Vasquez

BACKGROUND

By early June 2022, plaintiffs had served both defendants with the summons and complaint. Defendants failed to file a timely answer, and, in August and September 2022, the trial court entered defaults against them. Defendants eventually retained Michael Earle to represent them in this litigation. Earle obtained a stipulation from plaintiffs to set aside the defaults, and, in November 2022, defendants filed their answer. On March 29, 2023, plaintiffs moved to compel discovery responses from defendants. In a supporting declaration, plaintiffs’ attorney said she had attempted to meet and confer with Earle by email but received no response. On April 20, 2023, Earle moved to be relieved as defendants’ counsel. He declared there was “ongoing animosity” between his office and Shaff that made “an attorney/client relationship impossible.” On April 25, 2023, the court held a hearing on plaintiffs’ motions to compel.2 The court granted the motions; ordered defendants to respond to plaintiffs’ discovery requests within two weeks; and imposed $3,000 of monetary sanctions against defendants and Earle, jointly and severally. Defendants failed to comply with the court’s order.

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