California Eviction Defense - Practising Law...

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New York, New York 10036

California Eviction Defense:

Protecting Low-Income Tenants 2017

Co-ChairsMadeline S. Howard

Jith Meganathan


22

Unlawful Detainer Trials (PowerPoint slides)

Monique Farris

Centro Legal de la Raza

Shirley Gibson

Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County

Lorraine López

Inner City Law Center

If you find this article helpful, you can learn more about the subject by going to www.pli.edu to view the on demand program or segment for which it was written.

419


420


MO

NI

QU

E F

AR

RI

S,

ST

AF

F A

TT

OR

NE

Y,

CE

NT

RO

LE

GA

L D

E L

A R

AZ

A

SH

IR

LE

Y G

IB

SO

N,

DI

RE

CT

IN

G A

TT

OR

NE

Y,

LE

GA

L A

ID

SO

CI

ET

Y O

F S

AN

MA

TE

O C

OU

NT

Y

LO

RR

AI

NE

LO

PE

Z,

SU

PE

RV

IS

IN

G A

TT

OR

NE

Y,

IN

NE

R C

IT

Y L

AW

CE

NT

ER

PL

I T

RA

IN

IN

G

MA

RC

H 2

01

7

Un

law

ful D

etai

ner

Tri

als

421


Pre

par

ing

for

Tri

al

•P

retr

ial C

onsi

der

atio

ns

•D

isco

very

•In

vest

igat

ion

an

d e

vid

ence

ga

ther

ing

•Ju

ry T

rial

v. B

ench

Tri

al

422


Tri

al c

an b

e se

t w

ith

in 2

0 d

ays

afte

r a

requ

est

to s

et

tria

l is

file

d.

Init

iate

ser

vice

of d

isco

very

as

soon

as

feas

ibly

p

ossi

ble!

Jury

Tri

al D

eman

d:

Mu

st b

e fi

led

wit

hin

5 d

ays

of t

he

Not

ice

of T

rial

dat

e. C

.C.P

. 6

31(f

)(4

)

Jury

Fee

s: $

150

at

leas

t 5

day

s be

fore

tri

al. C

.C.P

. 6

31(b

)

Pre

tria

l C

on

sid

era

tio

ns

423


Typ

es o

f D

isco

very

:

Wri

tten

In

terr

ogat

orie

s

Jud

icia

l Cou

nci

l For

m U

D-1

06

Spec

ial I

nte

rrog

ator

ies

Dem

and

for

In

spec

tion

of

Doc

um

ents

Req

ues

t fo

r A

dm

issi

ons

Dep

osit

ion

s

Sch

edu

led

w/i

n 5

day

s of

th

e N

otic

e bu

t n

o la

ter

than

5 d

ays

befo

re T

rial

.

Tim

e L

imit

atio

ns:

Dis

cove

ry m

ust

be

com

ple

ted

5

day

s be

fore

th

e d

ate

of T

rial

Res

pon

ses

du

e w

/in

5 d

ays

for

per

son

al s

ervi

ce, 1

0 d

ays

for

mai

lin

g, 7

day

s fo

r ov

ern

igh

t

Mot

ion

s to

Com

pel

may

be

file

d

at a

ny

tim

e u

pon

5 d

ays

not

ice.

Yo

ur

Dis

cov

ery

To

ol

Bo

x

424


Usi

ng

Dis

cove

ry E

ffec

tive

ly

•S

erv

e a

s a

Ma

tte

r o

f R

ou

tin

e: A

t th

e ve

ry

min

imu

m, F

orm

In

terr

ogat

orie

s an

d R

equ

ests

for

Insp

ecti

on o

f Doc

um

ents

sh

ould

be

serv

ed o

nce

an

A

nsw

er is

file

d.

•C

ost

s: C

ost

of d

isco

very

sh

ould

be

a co

nsi

der

atio

n if

u

nce

rtai

n o

n c

han

ces

of p

reva

ilin

g at

tri

al.

•C

an d

efer

som

e co

sts:

Cou

rt R

epor

ters

Boa

rd o

f CA

has

a

tran

scri

pt

reim

burs

emen

t fu

nd

(co

vers

exp

edit

ed f

ees)

.

