Gee v. Greyhound Lines, Inc.

210 Cal. Rptr. 3d 440, 5 Cal. App. 5th 970, 2016 Cal. App. LEXIS 1015
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedNovember 21, 2016
DocketC077077
StatusPublished

This text of 210 Cal. Rptr. 3d 440 (Gee v. Greyhound Lines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gee v. Greyhound Lines, Inc., 210 Cal. Rptr. 3d 440, 5 Cal. App. 5th 970, 2016 Cal. App. LEXIS 1015 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

MURRAY, J.

Defendant Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound) appeals from the trial court's order granting plaintiff Linda Gee's motion to set aside dismissal pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 473, subdivision (b).1 On appeal, Greyhound argues that the *443trial court erred in granting relief under section 473, subdivision (b), contending that (1) the court lacked jurisdiction to set aside the dismissal under section 473, subdivision (b), because Gee failed to comply with the requirements of section 1008, and (2) Gee failed to provide a sufficient showing to justify relief under section 473, subdivision (b).

We conclude that section 473, subdivision (b), can provide relief when an action is dismissed due to plaintiff's counsel's mistake or inexcusable neglect related to the failure to pay change of venue fees. As this was plaintiff's initial application for relief under section 473, subdivision (b), and not a request to reconsider a denial of relief under that section, there was no requirement that she file a motion for reconsideration under section 1008. We further conclude that there was sufficient evidence to justify relief under section 473, subdivision (b).

We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The Complaint

On July 19, 2012, Gee filed a civil complaint in Sacramento County Superior Court for personal injuries against Greyhound, Estate of James Charles Jewett, Estate of Sylvia Garay, Olga Garay, and Does 1 through 30 (collectively, defendants), alleging injuries resulting from a motor vehicle accident on July 22, 2010, in which she was a passenger on a Greyhound bus involved in the accident. The bus was driven by Jewett.2 Gee alleged Jewett was "driving at an excessive rate of speed," which caused the bus to collide with two other vehicles and then crash into a tree. The complaint stated causes of action for general negligence, intentional tort, and products liability. Gee alleged that she suffered emotional and physical injuries as a result of the accident. She alleged wage loss, hospital and medical expenses, and loss of earning capacity and also sought punitive damages.

Greyhound's Motion to Change Venue

Greyhound filed a motion to change venue from Sacramento County Superior Court to Fresno County Superior Court, contending that Sacramento was not the proper venue and, additionally, the ends of justice would be promoted by changing venue to that county because the accident occurred in Fresno County and most of the defendants were domiciled in Fresno County.3

The court granted Greyhound's motion to change venue and ordered Gee to pay the transfer fees, but did not state the statutory basis for the fee. Greyhound sent notice to Gee requesting that the transfer fees be paid promptly, but Gee did not respond to the notice or pay the fees.

Greyhound's Motion to Dismiss

Greyhound filed in Sacramento County Superior Court a motion to dismiss Gee's complaint without prejudice pursuant to section 399, subdivision (a), because Gee failed to pay the transfer fees. Section 399, subdivision (a), provides that if the transfer fees are not paid within 30 days, the court may dismiss the action without prejudice.

*444Gee did not oppose the motion or request to be heard at a hearing after the trial court's tentative ruling, and the court granted Greyhound's motion to dismiss the complaint without prejudice based on Gee's failure to pay the transfer fees.

DISCUSSION

I. Jurisdiction to Vacate the Dismissal

A. Background and Greyhound's Contentions

On April 4, 2014, Gee filed a motion pursuant to section 473, subdivision (b), to set aside the dismissal entered on February 11, 2014. The hearing was set for May 27, 2014. Gee's attorney, Allen Hassan, stated in the points and authorities in support of the motion that the mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or neglect was due to his error. Hassan's declaration stated he "opted not to oppose" the change of venue motion because he felt the court would grant it since there were approximately 50 plaintiffs and the majority of them had filed their cases in Fresno County. He also stated, "It was my understanding of the law at that time after having reviewed [ ] section 399 that the moving party would be responsible for paying the cost of transferring this matter to Fresno County."4

Hassan further declared, "I then reviewed my files and realized that I had not received any correspondence from the Fresno County Superior notifying me of the September 8, 2014 trial date." Hassan stated that "[he] checked the Sacramento [ ] County Superior Court file and notice[d] that this matter had been dismissed because I had failed to pay transfer fees."

Gee argued that under section 473, subdivision (b), the court should vacate the order to dismiss without prejudice because Gee's attorney, Hassan, mistakenly failed to pay the transfer fees as ordered by the trial court. Gee contended Hassan's declaration met the requirements under section 473, subdivision (b), to demonstrate the attorney's mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or neglect. Further, Gee argued that under section 399, subdivision (a), Hassan believed that Greyhound, as the moving party, was required to pay the transfer fees to Fresno Superior Court.

Greyhound filed an opposition to the motion to vacate dismissal of plaintiff's complaint. Greyhound contended that Hassan's *445neglect was inexcusable because he was adequately served with notice of the order to pay transfer fees and because Hassan failed to exercise reasonable diligence in prosecuting his case. Specifically, Greyhound argued that, "what is currently before the court is not a legitimate application for relief from any 'mistake, inadvertence, surprise or neglect.' ... Defendant submits that this attorney's false assertion of 'mistake' compounded with the total absence of any diligence whatever to prosecute this case for well 'over a year' provide compelling bases for denying the pending application for relief...."

The trial court issued its tentative ruling on May 21, 2014, granting Gee's motion to set aside the dismissal.

After hearing oral argument, the trial court granted Gee's motion to set aside the dismissal. In so ruling, the court wrote: "This is clearly a case of attorney fault. Since it resulted in dismissal of her case, plaintiff is entitled to relief under CCP 473(b). [¶] Greyhound's opposition is based on the premise that the mistake was not excusable. A motion based on attorney neglect that results in the dismissal of a case does not require a showing that the mistake was excusable."

On appeal, Greyhound argues the trial court abused its discretion in vacating the dismissal of Gee's complaint under section 473, subdivision (b). Greyhound contends that under section 473, subdivision (b), Gee's motion addressed the issue of failure to pay the transfer fees but did not address Gee's failure to oppose Greyhound's motion to dismiss.

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Bluebook (online)
210 Cal. Rptr. 3d 440, 5 Cal. App. 5th 970, 2016 Cal. App. LEXIS 1015, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gee-v-greyhound-lines-inc-calctapp5d-2016.