Fuss v. Superior Court

273 Cal. App. 2d 807, 78 Cal. Rptr. 583, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2229
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 10, 1969
DocketCiv. 34379
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 273 Cal. App. 2d 807 (Fuss v. Superior Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fuss v. Superior Court, 273 Cal. App. 2d 807, 78 Cal. Rptr. 583, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2229 (Cal. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

THOMPSON. J.

Petitioner seeks a writ, of mandate requiring the superior court to set aside its orders denying his discovery motions. The litigation in which the discovery is sought arises out of a long-term relationship between petitioner (Hunter) * and the law firm that acted as his counsel, business manager, financial adviser, bookkeeper and general custodian of his affairs. The real parties in interest are present and past members or associates of the firm and will be referred to collectively in this opinion as Rosenthal.

Background

In 1961, Rosenthal entered into a written, contract terminable on 10 days’ notice with Hunter, a motion picture producer and director. The contract obligated Rosenthal to represent Hunter in all legal matters except litigation and to advise him on his professional career and his business and financial matters. The law firm also agreed to marshal Hunter’s funds, to maintain his hank accounts, to prepare budgets, to make “all proper expenditures’’ for his account, to perform income and estate tax service, to advise with respect to insurance, and to represent Hunter in dealing with others. In return, Hunter agreed to compensate Rosenthal in an amount equal to 10 percent of his earnings on existing contracts and those subsequently negotiated during the term of the agreement plus 10 percent of his pre-tax net income and gain from property acquired during the term of the agreement or concerning which Rosenthal rendered any service.

In 1965, Hunter and Rosenthal entered into another written agreement reciting that the earlier fee agreement “is to end automatically upon consummation of the MCA deal” and providing that Rosenthal’s obligation to perform services was at an end. Hunter, by the agreement, assigned to Rosenthal certain payments of $300 a week due him from his controlled corporation together with 9 percent of designated additional payments. Rosenthal accepted those amounts in satisfaction of Hunter’s financial obligation to the firm.

On July 16, 1968, Jerome Rosenthal directed a letter to Hunter stating that the firm had rendered services to Hunter *811 after termination of the original contract. The July 16 letter offered to reinstate the terminated arrangement retroactively to 1965 in which case Hunter would owe Rosenthal $30,000 and stated that if Hunter did not agree to the retroactive reinstatement of. the relationship with Rosenthal he would be billed in a “substantially” greater amount for services from July 5, 1965, to the date of the letter. Rosenthal’s offer was refused by a letter from Hunter dated July 23, 1968. That letter stated that Hunter had decided to engage other counsel and anothér business manager. It denied that Rosenthal had been requested to perform any services in the period after July 5, 1965. On July 24, Rosenthal replied to Hunter in writing withdrawing the prior offer and enclosing a statement:

“For Services rendered
July 5, 1965 to June 23, 1968 $116,000.00”

On July 24, present counsel for Hunter replied to the letter and statement asking for the detail upon which the charge was based. Rosenthal answered on August 5, listing 18 categories of service. Counsel for Hunter responded on August 13 stating: “I think Ross is entitled to have the information of how much time was spent in connection with these matters, and what hourly rate or other method was used in arriving at the total.” That letter was not answered. On August 27, 1968, Rosenthal filed a complaint against Hunter in three common counts seeking $150,000 and attached bank accounts of Hunter totaling $225,000. Hunter answered and cross-complained. The amended cross-complaint alleges five causes of action: for abuse of process arising out of a maliciously excessive attachment; for an accounting for the period July 1960 to July 1968; for return of books, records, and documents; for rescission and restitution; and for declaratory relief. Rosenthal filed an answer to the cross-complaint.

Discovery Proceedings in the Trial Court

Hunter pursued discovery in the action by written interrogatories served pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2030, by the taking of the deposition of Jerome Rosenthal, and by a motion fo produce documente for inspection and copying pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2031. A series of motions were made in the trial court with respect to those discovery procedures eventually resulting in the rulings now before us on Hunter’s petition for writ of mandate.

*812 Written Interrogatories

On September 13,1968, Hunter served 31 written interrogatories upon Rosenthal pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 2030. 1 Interrogatories 1 through 20 are framed with reference to the letter of August 5, 1968, from Rosenthal to Hunter’s counsel listing 18 categories of service upon which Rosenthal’s claim for compensation is based. The categories as listed in that letter are set forth in Appendix I to this opinion. They range from the specific ‘‘ Preparation of Federal and State Tax Returns of Ross Hunter Publishing Co. for fiscal years ending November 30, 1965, 1966, and 1967” to the exceedingly vague, "General financial professional, and legal matters,” Interrogatory 1 asks if any of the services so described were performed in the period from July 5, 1965, through August 27,1966, and requests that if the answer is in the affirmative the services be described, the amount of charges allocable to them be given and the manner of computation, of the amount be stated. Each of interrogatories 2 through 19 sets forth a category of service described in the letter and as to that category seeks the names and occupations of persons who performed the service, the dates of the services performed by each, and the amount of time and the nature of services performed by each. Those interrogatories also ask that Rosenthal state the amount of its claim allocable to the category of service. In the majority of interrogatories 1 through 20 the request is also made for a listing of documents, if any, "reflecting” services in the category. Typical interrogatories (numbers 3, 5, 6, 10, and 15) are quoted in Appendix II to this opinion. Interrogatory 20 asks for similar information with respect to any services not described in 1 through 18.

Rosenthal’s, response to each of interrogatories 1 through 20 (as amplified by further answers after the granting of an earlier motion for further response) was the same. It states that an answer to the interrogatory requires ‘ ‘ a compilation, abstract, audit or summary of business records,” and that such is not available but "may be compiled from relevant portions of the following: 1. Services Performed Sheets, 81 in number; 2. Services Performed Code; 3. Attorneys ’ Appointment Books; 4. Telephone and Appointment Call Sheets; 5. Legal files whose names are contained on the list attached . . .; 6. Employee Code; 7. Time Records; 8. Recollections of *813 persons who performed the work.” The answer continues that “the pertinent and proper portions of . . . files not [previously] transmitted [to Hunter] ... as well as pertinent and proper portions of Services Performed Sheets . . . [etc.] . . . may be examined ...

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Bluebook (online)
273 Cal. App. 2d 807, 78 Cal. Rptr. 583, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2229, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fuss-v-superior-court-calctapp-1969.