•T

imin

g: A

ll d

isco

very

mu

st b

e co

mp

lete

d 5

day

s p

rior

to

tria

l. K

eep

in m

ind

th

at f

or m

ost

case

s yo

u

wil

l be

oper

atin

g on

an

ap

pro

xim

ate

thre

e-w

eek

dea

dli

ne

(if y

oure

luck

y).

425


HY

PO

–T

he

Gom

ez F

amil

y

Juan

Gom

ez a

nd

Mar

ia G

omez

an

d t

hei

r th

ree

min

or

chil

dre

n h

ave

been

livi

ng

in t

hei

r tw

o-be

dro

om a

par

tmen

t fo

r 10

yea

rs. T

hey

live

in a

15-

un

it a

par

tmen

t co

mp

lex

and

th

eir

ren

t is

cu

rren

tly

$8

50/m

onth

. Mr.

& M

rs. G

omez

nev

er

sign

ed a

wri

tten

leas

e. T

hey

hav

e n

ot b

een

ask

ed t

o si

gn a

re

nta

l agr

eem

ent

sin

ce t

hey

ori

gin

ally

mov

ed in

. Tw

o ye

ars

afte

r th

ey m

oved

in, a

rel

ativ

e gi

fted

on

e of

th

e ch

ild

ren

a

pu

pp

y. T

he

resi

den

t m

anag

er f

or t

he

buil

din

g ac

cep

ted

th

eir

ren

t ev

ery

mon

th t

her

eaft

er a

nd

nev

er m

enti

oned

an

yth

ing

to t

he

Gom

ez fa

mil

y ab

out

thei

r n

ew d

og.

426


Tw

o ye

ars

ago,

th

e bu

ild

ing

was

sol

d t

o a

new

ow

ner

. T

he

resi

den

t m

anag

er h

ad e

very

ten

ant

fill

ou

t an

d s

ign

an

E

stop

pel

Cer

tifi

cate

. Mr.

Gom

ez h

ad o

ne

of h

is t

een

age

chil

dre

n h

elp

him

fill

ou

t th

e fo

rm. O

n t

he

Est

opp

el

Cer

tifi

cate

he

list

ed e

very

mem

ber

of h

is fa

mil

y by

nam

e,

how

mu

ch h

e p

ays

in r

ent,

th

at h

e n

ever

had

a le

ase

agre

emen

t in

th

e p

ast,

an

d t

hat

he

had

on

e p

et d

og.

A m

onth

ago

, aft

er t

hey

had

alr

ead

y p

aid

ren

t fo

r th

e m

onth

, Mr.

Gom

ez r

ecei

ved

a T

hre

e-D

ay N

otic

e to

Cu

re o

r Q

uit

all

egin

g th

at t

hey

hav

e an

un

auth

oriz

ed p

et. T

he

Not

ice

cite

s a

leas

e p

rovi

sion

pro

hib

itin

g p

ets

and

incl

ud

es t

he

nam

es o

f sev

eral

all

eged

wit

nes

ses

incl

ud

ing

the

resi

den

t m

anag

er. T

he

Not

ice

stat

es t

hat

th

ey m

ust

“cu

re”

by

rem

ovin

g th

eir

dog

from

th

e p

rem

ises

.

427


Mr.

Gom

ez d

enie

s al

l th

e al

lega

tion

s an

d d

oes

not

re

mov

e th

e d

og. T

he

resi

den

t m

anag

er r

efu

sed

th

eir

ren

t fo

r th

e fo

llow

ing

mon

th a

nd

th

e G

omez

fam

ily

is s

till

livi

ng

in

thei

r ap

artm

ent.

Bot

h M

r. G

omez

an

d M

rs. G

omez

hav

e n

ow

been

nam

ed in

an

un

law

ful d

etai

ner

act

ion

.

428


Yo

ur

Dis

cov

ery

Pla

nW

ha

t a

re y

ou

r d

efe

nse

s?

