Order: PATRICK WILLIAMS RODRIGUEZ ET AL VS. DANIELLE E. LANE M.D ET AL

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                                Hersh & Hersh

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NANCY HERSH (SBN 49091)
KATE HERSH-BOYLE (SBN 278864)
MONTANA BAKER (SBN 319491)

HERSH and HERSH

601 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 2080 San Francisco County suppnir Court
San Francisco, CA 94102 FEB 11

Telephone: 1-415-441-5544 2020

Facsimile: 1-415-441-7586 CLESK OF, THE GOURT
Attorneys for Plaintiffs BY :
PATRICK WILLIAMS RODRIGUEZ and CLAUDIOUS WILLIAMS’RODRIGUEP2puly Clerk

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Case No. CGC-19-880309
[ |] ORDER GRANTING IN

PART DEFENDANTS DANIELLE
LANE, M.D., MARK FAN, M.D}, and
DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D., INC. dba
LANE FERTILITY INSTITUTE’S
MOTION TO STRIKE PORTIONS OF
PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINT

PATRICK WILLIAMS RODRIGUEZ and
CLAUDIOUS WILLIAMS RODRIGUEZ,
individuals,

Plaintiffs,

DANIELLE E. LANE, M_D.., an individual;
MARK FAN, M.D., an individual;
DANIELLE LANE, M.D., INC, A
PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, a
Corporation, DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D.,
INC. DBA LANE FERTILITY INSTITUTE,
a Corporation; and LANE FERTILITY
INSTITUTE, a Corporation; and DOES 1 to
50, inclusive,

Date: February 11, 2020
Time: 9:30 a.m.

Dept: 302

Judge: Hon. Ethan P. Schulman

Complaint Filed: October 28, 2019

I eeeeeeeerereerere

Defendants.

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[PROP@SED] ORDER GRANTING IN PART DEFENDANTS DANIELLE LANE, M.D., MARK FAN, M.D., and

DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D., INC. dba LANE FERTILITY INSTITUTE’S MOTION TO STRIKE PORTIONS OF
PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINTHersh & Hersh

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Defendants’ Motion to Strike Portions of Plaintiffs’ Complaint in the above-entitled matter
came on for hearing on February 11, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in Department 302 of the San Francisco
Superior Court, the Honorable Ethan P. Schulman presiding.

The Court, having considered the parties’ papers, the arguments of counsel and] good cause
appearing therefor, GRANTS IN PART Defendants’ Motion to Strike Portions of Plaintiffs’

Complaint.

DEFENDANTS DANIELLE LANE, MARK FAN, DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D., INC.’s
Motion to Strike Portions of Plaintiffs’ Complaint
Defendants’ motion to strike is granted in part.
“The UCL, while broad in scope, is limited in remedies. [Citations.] Private individuals like
plaintiffs may win restitution or injunctive relief, but they cannot obtain damages jor attorney
fees.” (De La Torre v. CashCall, Inc. (2018) 5 Cal.Sth 966, 993.) Further, the complaint does not
plead claims that could support an award of attorneys’ fees under the private attorney general statute,
Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5. That statute authorizes an award of steeds fees to
successful parties only in actions that have “resulted in the enforcement of an important right

affecting the public interest.” It is essential to such an award, among other things, that “a significant

benefit, whether pecuniary or nonpecuniary, has been conferred on the general public or a large class

of persons,” and that “the necessity and financial burden of private enforcement .. . are such as to
make the award appropriate.” (Code Civ. Proc. § 1021.5(a),(b).) This is an action brought on behalf

of individual plaintiffs, which as currently pled cannot meet the statutory requirements for an award

of attorneys’ fees under § 1021.5. Defendants’ motion to strike therefore is granted as to the prayer

for attorneys’ fees in the complaint at pg. 15:19-21 [“Therefore, Plaintiffs seek recovery of
attorneys’ fees and costs of this action to be paid by Defendants, as provided by the UCL and
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1021.5.”] and pg. 15:22-24 wectelor relief,
rescission . . . “compensatory damages, pecuniary damages, and exemplary damages, ald an award.
of costs and attorney’s fees.”].

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING IN PART DEFENDANTS DANIELLE LANE, M.D., MARK FAN, M.D., and
DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D., INC. dba LANE FERTILITY INSTITUTE’S MOTION TO STRIKE e OF

PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINTHersh & Hersh

As Plaintiffs concede, the awards of civil penalties provided for in Bus. & Prof. Code §§

17536 and 17206 are only available in suits brought by the Attorney General or local public officials,

not private litigants. (Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17206(a), § 17536(a).) Defendants’ motion to strike is

granted as to the complaint at pg. 16:9-14, 26-28 and pg. 17:1-3. Because the co
Defendants’ demurrer to the UCL claims, it denies the motion to strike the remaining al

IT IS SO ORDERED.

vail Zig! 2020 Ft hha i Ofp—

Hon/Ethan P. Schulman
Judge of the Superior Court

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overrules

legations.

[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING IN PART DEFENDANTS DANIELLE LANE, M.D., MARK FA

, M.D., and

DANIELLE E. LANE, M.D., INC. dba LANE FERTILITY INSTITUTE’S MOTION TO STRIKE PORTIONS OF

PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINT