BETHEL, KENNETH vs NEW CENTURY CONSTRUCTION & CONSULTING INC

Plaintiff may be able to state viable causes of action. The Court therefore grants one last opportunity to amend. Amended complaint to be filed in 10 days.

b) Motion to Strike The motion to strike is DENIED as MOOT. However, the Court also notes that the motion is procedurally defective; the motion itself fails to specify the portions of the pleading at issue.

CV-26-004269 - BETHEL, KENNETH vs NEW CENTURY CONSTRUCTION & CONSULTING INC - Petitioner's Verified Petition for Release and Expungement of Mechanic's Lien and for Attorney's Fees and Costs - HEARING REQUIRED. A hearing is required on this matter. Under the statutory procedure governing petitions to release property from an expired mechanic's lien, the petition and compliance with the hearing and service requirements are deemed controverted, and Petitioners bear the burden of producing evidence on those matters. (See Civ. Code, Sec. 8488(a).) No opposition is showing in the court file. Therefore, should Petitioners meet their initial burden of production, the Court is inclined to GRANT the petition.

Request for Judicial Notice The unopposed request for judicial notice is GRANTED.

Attorneys' Fees and Costs Pursuant to Civil Code Sec. 8488(c), if Petitioners prevail, they are entitled to their reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. Here, Petitioners have requested $2,532.50. This amount comprises $1,972.50 in fees and costs including court filing fees of $435.00; online processing and service fees of at least $30.00; and County Recorder recording fees estimated at $95.00. The Court will discuss this request with the parties at the hearing.

Proposed Order If the Court grants the petition, Petitioners shall be expected to submit a proposed order that conforms to the Court's ruling and that contains all the information required by Civil Code Sec. 8490(a) within five court days.

The following are the tentative rulings for cases calendared before Judge Stacy P. Speiller in Department 22: ***There are no tentative rulings in Department 22***

The following are the tentative rulings for cases calendared before Judge Clifford Tong in Department 23:

CV-24-008187 - GUILLEN, CLAUDIA vs BELMARE SENIOR LIVING LLC - a) Plaintiff's Motion to Compel Defendant Belmare Senior Living LLC to Provide Further Responses to Requests for Production of Documents, Set One; Request for Sanctions Against Defendant and its Counsel of Record, Jointly and Severally, in the Amount of $7,260.00 - CONTINUED, on the Court's own motion, to June 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23.

b) Plaintiff's Motion to Compel Defendant Belmare Senior Living LLC to Provide Further Responses to Requests for Admissions, Set One and to have Requests Nos. 4, 6, 20, 24-33 Deemed Admitted Against Defendant Belmare Senior Living LLC; Request for Sanctions Against Defendant and its Counsel of Record, Jointly and Severally, in the Amount of $7,260.00 - CONTINUED, on the Court's own motion, to June 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23.

a-b) These matters are CONTINUED, on the Court's own motion, to June 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23. The Court notes that additional further responses to Plaintiff's Requests for Production of Documents were served on 5-14-26, and Defendant indicates willingness to continue to meet and confer with regard to additional further responses to the Requests for Admissions. Therefore, the Court believes the potential exists for the parties to resolve and/or narrow the disputes herein if additional meet and confer attempts are made in good faith.

The hearings are continued for this purpose. The parties shall submit a Joint Status Statement by June 23, 2026, describing their further efforts to resolve the issues and briefly stating their respective positions on any items remaining in dispute. Lastly, the Court reminds counsel that discovery is intended to be self-executing, and good faith communication should involve serious efforts at informal negotiation and resolution, not mere bickering between counsel. (See,