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1 P. GERHARDT ZACHER (SBN: 043184)
THOMAS J. TOBIN (SBN: 187062) E-FILED
2 KARA PERSSON (SBN: 210582) 12/18/2018 12:08 PM
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP FRESNO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
3 101 W. Broadway Suite 2000 By: M. Sanchez, Deputy
San Diego, CA 92101
4 Telephone: (619) 230-7743
Facsimile: (619) 696-7124
5
Attorneys for Defendant
6 SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC
7
8 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
9 FOR THE COUNTY OF FRESNO
10 VIRGINIA SARABIAN dba SARABIAN ) Case No. 18CECG02994
FARMS, )
11 Plaintiffs, ) Assigned to Hon. Rosemary McGuire,
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
) Dept. 403
101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000
12 v. )
) SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE
San Diego, CA 92101
13 SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC, a limited ) OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER
liability company; TS&L SEED ) TO SECOND AMENDED
14 COMPANY, and Does 1 through 50, ) COMPLAINT
inclusive, )
15 ) Filed Concurrently With:
Defendants. ) (1) Memorandum of Points and
16 ) Authorities;
) (2) Persson Decl. in Supp. of
17 ) Demurrer; and
) (3) [Proposed] Order Sustaining
18 ) Demurrer
)
19 ) Date: January 23, 2019
) Time: 3:30 p.m.
20 ) Dept.: 403
21 TO THIS COURT, ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD:
22 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on January 23, 2019, at 3:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as
23 this matter may be heard, in Department 403 of the above-captioned Court, located at the B.F.
24 Sisk Court, 1130 O Street, Fresno, California 93721, defendant Syngenta Seeds, LLC, will and
25 hereby does seek an order from the Court sustaining its demurrer to the first, second, third, and
26 fourth causes of action in Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint.
27 This Demurrer is made pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10, et
28 seq., on the grounds set forth herein and is based upon this Notice of Demurrer and Demurrer,
1143929/41838939v.1
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SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC
1 the Memorandum of Points and Authorities attached hereto, the Declaration of Kara Persson, the
2 proposed order, the pleadings, records, papers and other documents on file in the above-
3 referenced action, pleadings, records and papers upon which judicial notice may properly be
4 taken, and upon such further oral and documentary evidence and argument as may be presented
5 at or prior to the hearing on this matter.
6 DEMURRER
7 Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10, subdivision (e), defendant
8 Syngenta Seeds, LLC (“Syngenta”) demurs to Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint on the
9 following grounds:
10 DEMURRER TO FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE (PRODUCTION
11 AND DELIVERY OF DEFECTIVE SEED)
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000
12 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ first cause of action for negligence, on the grounds that
San Diego, CA 92101
13 Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10,
14 subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by the “economic
15 loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.)
16 DEMURRER TO SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE (SALE OF
17 OLD SEED)
18 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ second cause of action for negligence, on the grounds that
19 Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10,
20 subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by the “economic
21 loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.)
22 DEMURRER TO THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT
23 MISREPRESENTATION
24 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ third cause of action for negligent misrepresentation, on
25 the grounds that Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ.
26 Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by
27 the “economic loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.)
28 ///
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SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC
1 DEMURRER TO FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION FOR INTENTIONAL
2 MISREPRESENTATION
3 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiff’s fourth cause of action for intentional misrepresentation, on
4 the grounds that Plaintiff fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ.
5 Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by
6 the “economic loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.)
7 DEMURRER TO FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION FOR INTENTIONAL
8 MISREPRESENTATION
9 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiff’s fourth cause of action for intentional misrepresentation, on
10 the grounds that Plaintiff fails to plead this cause of action with the required particularity, such
11 that it fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10,
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000
12 subd. (e); see Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 993; Lazar v.