Wh

at

ev

ide

nce

do

yo

u n

ee

d t

o d

isp

ute

Pla

inti

ff’s

pri

ma

fa

cie

ca

se?

Wh

at

ev

ide

nce

do

yo

u n

ee

d t

o e

sta

bli

sh a

ffir

ma

tiv

e d

efe

nse

s?

Ca

se E

xa

mp

le:

Wa

ive

r:

Ad

mis

sion

s, F

orm

In

terr

ogat

orie

s, D

epos

itio

n o

f re

sid

ent

man

ager

Doc

um

ent

dem

and

for

ren

t le

dge

r, c

ash

ed p

aym

ents

, rec

eip

ts, c

opie

s of

all

eged

“le

ase

agre

emen

t”

Un

au

tho

rize

d P

et:

Dep

osit

ion

of

resi

den

t m

anag

er

Doc

um

ent

dem

and

for

cop

y of

all

eged

“le

ase

agre

emen

t”

429


Inve

stig

atio

n &

Evi

den

ce G

ath

erin

g

Vis

it th

e pr

emis

esTa

ke p

hoto

sIn

terv

iew

nei

ghbo

rs a

nd h

ouse

hold

mem

bers

Che

ck th

e co

mm

on a

reas

, lay

out o

f bui

ldin

gC

ode

Enfo

rcem

ent/G

over

nmen

t Age

ncie

sC

opie

s of O

rder

s and

insp

ectio

n re

ports

(cer

tifie

d)In

terv

iew

ins

pect

ors/

inve

stig

ator

sG

ive

your

clie

nt

hom

ewor

kM

ake

a lis

t of a

dditi

onal

doc

umen

ts (e

.g. r

ecei

pts,

invo

ices

for

repa

irs, p

hoto

s, et

c.) w

ith a

dea

dlin

eLe

ase A

gree

men

tPr

ior n

otic

es a

nd c

orre

spon

denc

e to

/from

land

lord

430


Ju

ry T

ria

l v

s.

Be

nch

Tri

al

Gen

eral

ly: J

ury

tri

al is

alw

ays

pre

ferr

ed.

Wai

ver:

Fai

l to

tim

ely

requ

est;

fa

ilu

re t

o p

ost

fees

; fai

lure

to

app

ear;

or

wri

tten

/ora

l wai

ver.

Wh

en t

o co

nsi

der

wai

vin

g ju

ry

tria

l:C

red

ibil

ity/

Lik

abil

ity

of t

he

par

ties

Tec

hn

ical

ity

of d

efen

se(s

)

Dam

age

Con

trol

Ris

k of

att

orn

eys

fees

aw

ard

Is t

her

e ti

me?

Cli

ent

con

cern

s

431


Day

of

Tri

al

•W

itn

ess

Man

agem

ent

•T

rial

Doc

um

ents

•A

ssig

nm

ent

to T

rial

432


Wit

ne

ss

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

Subp

oen

a N

on-p

arty

Wit

nes

ses

Hea

lth

dep

artm

ent

insp

ecto

rs

Res

iden

t m

anag

er

Mai

nte

nan

ce w

orke

rs

Oth

er t

enan

ts

Not

ice

to A

pp

ear

for

par

ty

wit

nes

ses

433


Tri

al D

ocu

men

ts

Tri

al B

rief

Stat

emen

t of

th

e C

ase

Mot

ion

s in

Lim

ine

Jury

In

stru

ctio

ns

Jury

Ver

dic

t F

orm

Not

ices

to

Ap

pea

r

Subp

oen

as

Pro

pos

ed V

oir

Dir

e qu

esti

ons

Wit

nes

s L

ist

Exh

ibit

Lis

t &

cop

ies

of

exh

ibit

s

434


Ju

ry

Inst

ruct

ion

s

Stan

dar

d C

AC

I In

stru

ctio

ns

Spec

ial I

nst

ruct

ion

s

How

wil

l th

e se

t of

jury

in

stru

ctio

ns

be fi

nal

ized

?

435


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: Th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

Wh

at s

pec

ial j

ury

inst

ruct

ion

s w

ould

you

nee

d?

