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SB-1013 Civil actions.(2003-2004)



Current Version: 04/21/03 - Amended Senate

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SB1013:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  April 21, 2003

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2003–2004 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1013


Introduced  by  Senator Ackerman, Aanestad, Battin, Denham, Hollingsworth, Knight, Margett, McClintock, McPherson, Poochigian

February 21, 2003


An act to amend Sections 340, 340.10, and 437c of, and to repeal Sections 335.1, 1281.96, and 1284.3 Section 335.1 of, the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1013, as amended, Ackerman. Civil actions.
(1) Existing law provides that the statute of limitations for an action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another is 2 years. This provision also applies to victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This bill would instead provide that the statute of limitations for an action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another is one year, rather than 2 years, except for the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
(2) Existing law prescribes the service deadlines, continuance procedures, and appellate review of motions for summary judgment.
This bill would revise those provisions to narrow the service deadline from 75 to 28 days. The bill would also delete related provisions of law requiring a reviewing court to grant continuances and allow supplemental briefings under specified circumstances.

(3)Existing law requires a private arbitration company involved in consumer arbitration cases to make certain information regarding those cases available to the public. Existing law also prohibits a neutral arbitrator or private arbitration company from administering a consumer arbitration under any agreement or rule requiring a consumer who is a party to the arbitration to pay the fees and costs incurred by an opposing party if the consumer does not prevail in the arbitration.

This bill would repeal those provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) The State of California is currently experiencing a sustained economic downturn. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California has lost over 230,000 manufacturing jobs in just the last two years.
(b) State spending has increased by over 30 percent in the last four years, and the state’s Legislative Analyst projects that the state will experience operating deficits of twelve billion dollars ($12,000,000,000) to sixteen billion dollars ($16,000,000,000) every year unless significant cuts in state spending are implemented.
(c) The State Budget crisis crises of 2001 and 2002 will worsen if employers continue to leave the state and prospective employers are discouraged from locating operations here because of a bad business climate.
(d) While other states are facing fiscal pressures, California’s taxpayers, both individuals and businesses, shoulder a disproportionate share of the fiscal burden. State governments faced a nationwide combined budget gap of more than forty billion dollars ($40,000,000,000) in 2002, California’s twenty-three billion dollar ($23,000,000,000) budget deficit last year represented half of the combined deficits, with no relief in sight.
(e) According to the Milken Institute, in a study conducted in early 2002, California has the third highest overall cost of doing business in the United States, 32 percent above the national average. Additionally, California’s costs of doing business are the highest in the west.
(f) California’s tax burden has increased nearly 4 percent, while nearby states have lowered their tax burden an average 7.8 percent in the last decade.
(g) The increased costs of doing business in California are in large part the result of the onerous legislation enacted in recent years and will be exacerbated by the legislation that took effect on January 1, 2003.

SEC. 2.

 Section 335.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure is repealed.

SEC. 3.

 Section 340 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:

340.
 Within one year:
(a) An action upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture, if the action is given to an individual, or to an individual and the state, except if the statute imposing it prescribes a different limitation.
(b) An action upon a statute for a forfeiture or penalty to the people of this state.
(c) An action for libel, slander, false imprisonment, seduction of a person below the age of legal consent, or by a depositor against a bank for the payment of a forged or raised check, or a check that bears a forged or unauthorized endorsement, or against any person who boards or feeds an animal or fowl or who engages in the practice of veterinary medicine as defined in Section 4826 of the Business and Professions Code, for that person’s neglect resulting in injury or death to an animal or fowl in the course of boarding or feeding the animal or fowl or in the course of the practice of veterinary medicine on that animal or fowl.
(d) An action against an officer to recover damages for the seizure of any property for a statutory forfeiture to the state, or for the detention of, or injury to property so seized, or for damages done to any person in making that seizure.
(e) An action by a good faith improver for relief under Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 871.1) of Title 10 of Part 2. The time begins to run from the date upon which the good faith improver discovers that the good faith improver is not the owner of the land upon which the improvements have been made.
(f) An action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.

SEC. 4.

 Section 340.10 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:

340.10.
 (a) For purposes of this section, “terrorist victim” means any individual who died or was injured as a consequence of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, including persons who were present at the World Trade Center in New York City, New York, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, or at the site of the crash at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, or in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, including members of the flight crew and passengers on American Airlines Flight 11, American Airlines Flight 77, United Airlines Flight 175, and United Airlines Flight 93, and who suffered physical harm or death as a result of any of the crashes, as defined in Section 40101 of Title 49 of the United States Code and the related, applicable regulations, other than an individual identified by the Attorney General of the United States as a participant or conspirator in the terrorist-related aircraft crashes, or a representative or heir of such an individual.
(b) The statute of limitations for any action brought for injury to, or for the death of, any terrorist victim described in subdivision (a) and caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another, regardless of whether that action lapsed or was otherwise barred by time under California law predating the passage of this section is two years.

SEC. 5.

