Civil Tentative Rulings Announcement
CIVIL TENTATIVE RULING ANNOUNCEMENT
If the Tentative Ruling in your case is satisfactory, you need not appear at the scheduled time, the ruling becomes final, and the prevailing party prepares the order.
However, if you are not satisfied with the Tentative Ruling, and wish to appear and argue the matter, YOU MUST NOTIFY the Clerk’s Office and opposing counsel of your intent before 4:00 p.m. TODAY. If a TELEPHONIC HEARING is requested per CCP §367.5, you MUST register online to appear telephonically using Vcourt.
When doing so, you must indicate as to which issue(s) and/or motion(s) a hearing is being requested. If requesting a hearing for clarification of a tentative ruling, specify what matter(s) and/or issue(s) need clarification.
You may request a hearing by calling the calendar line at (209) 530-3162 or the main line at (209) 530-3100, prior to 4:00 p.m. - OR- by e-mailing at civil.tentatives@stanct.org Email requests must be made prior to 4:00 p.m. AND confirmed by return e-mail. If you do not receive confirmation e-mail from the clerk, you MUST call (209) 530-3162 to request your hearing.
Please refer to Local Rule of Court 3.12 concerning Court reporter fees.
If a Hearing is required or you have requested a Hearing for a Law and Motion Matter Scheduled in Department 21, 22, 23 or 24 in Modesto, please contact the Court Reporter Coordinator at (209) 530-3105 or ctreport@stanct.org to request a reporter and determine availability. If a Staff Reporter is not available, you may need to provide your own.
Effective April 2, 2012
Staff Court Reporters may be available, though it is not guaranteed, to report law and motion matters on the following schedule:
Department 21 - Wednesdays and Fridays only. Staff Reporters may be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please call to confirm.
Department 22 - Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Staff Reporters may be available on Wednesdays and Fridays. Please call to confirm.
Department 23 - Wednesdays and Fridays only. Staff Reporters may be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please call to confirm.
Department 24 - Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Staff Reporters may be available on Wednesdays or Fridays. Please call to confirm.
If a Staff Reporter is not available, counsel can make arrangements to have their hearing reported by a private CSR. Please contact the Court Reporter Coordinator at (209)530-3105 to request a Staff Reporter and to determine if a Staff Reporter will be available for your hearing
The following is a tentative ruling for a case calendared before Judge John R. Mayne in Department 21:
CV-21-000069 – HERNANDEZ, ALEXA CAMPA VS. GARCIA, JOSE MADERA – Plaintiff's Motion to Disperse Funds – HEARING REQUIRED.
The Court is inclined to award Mr. Biggins the amount he has requested. The Court might have viewed the 40% number as high, but Plaintiff’s actions have added a degree of difficulty to the litigation.
The Court intends to award $37,600 plus $1541.19 in costs for a total award of $39,141.19 and maintain the balance in a Court trust account for Plaintiff. If Plaintiff’s current attorney can provide any further suggestions as to how to proceed, such assistance would be welcome.
The following are the tentative rulings for cases calendared before Judge Stacy P. Speiller in Department 22:
CV-23-002294 – COUNTY OF STANISLAUS vs RIBEIRO, DAVID ANTHONY – Plaintiff's Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings – DROPPED.
At the request of the Moving Party, the hearing on this motion has been DROPPED.
CV-24-003155 – WESTERN HILLS WATER DISTRICT vs WORLD INTERNATIONAL LLC – Defendant World International LLC’s Motion for Order Awarding Attorney's Fees – CONTINUED to February 3, 2026, at 8:30 am in Department 22.
This matter is CONTINUED on the Court’s own motion to February 3, 2026, at 8:30 am in Department 22, to be heard with the related motion to strike or tax costs.
PR-25-001101 – IN THE MATTER OF EOFF, MATTHEW – Objector's Motion to Dismiss – DENIED without prejudice.
The Court finds this motion procedurally untenable. To the extent the motion seeks to “disqualify” Mr. Eoff, there is nothing to disqualify him from, since, as Objector notes, Mr. Eoff is not a licensed attorney. To the extent the motion purports to be a motion to strike or demurrer, it does not follow the procedural requirements for either. (See generally Weil & Brown et al., Cal. Prac. Guide: Civ. Pro. Before Trial (The Rutter Group 2025), Ch. 7, Pt. 1, Subd. (A)-(B) [addressing demurrers and motions to strike]; Rivera, Cal. Prac. Guide: Civ. Pro. Before Trial FORMS (The Rutter Group 2025), Ch. 7A, “Attacking the Pleadings” [providing model forms for demurrers and motions to strike].)
While there may be fundamental defects with the underlying pleadings, at this stage of the proceedings, it is up to the Objector to raise those in the procedurally proper manner.
For the foregoing reasons, the motion is DENIED without prejudice.
The following are the tentative rulings for cases calendared before Judge Marie Silveria sitting on assignment in Department 23:
CV-24-008809 – TIMMINS, LACEY vs CLEARCAPITALCOM INC – a) Plaintiff's Motion for Order Compelling Further Response to Plaintiff's Requests for Special Interrogatories from Rocket Mortgage LLC and for Monetary Sanctions – CONTINUED, on the Court’s own motion, to January 23, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23. b) Plaintiff's Motion for Order Compelling Further Response to Plaintiff's Requests for Production from Rocket Mortgage LLC and for Monetary Sanctions – CONTINUED, on the Court’s own motion, to January 23, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23.
a-b) These matters are CONTINUED, on the Court’s own motion, to January 23, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 23, to be heard concurrently with the related discovery motions set for hearing on that date.
CV-25-002020 – SALAS, OSCAR vs HINOJOSA, VIVIANA – Plaintiff's Motion for Order Deeming Admitted Truth of Facts and Imposing Monetary Sanctions – DENIED, in part, as MOOT; GRANTED, in part, as to monetary sanctions.
The Court finds that the request to deem matters admitted is MOOT, due to Defendant’s service of verified responses to the subject requests. However, sanctions are mandated, as the defense’s failure to timely respond necessitated the instant motion. (Code Civ. Proc. § 2033.280(c).)
Therefore, sanctions in the amount of $360 are awarded against Defendant and her counsel, payable to Plaintiff’s counsel.
CV-25-008590 – CATERPILLAR FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION vs GEORGE, TONY JEFFREY – Plaintiff’s Application for Writ of Possession – DENIED, without prejudice.
Proof of service demonstrates that the instant application and supporting papers were served by mail, which is insufficient where the defendant has not appeared. (Code Civ. Proc. § 512.030.)
UD-25-001376 – WALKER, CHARLES vs BLAND, LATRIESE – Defendant’s Demurrer – HEARING REQUIRED.
The following are the tentative rulings for cases calendared before Judge Sonny S. Sandhu in Department 24:
***There are no tentative rulings for Department 24***
The following is the tentative ruling for a case calendared before Commissioner Jared D. Beeson in Department 19 located at the Turlock Division at 300 Starr Avenue, Turlock, CA:
UD-25-001028 – US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION vs BOWERS, LATONA R – Motion to Vacate Stay of Unlawful Detainer Action – HEARING REQUIRED.