San Diego, CA 92101
13 Superior Court (1996) 12 Cal.4th 631, 645.)
14 Dated: December 17, 2018 GORDON REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI, LLP
15
16 By:
P. Gerhardt Zacher
17 Thomas J. Tobin
Kara Persson
18 Attorneys for Defendant
SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC
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SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC
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1 P. GERHARDT ZACHER (SBN: 043184) THOMAS J. TOBIN (SBN: 187062) E-FILED 2 KARA PERSSON (SBN: 210582) 12/18/2018 12:08 PM Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP FRESNO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT 3 101 W. Broadway Suite 2000 By: M. Sanchez, Deputy San Diego, CA 92101 4 Telephone: (619) 230-7743 Facsimile: (619) 696-7124 5 Attorneys for Defendant 6 SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC 7 8 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 9 FOR THE COUNTY OF FRESNO 10 VIRGINIA SARABIAN dba SARABIAN ) Case No. 18CECG02994 FARMS, ) 11 Plaintiffs, ) Assigned to Hon. Rosemary McGuire, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP ) Dept. 403 101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000 12 v. ) ) SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE San Diego, CA 92101 13 SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC, a limited ) OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER liability company; TS&L SEED ) TO SECOND AMENDED 14 COMPANY, and Does 1 through 50, ) COMPLAINT inclusive, ) 15 ) Filed Concurrently With: Defendants. ) (1) Memorandum of Points and 16 ) Authorities; ) (2) Persson Decl. in Supp. of 17 ) Demurrer; and ) (3) [Proposed] Order Sustaining 18 ) Demurrer ) 19 ) Date: January 23, 2019 ) Time: 3:30 p.m. 20 ) Dept.: 403 21 TO THIS COURT, ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD: 22 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on January 23, 2019, at 3:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as 23 this matter may be heard, in Department 403 of the above-captioned Court, located at the B.F. 24 Sisk Court, 1130 O Street, Fresno, California 93721, defendant Syngenta Seeds, LLC, will and 25 hereby does seek an order from the Court sustaining its demurrer to the first, second, third, and 26 fourth causes of action in Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint. 27 This Demurrer is made pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10, et 28 seq., on the grounds set forth herein and is based upon this Notice of Demurrer and Demurrer, 1143929/41838939v.1 -1- SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC 1 the Memorandum of Points and Authorities attached hereto, the Declaration of Kara Persson, the 2 proposed order, the pleadings, records, papers and other documents on file in the above- 3 referenced action, pleadings, records and papers upon which judicial notice may properly be 4 taken, and upon such further oral and documentary evidence and argument as may be presented 5 at or prior to the hearing on this matter. 6 DEMURRER 7 Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 430.10, subdivision (e), defendant 8 Syngenta Seeds, LLC (“Syngenta”) demurs to Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint on the 9 following grounds: 10 DEMURRER TO FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE (PRODUCTION 11 AND DELIVERY OF DEFECTIVE SEED) Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP 101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000 12 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ first cause of action for negligence, on the grounds that San Diego, CA 92101 13 Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, 14 subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by the “economic 15 loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.) 16 DEMURRER TO SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE (SALE OF 17 OLD SEED) 18 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ second cause of action for negligence, on the grounds that 19 Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, 20 subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by the “economic 21 loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.) 22 DEMURRER TO THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT 23 MISREPRESENTATION 24 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiffs’ third cause of action for negligent misrepresentation, on 25 the grounds that Plaintiffs fail to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. 26 Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by 27 the “economic loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.) 28 /// -2- SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC 1 DEMURRER TO FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION FOR INTENTIONAL 2 MISREPRESENTATION 3 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiff’s fourth cause of action for intentional misrepresentation, on 4 the grounds that Plaintiff fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. 5 Proc., § 430.10, subd. (e).) Specifically, under the facts alleged, this cause of action is barred by 6 the “economic loss rule.” (Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 988.) 7 DEMURRER TO FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION FOR INTENTIONAL 8 MISREPRESENTATION 9 Syngenta demurs to Plaintiff’s fourth cause of action for intentional misrepresentation, on 10 the grounds that Plaintiff fails to plead this cause of action with the required particularity, such 11 that it fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc., § 430.10, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP 101 W. Broadway, Suite 2000 12 subd. (e); see Robinson Helicopter Co. v. Dana Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 979, 993; Lazar v. San Diego, CA 92101 13 Superior Court (1996) 12 Cal.4th 631, 645.) 14 Dated: December 17, 2018 GORDON REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI, LLP 15 16 By: P. Gerhardt Zacher 17 Thomas J. Tobin Kara Persson 18 Attorneys for Defendant SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 -3- SYNGENTA SEEDS, LLC’S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO SAC