 Section 437c of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:

437c.
 (a) Any party may move for summary judgment in any action or proceeding if it is contended that the action has no merit or that there is no defense to the action or proceeding. The motion may be made at any time after 60 days have elapsed since the general appearance in the action or proceeding of each party against whom the motion is directed or at any earlier time after the general appearance that the court, with or without notice and upon good cause shown, may direct. Notice of the motion and supporting papers shall be served on all other parties to the action at least 28 days before the time appointed for hearing. However, if the notice is served by mail, the required 28-day period of notice shall be increased by five days if the place of address is within the State of California, 10 days if the place of address is outside the State of California but within the United States, and 20 days if the place of address is outside the United States, and if the notice is served by facsimile transmission, Express Mail, or another method of delivery providing for overnight delivery, the required 28-day period of notice shall be increased by two court days. The motion shall be heard no later than 30 days before the date of trial, unless the court for good cause orders otherwise. The filing of the motion shall not extend the time within which a party must otherwise file a responsive pleading.
(b) The motion shall be supported by affidavits, declarations, admissions, answers to interrogatories, depositions, and matters of which judicial notice shall or may be taken. The supporting papers shall include a separate statement setting forth plainly and concisely all material facts which the moving party contends are undisputed. Each of the material facts stated shall be followed by a reference to the supporting evidence. The failure to comply with this requirement of a separate statement may in the court’s discretion constitute a sufficient ground for denial of the motion.
Any opposition to the motion shall be served and filed not less than 14 days preceding the noticed or continued date of hearing, unless the court for good cause orders otherwise. The opposition, where appropriate, shall consist of affidavits, declarations, admissions, answers to interrogatories, depositions, and matters of which judicial notice shall or may be taken.
The opposition papers shall include a separate statement which responds to each of the material facts contended by the moving party to be undisputed, indicating whether the opposing party agrees or disagrees that those facts are undisputed. The statement also shall set forth plainly and concisely any other material facts which the opposing party contends are disputed. Each material fact contended by the opposing party to be disputed shall be followed by a reference to the supporting evidence. Failure to comply with this requirement of a separate statement may constitute a sufficient ground, in the court’s discretion, for granting the motion.
Any reply to the opposition shall be served and filed by the moving party not less than five days preceding the noticed or continued date of hearing, unless the court for good cause orders otherwise.
Evidentiary objections not made at the hearing shall be deemed waived.
Sections 1005 and 1013, extending the time within which a right may be exercised or an act may be done, do not apply to this section.
Any incorporation by reference of matter in the court’s file shall set forth with specificity the exact matter to which reference is being made and shall not incorporate the entire file.
(c) The motion for summary judgment shall be granted if all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. In determining whether the papers show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact the court shall consider all of the evidence set forth in the papers, except that to which objections have been made and sustained by the court, and all inferences reasonably deducible from the evidence, except summary judgment shall not be granted by the court based on inferences reasonably deducible from the evidence, if contradicted by other inferences or evidence, which raise a triable issue as to any material fact.
(d) Supporting and opposing affidavits or declarations shall be made by any person on personal knowledge, shall set forth admissible evidence, and shall show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to the matters stated in the affidavits or declarations. Any objections based on the failure to comply with the requirements of this subdivision shall be made at the hearing or shall be deemed waived.
(e) If a party is otherwise entitled to a summary judgment pursuant to this section, summary judgment shall not be denied on grounds of credibility or for want of cross-examination of witnesses furnishing affidavits or declarations in support of the summary judgment, except that summary judgment may be denied in the discretion of the court, where the only proof of a material fact offered in support of the summary judgment is an affidavit or declaration made by an individual who was the sole witness to that fact; or where a material fact is an individual’s state of mind, or lack thereof, and that fact is sought to be established solely by the individual’s affirmation thereof.
(f) (1) A party may move for summary adjudication as to one or more causes of action within an action, one or more affirmative defenses, one or more claims for damages, or one or more issues of duty, if that party contends that the cause of action has no merit or that there is no affirmative defense thereto, or that there is no merit to an affirmative defense as to any cause of action, or both, or that there is no merit to a claim for damages, as specified in Section 3294 of the Civil Code, or that one or more defendants either owed or did not owe a duty to the plaintiff or plaintiffs. A motion for summary adjudication shall be granted only if it completely disposes of a cause of action, an affirmative defense, a claim for damages, or an issue of duty.
(2) A motion for summary adjudication may be made by itself or as an alternative to a motion for summary judgment and shall proceed in all procedural respects as a motion for summary judgment. However, a party may not move for summary judgment based on issues asserted in a prior motion for summary adjudication and denied by the court, unless that party establishes to the satisfaction of the court, newly discovered facts or circumstances or a change of law supporting the issues reasserted in the summary judgment motion.
