John Williams, Melvin Lamonte Williams, Sr., Vicki La Chon Cole, and Barbara Aliane Williams and Request for Monetary Sanctions

Tentative Ruling:

To grant defendant Fresno Community Hospital’s motions to compel plaintiffs Jason John Williams and Melvin Lamonte Williams, Sr. to provide initial responses without objections to defendant’s form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and requests for production, set one. To grant defendant’s request for sanctions against plaintiffs, in the amount of $525 against each plaintiff.

To grant defendants Afarian, Coelho, Fujimoto, and Herger’s motions to compel plaintiffs Jason John Williams, Melvin Lamonte Williams, Vicki La Chon Cole, and Barbara Aliane Williams to provide initial responses without objections to defendants’ form interrogatories, special interrogatories, and requests for production, set one. To grant defendants’ request for sanctions against plaintiffs, in the amount of $547.50 against each plaintiff.

Plaintiffs shall serve their verified responses without objections within ten days of the date of service of this order. Plaintiffs shall pay sanctions within 30 days of the date of service of this order.

If oral argument is timely requested, it will be entertained on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. in Department 403.

Explanation:

Plaintiffs have failed to respond to any of the discovery requests of defendant Fresno Community Hospital and Medical Center, dba Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC), despite the passage of more than a year since the requests were served. All extensions of time have now expired and plaintiffs’ counsel has withdrawn from representing plaintiffs, yet plaintiffs have still failed to serve any responses to any of the

requests. Therefore, plaintiffs are subject to being ordered to provide initial responses to the discovery, without objections. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.290; 2031.300.)

The court will also grant the defendant’s request for sanctions against plaintiffs, as sanctions are mandatory where a party fails to respond to discovery and the failure to respond is unjustified. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2030.290, subd. (c); 2031.300, subd. (c).) Here, plaintiffs have not made any attempt to show that their failure to respond was justified, or that other circumstances would make imposition of sanctions unjust. The requested amount of sanctions is also reasonable. Therefore, the court intends to grant sanctions of $525 against plaintiffs Jason John Williams and Melvin Lamonte Williams and in favor of defendant CRMC. The court also intends to grant sanctions of $547.50 against plaintiffs Jason John Williams, Melvin Lamonte Williams, Vicki La Chon Cole, and Barbara Aliane Williams in favor of defendants Afarian, Coelho, Fujimoto, and Herger.

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: lmg on 05/19/26. (Judge’s initials) (Date)

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