Wai

ver

inst

ruct

ion

Inst

ruct

ion

exp

lain

ing

con

cep

t of

tri

vial

bre

ach

A

dd

itio

nal

req

uir

emen

ts t

o ev

ict

for

brea

ch o

f le

ase

imp

osed

by

loca

l or

fed

eral

law

Dom

inan

t M

otiv

e (i

f in

ren

t co

ntr

ol ju

risd

icti

on)

Oth

ers?

436


Mot

ion

s in

Lim

ine

(MIL

)

MIL

’s c

an m

ake

or b

reak

you

r ca

se. G

et a

rgu

men

t an

d

ruli

ngs

on

th

e re

cord

Pla

inti

ff’s

att

orn

eys

rely

hea

vily

on

MIL

’sC

omm

on P

lain

tiff

’s M

IL’s

:E

xclu

de

hab

itab

ilit

y ev

iden

ce b

c te

nan

t fa

iled

to

pro

vid

e ac

tual

n

otic

eP

roh

ibit

evi

den

ce o

f a

reta

liat

ion

def

ense

in n

on-p

aym

ent

case

In c

ases

invo

lvin

g re

tali

atio

n/d

iscr

imin

atio

n, a

mot

ion

to

shif

t bu

rden

of

pro

of r

egar

din

g P

lain

tiff

’s d

omin

ant

mot

ive

fro

m P

lain

tiff

to

Def

end

ant

Com

mon

Def

end

ant’

s M

IL’s

:E

xclu

de

evid

ence

of b

ehav

ior

alle

gati

ons

not

incl

ud

ed in

th

e n

otic

e

Exc

lud

e ev

iden

ce n

ot t

urn

ed o

ver

du

rin

g d

isco

very

437


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: Th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

Wh

at M

IL’s

wou

ld y

ou n

eed

?

To

tria

l bri

ef o

r n

ot t

o tr

ial b

rief

?

Oth

er lo

gist

ics

to c

onsi

der

at

this

tim

e:C

ourt

rep

orte

r

Inte

rpre

ter

438


Ass

ign

men

t to

Tri

al

Mas

ter

Cal

end

arIn

som

e ju

risd

icti

ons

you

wil

l rep

ort

to t

he

pre

sid

ing

jud

ge (

PJ)

on

th

e d

ay o

f tr

ial.

PJ

wil

l lik

ely

requ

ire

par

ties

to

dis

cuss

set

tlem

ent.

If

case

doe

s n

ot s

ettl

e, P

J w

ill a

ssig

n c

ase

out

to t

rial

, oft

en f

orth

wit

h.

Be

read

y to

sta

rt y

our

tria

l.

Com

mis

sion

erIf

par

ties

sti

pu

late

, cas

e m

ay b

e tr

ied

bef

ore

a ju

dge

pro

tem

or

co

mm

issi

oner

. Th

ink

twic

e be

fore

sti

pu

lati

ng.

CC

P

170

.6 C

hal

len

ge

Eac

h s

ide

has

th

e ri

ght

to e

xerc

ise

one

per

emp

tory

ch

alle

nge

to

the

tria

l ju

dge

, wh

ich

mu

st b

e ra

ised

at

the

tim

e o

f a

ssig

nm

en

t. O

ral

or w

ritt

en, n

o sp

ecif

ic c

ause

nee

d b

e al

lege

d o

r p

rove

d.

Tac

tica

l Con

sid

erat

ion

s: a

lien

atin

g ju

dge

s, w

ill n

ext

assi

gnm

ent

be

wor

se?

439


Con

du

ctin

g Y

our

Tri

al

•F

inal

Pre

-Tri

al C

onfe

ren

ce•

Op

enin

g St

atem

ents

•P

retr

ial M

otio

ns

•Ju

ry S

elec

tion

•P

lain

tiff

’s C

ase

•C

ross

exa

m o

f P

lain

tiff

’s W

itn

esse

s•

Def

end

ant’

s C

ase

•D

irec

t ex

am o

f D

efen

dan

t’s

Wit

nes

ses

•C

losi

ng

Arg

um

ent

440


Pre

-Tri

al C

onsi

der

atio

ns

Log

isti

csC

ourt

room

sch

edu

le, t

rial

tim

e es

tim

ates

, ju

ry fe

es

Rev

iew

of

Ple

adin

gs a

nd

Iss

ues

Can

an

y is

sues

be

nar

row

ed b

y st

ipu

lati

on?