(g) Upon the denial of a motion for summary judgment, on the ground that there is a triable issue as to one or more material facts, the court shall, by written or oral order, specify one or more material facts raised by the motion as to which the court has determined there exists a triable controversy. This determination shall specifically refer to the evidence proffered in support of and in opposition to the motion which indicates that a triable controversy exists. Upon the grant of a motion for summary judgment, on the ground that there is no triable issue of material fact, the court shall, by written or oral order, specify the reasons for its determination. The order shall specifically refer to the evidence proffered in support of, and if applicable in opposition to, the motion which indicates that no triable issue exists. The court shall also state its reasons for any other determination. The court shall record its determination by court reporter or written order.
(h) If it appears from the affidavits submitted in opposition to a motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication or both, or both, that facts essential to justify opposition may exist but cannot, for reasons stated, then be presented, the court shall deny the motion, or order a continuance to permit affidavits to be obtained or discovery to be had or may make any other order as may be just.
(i) If the court determines at any time that any of the affidavits are presented in bad faith or solely for purposes of delay, the court shall order the party presenting the affidavits to pay the other party the amount of the reasonable expenses which the filing of the affidavits caused the other party to incur. Sanctions may not be imposed pursuant to this subdivision, except on notice contained in a party’s papers, or on the court’s own noticed motion, and after an opportunity to be heard.
(j) Except if a separate judgment may properly be awarded in the action, no final judgment may be entered on a motion for summary judgment prior to the termination of the action, but the final judgment shall, in addition to any matters determined in the action, award judgment as established by the summary proceeding herein provided for.
(k) In actions which arise out of an injury to the person or to property, if a motion for summary judgment was granted on the basis that the defendant was without fault, no other defendant during trial, over plaintiff’s objection, may attempt to attribute fault to or comment on the absence or involvement of the defendant who was granted the motion.
(l) A summary judgment entered under this section is an appealable judgment as in other cases. Upon entry of any order pursuant to this section, except the entry of summary judgment, a party may, within 20 days after service upon him or her of a written notice of entry of the order, petition an appropriate reviewing court for a peremptory writ. If the notice is served by mail, the initial period within which to file the petition shall be increased by five days if the place of address is within the State of California, 10 days if the place of address is outside the State of California but within the United States, and 20 days if the place of address is outside the United States. If the notice is served by facsimile transmission, Express Mail, or another method of delivery providing for overnight delivery, the initial period within which to file the petition shall be increased by two court days. The superior court may, for good cause, and prior to the expiration of the initial period, extend the time for one additional period not to exceed 10 days.
(m) (1) If a motion for summary adjudication is granted, at the trial of the action, the cause or causes of action within the action, affirmative defense or defenses, claim for damages, or issue or issues of duty as to the motion which has been granted shall be deemed to be established and the action shall proceed as to the cause or causes of action, affirmative defense or defenses, claim for damages, or issue or issues of duty remaining.
(2) In the trial of the action, the fact that a motion for summary adjudication is granted as to one or more causes of action, affirmative defenses, claims for damages, or issues of duty within the action shall not operate to bar any cause of action, affirmative defense, claim for damages, or issue of duty as to which summary adjudication was either not sought or denied.
(3) In the trial of an action, neither a party, nor a witness, nor the court shall comment upon the grant or denial of a motion for summary adjudication to a jury.
(n) A cause of action has no merit if either of the following exists:
(1) One or more of the elements of the cause of action cannot be separately established, even if that element is separately pleaded.
(2) A defendant establishes an affirmative defense to that cause of action.
(o) For purposes of motions for summary judgment and summary adjudication:
(1) A plaintiff or cross-complainant has met his or her burden of showing that there is no defense to a cause of action if that party has proved each element of the cause of action entitling the party to judgment on that cause of action. Once the plaintiff or cross-complainant has met that burden, the burden shifts to the defendant or cross-defendant to show that a triable issue of one or more material facts exists as to that cause of action or a defense thereto. The defendant or cross-defendant may not rely upon the mere allegations or denials of its pleadings to show that a triable issue of material fact exists but, instead, shall set forth the specific facts showing that a triable issue of material fact exists as to that cause of action or a defense thereto.
(2) A defendant or cross-defendant has met his or her burden of showing that a cause of action has no merit if that party has shown that one or more elements of the cause of action, even if not separately pleaded, cannot be established, or that there is a complete defense to that cause of action. Once the defendant or cross-defendant has met that burden, the burden shifts to the plaintiff or cross-complainant to show that a triable issue of one or more material facts exists as to that cause of action or a defense thereto. The plaintiff or cross-complainant may not rely upon the mere allegations or denials of its pleadings to show that a triable issue of material fact exists but, instead, shall set forth the specific facts showing that a triable issue of material fact exists as to that cause of action or a defense thereto.
(p) This section does not extend the period for trial provided by Section 1170.5.
(q) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to actions brought pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1159) of Title 3 of Part 3.
(r) For the purposes of this section, a change in law does not include a later enacted statute without retroactive application.

SEC. 6.Section 1281.96 of the Code of Civil Procedure is repealed.
SEC. 7.Section 1284.3 of the Code of Civil Procedure is repealed.