Preview
ELECTRONICALLY FILED
Superior Court of California
Shayna Balch Santiago (SBN 304802) County of Santa Barbara
1
E-Mail: ssantiago@fisherphillips.com Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer
2 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP 1/3/2022 6:13 PM
3200 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1550 By: Narzralli Baksh, Deputy
3 Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2487
Telephone: (602) 281-3400
4 Facsimile: (602) 281-3401
5 Kathryn M. Evans (SBN 323190)
E-Mail: kmevans@fisherphillips.com
6 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP
4747 Executive Drive, Suite 1000
7 San Diego, California 92121
Telephone: (858) 597-9600
8 Facsimile: (858) 597-9601
9 Attorneys for Defendants,
UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.;
10 Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C.
Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; Jimmie Garrett Baker, Jr.;
11 WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia Baker
12 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
13 FOR THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA - ANACAPA DIVISION
14
15 BUTLER AMERICA, LLC, a Delaware CASE NO.: 20CV03877
limited liability company, [Unlimited Jurisdiction]
16
Plaintiff, Assigned for all purposes to the
17 Honorable Donna D. Geck, Dept. 4
v.
18 DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE AND
UCOMMG, LLC, a Nevada limited STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
19 liability company; UNIFIED PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED
COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC., a COMPLAINT
20 dissolved Washington corporation;
KENNETH W. NEWBATT, an [Filed concurrently with Memorandum of Points
21 individual; BIANCA NEWBATT, an and Authorities; Declaration of Shayna Balch
individual; MITCHELL C. LIPKIN, an Santiago; and [Proposed] Order]
22 individual; MICHAEL J. BELLAS, an
individual; JIMMIE GARRETT BAKER, DATE: March 25, 2022
23 JR., an individual; WESTELE UTILITY TIME: 10:00 a.m.
SOLUTIONS, LLC, a California limited DEPT.: 4
24 liability company; and DOES 1 through
50, inclusive, Complaint Filed: November 20, 2020
25 FAC Filed: April 16, 2021
Defendants. SAC Filed: December 3, 2021
26 Trial Date: Not Set
27
28
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
1 TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD HEREIN:
2 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Mach 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter
3 as the matter may be heard, in Department 4 of the above-entitled Court, located at 1100 Anacapa
4 Street, Santa Barbara, California 93121-1107, Defendants UCOMMG, LLC; Unified
5 Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin;
6 Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia Baker (hereinafter
7 “Defendants”) will and hereby do demur to the Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) filed by
8 Plaintiff Butler America, LLC on the grounds that the SAC fails to state facts sufficient to plead
9 a valid cause of action and fails for uncertainty. This Demurrer is based upon this Notice and
10 attached Statement of Demurrer, the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities, the
11 Declaration of Shayna Balch Santiago and all exhibits thereto, all papers previously filed in this
12 matter, and on such other and further evidence which may be presented at the time of the hearing.
13
14 DATE: January 3, 2022 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP
15
16 By:
Shayna Balch Santiago
17 Kathryn M. Evans
Attorneys for Defendants
18 UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications
Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca
19 Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas;
WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia
20 Baker
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
1 STATEMENT OF DEMURRER
2 Defendants UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W.
3 Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions,
4 LLC; and Cynthia Baker jointly and severally, demur to Plaintiff Butler America, LLC’s Second
5 Amended Complaint on the following grounds:
6 DEMURRER TO THE FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
7 1. The first cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails to state facts sufficient to
8 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).)
9 2. The first cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails because itis uncertain,
10 ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).)
11 DEMURRER TO THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
12 3. The second cause of action for “Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and
13 Fair Dealing” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. §
14 430.10(e).)
15 4. The second cause of action for “Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and
16 Fair Dealing” fails because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. §
17 430.10(f).)
18 DEMURRER TO THE THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION
19 5. The third cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails to state facts sufficient to
20 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).)
21 6. The third cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails because it is uncertain,
22 ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).)
23 DEMURRER TO THE FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION
24 7. The fourth cause of action for “Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and
25 Fair Dealing” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. §
26 430.10(e).)
27 ///
28 ///
2
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
1 8. The fourth cause of action for “Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and
2 Fair Dealing” fails because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. §
3 430.10(f).)
4 DEMURRER TO THE FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION
5 9. The fifth cause of action for “Conversion” fails to state facts sufficient to
6 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).)
7 10. The fifth cause of action for “Conversion” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and
8 unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).)
9 DEMURRER TO THE SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION
10 11. The sixth cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations”
11 fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).)
12 12. The sixth cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations”
13 because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).)
14 DEMURRER TO THE SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION
15 13. The seventh cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Prospective
16 Economic Advantage” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ.
17 Proc. § 430.10(e).)
18 14. The seventh cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Prospective
19 Economic Advantage” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc.
20 § 430.10(f).)