Wh

at is

sues

rem

ain

to

be t

ried

?

Wit

nes

ses

Ord

er, e

stim

ated

tim

e

Dis

cuss

Mot

ion

s in

Lim

ine

Bri

efin

g/ar

gum

ent

sch

edu

le

Jury

Sel

ecti

on

Sett

lem

ent

Pos

sibi

liti

es?

441


Bu

rde

n o

f P

roo

f

Jud

gmen

t w

ill b

e en

tere

d fo

r th

e p

arty

wh

o p

rove

s h

is o

r h

er c

ase

or d

efen

se b

y a

pre

pon

der

ance

of

the

evid

ence

. (E

vid

ence

Cod

e 11

5)

442


Pre

-Tri

al

Mo

tio

ns

Mot

ion

s fo

r Ju

dgm

ent

on t

he

Ple

adin

gsC

an b

e m

ade

on d

ay o

f tri

al, o

rall

y or

in

wri

tin

gE

xam

ple

s: F

ailu

re t

o in

clu

de

lan

guag

e re

quir

ed b

y lo

cal o

rdin

ance

or

CC

P

116

1(2)

, lat

e fe

es.

Mot

ion

s to

Bif

urc

ate

Hav

e ju

dge

dec

ide

lega

l iss

ues

bef

ore

dec

idin

g to

pro

ceed

to

jury

tri

al. C

an

hel

p w

ith

set

tlem

ent.

Mot

ion

to

Stri

ke J

ury

Tri

alM

otio

n t

o St

rike

Sec

ond

A

men

ded

Com

pla

int

443


Ju

ry S

ele

ctio

n

Est

abli

sh a

sys

tem

(se

atin

g ch

art)

Voi

rD

ire

Qu

esti

ons

Beg

in t

elli

ng

you

r st

ory,

est

abli

sh y

our

nar

rati

ve.

Avo

id p

itfa

lls:

bei

ng

bori

ng,

ask

ing

rep

etit

ive

ques

tion

s, b

ein

g bo

rin

g

Reh

abil

itat

e go

od ju

rors

If y

ou k

now

oth

er s

ide

wil

l ch

alle

nge

a

juro

r, g

et a

s m

uch

ou

t of

th

em a

s p

ossi

ble

Wh

o is

you

r id

eal j

uro

r?

Lan

dlo

rds

on y

our

jury

can

be

good

.

Ch

alle

nge

s fo

r C

ause

Per

emp

tory

Ch

alle

nge

s

444


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: Th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

Wh

o is

you

r id

eal j

uro

r?

Wh

at t

ypes

of q

ues

tion

s sh

ould

you

ask

?

Wou

ld y

ou k

eep

a la

nd

lord

on

you

r ju

ry?

445


Op

enin

g St

atem

ent

-T

ips

Iden

tify

you

r ca

se t

hem

e.

Ou

tlin

e th

e fa

cts

you

inte

nd

to

pro

ve a

t tr

ial.

Avo

id s

tati

ng

or r

efer

rin

g to

evid

ence

th

at y

ou k

now

is

not

ad

mis

sibl

e or

you

wil

l not

be

able

to

pro

ve.

An

op

enin

g st

atem

ent

may

not

be

use

d t

o ar

gue

the

case

to

the

jury

or

dis

cuss

issu

es o

f law

.

Use

an

ou

tlin

e –

NO

RE

AD

ING

TO

TH

E J

UR

Y

Spea

k n

atu

rall

y, n

o le

gale

se

Con

sid

er v

isu

al a

ids

(dia

gram

, ph

otos

)

Be

con

cise

an

d c

lear

.

