Gettel

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background and the Santa Clara County Lawsuit In 2017, the Saiches, represented by Attorney Paetkau, filed suit against appellant Gettel in Santa Clara County Superior Court, case No. 17CV314350 (Santa Clara County lawsuit). The Saiches alleged Gettel breached oral agreements and committed various torts related to business and financial dealings they had with him and sought damages and injunctive relief. Regarding venue, the Saiches’ complaint described all parties as residents of Santa Cruz County but asserted that venue in Santa Clara County was proper because “the Parties’ oral agreement required performance in this County and a substantial number of Defendants’ wrongful acts, omissions, and failures to perform occurred in this County.”2 B. Santa Cruz County Superior Court Lawsuits During the pendency of the Santa Clara County lawsuit, Gettel initiated in Santa Cruz County Superior Court two lawsuits, one against Paetkau3 (Santa Cruz County Superior Court case No. 18CV02355) and one against the Saiches (Santa Cruz County Superior Court case No. 18CV02356).

1 “An anti-SLAPP motion seeks to strike a ‘[s]trategic lawsuit against…