Bellars v. Regents of the University of California CA4/1

Filed 5/16/14 Bellars v. Regents of the University of California CA4/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

RICHARD BELLARS, D065129, D065455

Plaintiff and Appellant,

v. (Super. Ct. No. 37-2012-00103146- CU-OE-CTL) REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA et al.,

Defendants and Respondents.

APPEAL from an order and judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County,

Randa Trapp, Judge. Reversed and remanded with directions.

Appellant Richard Bellars, M.D., an anesthesiologist and University of California

faculty member, sued the Regents of the University of California and Shannon Chavez,

M.D. (together, Respondents), alleging invasion of privacy. Respondents filed an anti-

SLAPP motion (Code Civ. Proc.,1 § 425.16) arguing that their challenged actions were

part of peer review proceedings. Bellars opposed the motion, arguing that the actions

1 All further statutory references are to the Code of Civil Procedure.

were outside of those proceedings. In April 2013, the superior court granted

Respondents' anti-SLAPP motion. In November, the court granted Respondents' motion

for $90,194 in attorneys' fees. In January 2014, the court entered judgment.

In December 2013, Bellars filed a notice of appeal of the November fee award