446


Pla

inti

ff’s

Cas

e

Pla

inti

ff m

ust

est

abli

sh:

Ow

ner

ship

or

auth

orit

y ov

er t

he

pro

per

ty

Ter

ms

of t

he

agre

emen

t

Serv

ice

of a

val

id n

otic

e

Exp

irat

ion

of t

he

not

ice

(or

term

inat

ion

of t

he

ten

ancy

by

oth

er m

ean

s)

Ten

ant’

s co

nti

nu

ed p

osse

ssio

n o

f th

e p

rem

ises

447


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: Th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

In t

he

Gom

ez c

ase,

on

e w

ould

exp

ect

the

Pla

inti

ff’s

p

rese

nta

tion

to

incl

ud

e:A

uth

enti

cati

on o

f an

y le

ase

agre

emen

t an

d e

stop

pel

cer

tifi

cate

Wit

nes

s te

stim

ony

rega

rdin

g th

e p

rese

nce

of t

he

dog

(li

kely

by

resi

den

t m

anag

er)

Serv

ice

of t

he

Th

ree-

Day

Not

ice

to C

ure

or

Qu

it

Wit

nes

s te

stim

ony

rega

rdin

g th

e fa

mil

y’s

con

tin

ued

occ

up

ancy

(l

ikel

y by

res

iden

t m

anag

er)

448


Cro

ss E

xam

of

Pla

inti

ff’s

Wit

nes

ses

Pla

n t

he

“sto

ry a

rch

” yo

u w

ant

this

wit

nes

s to

tel

l th

e ju

ry

Ou

tlin

e le

adin

g qu

esti

ons

and

an

tici

pat

ed a

nsw

ers

for

key

poi

nts

Th

ink

on y

our

feet

Pay

att

enti

on t

o d

irec

t te

stim

ony

and

ad

d a

s n

eces

sary

Lis

ten

to

the

wit

nes

s’s

answ

ers

to y

our

ques

tion

s

Org

aniz

e ex

hib

its

into

fold

ers

or t

rial

bin

der

sec

tion

s

Be

pol

ite

and

res

pec

tfu

l, n

o m

atte

r w

hat

449


Mot

ion

for

Non

suit

?

Aft

er P

lain

tiff

’s p

rese

nta

tion

, if l

acki

ng

elem

ents

of a

p

rim

a f

aci

e ca

se, y

ou m

ay m

ove

for

a ju

dgm

ent

of

non

suit

. ch

alle

nge

to

the

suff

icie

ncy

of p

lain

tiff

's e

vid

ence

at

an e

arly

st

age

of t

rial

wit

hou

t w

aivi

ng

the

righ

t to

pre

sen

t a

def

ense

like

a d

emu

rrer

to

Pla

inti

ff's

evi

den

ce

CC

P

581c

(a)

450


Def

end

ant’

s C

ase

Use

evi

den

ce t

o il

lust

rate

you

r ca

se t

hem

e

Star

t st

ron

g an

d e

nd

str

ong

Ord

er o

f exh

ibit

s an

d w

itn

esse

s

Usu

ally

you

r cl

ien

t is

you

r st

ar w

itn

ess

Th

ink

abou

t th

e st

ren

gth

of

thei

r p

rese

nta

tion

, how

can

you

su

pp

ort

thei

r cr

edib

ilit

y

PR

AC

TIC

E is

key

, for

bot

h d

irec

t an

d c

ross

451


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: D

efen

se f

or t

he

Gom

ez F

amil

y

Wit

nes

ses:

Res

iden

t m

anag

er r

e p

rior

kn

owle

dge

of d

og

Nei

ghbo

rs w

ho

also

hav

e d

ogs

Nei

ghbo

rs w

ho

can

tes

tify

to

lack

of b

arki

ng,

dam

age,

or

nu

isan

ce b

y d

og

Mr.

an

d/o

r M

rs. G

omez

(w

ith

inte

rpre

ter)

