Chuang

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

We draw the following facts from the pleadings and the supporting declarations submitted in the trial court (§ 425.16, subd. (b)(2)), accepting plaintiffs’ submissions as true at this stage. (See, e.g., Soukup v. Law Offices of Herbert Hafif (2006) 39 Cal.4th 260, 269, fn. 3.) A. Plaintiff Mei Haw Chuang (Mei) is the mother of plaintiff Shiuh Kai Chuang 3 (Lisa), and Lisa in turn is married to plaintiff Alessio Lisi. Defendant Sherry Chuang (Sherry) is Mei’s daughter as well as Lisa’s older sister, and she is married to defendant Alexander Liu.

2 In the trial court defendants sought to strike 16 allegations in 15 paragraphs; on appeal, they seek to strike allegations in only 14 of these paragraphs plus another not mentioned below. 3 As several parties share the same last name, we refer to the parties by their first names for the sake of clarity and convenience. In doing so, we intend no disrespect. (See, e.g., In re Marriage of Leonard (2004) 119 Cal.App.4th 546, 550, fn. 2.)

2 Mei and her late husband Ying Cheh Chuang (Ying) purchased several properties in Palo Alto with their daughters. The first property, on Clara Drive, was bought in 2002.…