452


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: D

efen

se f

or t

he

Gom

ez F

amil

y

Doc

um

ents

:P

hot

os o

f th

e p

rem

ises

th

at s

how

no

dam

age

cau

sed

by

the

dog

or

oth

er t

enan

ts w

ith

dog

s

Cop

y of

est

opp

el c

erti

fica

te t

hat

dis

clos

ed d

og

Ren

t re

ceip

ts t

o sh

ow c

onti

nu

ous

acce

pta

nce

of r

ent

453


Clo

sin

g A

rgu

men

t

Re-

emp

has

ize

the

case

th

eme

Rev

iew

evi

den

ce a

nd

sta

te t

he

con

clu

sion

s th

e ju

ry

shou

ld d

raw

from

it

Use

exh

ibit

s, v

isu

al a

ides

as

app

rop

riat

e

Kee

p it

sh

ort

454


Mot

ion

for

Dir

ecte

d V

erd

ict

Eit

her

Pla

inti

ff o

r D

efen

dan

t m

ay m

ove

for

a d

irec

ted

ver

dic

t at

th

e cl

ose

of t

he

evid

ence

. CC

P

630

(a)

Sim

ilar

to

Mot

ion

for

Non

suit

(li

ke a

dem

urr

er)

May

be

mad

e or

ally

an

d w

ith

out

not

ice

Ou

tsid

e p

rese

nce

of

the

jury

455


Jury

Ver

dic

t

Nin

e ou

t of

12

juro

rs m

ust

agr

ee

Spec

ial v

erd

ict

shou

ld b

e re

ques

ted

pri

or t

o ar

gum

ent

Pro

vid

e a

spec

ial v

erd

ict

form

th

at in

clu

des

sp

ecif

ic fi

nd

ings

on

ult

imat

e fa

cts

Use

ful f

or d

eter

min

ing

avai

labl

e fu

ture

cla

ims

or d

efen

ses,

ap

pea

l rec

ord

456


Dec

isio

n in

Cou

rt T

rial

Stat

emen

t of

Dec

isio

nE

xpla

ins

the

fact

ual

an

d le

gal b

asis

for

the

Cou

rt’s

dec

isio

n

(CC

P

632

)

Tim

ely

requ

est

for

shor

t tr

ials

: pri

or t

o su

bmis

sion

of t

he

mat

ter

for

dec

isio

n

May

be

requ

este

d in

wri

tin

g or

ver

ball

y on

th

e re

cord

Nec

essa

ry fo

r m

ost

app

eals

457


Cas

e E

xam

ple

: W

hat

can

th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

win

?

Ver

dic

t fo

r D

efen

dan

ts c

ould

incl

ud

e:P

osse

ssio

n o

f th

e p

rem

ises

ret

ain

ed b

y th

e G

omez

Fam

ily

(ten

ancy

res

um

es)

Th

e ri

ght

to p

ay t

he

pre

viou

sly

refu

sed

ren

t

Att

orn

ey’s

fees

, if t

he

verd

ict

incl

ud

es fi

nd

ing

of r

etal

iato

ry

mot

ive,

or

if p

rovi

ded

in t

he

leas

e

Cos

ts (

un

less

wai

ved

by

the

Cou

rt)

458


QU

EST

ION

S?

459


Con

tact

Us

Mon

iqu

e F

arri

s

Staf

f A

ttor

ney

Cen

tro

Leg

al d

e la

Raz

a, 3

40

0 E

ast

12th

Str

eet,

Oak

lan

d

(510

) 4

37-1

554

, mfa

rris

@ce

ntr

oleg

al.o

rg

Shir

ley

Gib

son

Dir

ecti

ng

Att

orn

ey

Leg

al A

id S

ocie

ty o

f Sa

n M

ateo

Cou

nty

, 330

Tw

in D

olp

hin

Dri

ve, S

uit

e 12

3,

Red

woo

d C

ity

(650

) 55

8-0

915

; sgi

bson

@le

gala

idsm

c.or

g

Lor

rain

e L

opez

Sup

ervi

sin

g A

ttor

ney

Inn

er C

ity

Law

Cen

ter,

130

9 E

. 7th

Stre

et, L

os A

nge

les

(213

) 8

91-

288

0; l

lop

ez@

inn

erci

tyla

w.o

rg

460


NOTES

461


NOTES

462

California Eviction Defense - Practising Law...

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