21 DEMURRER TO THE EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION
22 15. The eighth cause of action for “Unfair Business Practices (California Business &
23 Professions Code § 17200 et seq.)” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action.
24 (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).)
25 ///
26 ///
27 ///
28 ///
3
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
1 16. The eighth cause of action for “Unfair Business Practices (California Business &
2 Professions Code § 17200 et seq.)” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code
3 Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).)
4
5 DATE: January 3, 2022 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP
6
7 By:
Shayna Balch Santiago
8 Kathryn M. Evans
Attorneys for Defendants
9 UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications
Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca
10 Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas;
WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia
11 Baker
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
4
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
1
PROOF OF SERVICE
2 (CCP §§1013(a) and 2015.5)
3 I, the undersigned, am at least 18 years old and not a party to this action. I am employed
in the County of San Diego with the law offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP and its business address
4 is 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 1000, San Diego, California 92121.
5 On January 3, 2022, I served the following document(s) DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE AND
STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED
6 COMPLAINT on the person(s) listed below by placing the original a true copy thereof
enclosed in sealed envelope(s) addressed as follows:
7
8 Paul P. Young Tel: (626) 744-1838
Joseph Chora Fax: (626) 744-3167
9 Cameron H. Totten E-Mail: paul@cym.law; joseph@cym.law;
Armen Manasserian cameron@cym.law; armen@cym.law;
10 Scott O’Halloran scott@cym.law
CHORA YOUNG LLP
11 650 Sierra Madre Villa Ave, Suite 304 Attorneys for Plaintiff Butler America, LLC
Pasadena, California 91107
12
[by ELECTRONIC SERVICE] – Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure
13 §1010.6(e)(1), I electronically served the document(s) to the person(s) at the electronic
service address(es) listed above.
14
I declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California, that the
15 foregoing is true and correct.
16 Executed January 3, 2022, at San Diego, California.
17 Amanda Funkhouser By:
Print Name Signature
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
5
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO
PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
FP 42562358.1
Preview
ELECTRONICALLY FILED Superior Court of California Shayna Balch Santiago (SBN 304802) County of Santa Barbara 1 E-Mail: ssantiago@fisherphillips.com Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer 2 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP 1/3/2022 6:13 PM 3200 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1550 By: Narzralli Baksh, Deputy 3 Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2487 Telephone: (602) 281-3400 4 Facsimile: (602) 281-3401 5 Kathryn M. Evans (SBN 323190) E-Mail: kmevans@fisherphillips.com 6 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 1000 7 San Diego, California 92121 Telephone: (858) 597-9600 8 Facsimile: (858) 597-9601 9 Attorneys for Defendants, UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.; 10 Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; Jimmie Garrett Baker, Jr.; 11 WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia Baker 12 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 13 FOR THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA - ANACAPA DIVISION 14 15 BUTLER AMERICA, LLC, a Delaware CASE NO.: 20CV03877 limited liability company, [Unlimited Jurisdiction] 16 Plaintiff, Assigned for all purposes to the 17 Honorable Donna D. Geck, Dept. 4 v. 18 DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE AND UCOMMG, LLC, a Nevada limited STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO 19 liability company; UNIFIED PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC., a COMPLAINT 20 dissolved Washington corporation; KENNETH W. NEWBATT, an [Filed concurrently with Memorandum of Points 21 individual; BIANCA NEWBATT, an and Authorities; Declaration of Shayna Balch individual; MITCHELL C. LIPKIN, an Santiago; and [Proposed] Order] 22 individual; MICHAEL J. BELLAS, an individual; JIMMIE GARRETT BAKER, DATE: March 25, 2022 23 JR., an individual; WESTELE UTILITY TIME: 10:00 a.m. SOLUTIONS, LLC, a California limited DEPT.: 4 24 liability company; and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive, Complaint Filed: November 20, 2020 25 FAC Filed: April 16, 2021 Defendants. SAC Filed: December 3, 2021 26 Trial Date: Not Set 27 28 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1 1 TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD HEREIN: 2 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Mach 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter 3 as the matter may be heard, in Department 4 of the above-entitled Court, located at 1100 Anacapa 4 Street, Santa Barbara, California 93121-1107, Defendants UCOMMG, LLC; Unified 5 Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; 6 Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia Baker (hereinafter 7 “Defendants”) will and hereby do demur to the Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”) filed by 8 Plaintiff Butler America, LLC on the grounds that the SAC fails to state facts sufficient to plead 9 a valid cause of action and fails for uncertainty. This Demurrer is based upon this Notice and 10 attached Statement of Demurrer, the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities, the 11 Declaration of Shayna Balch Santiago and all exhibits thereto, all papers previously filed in this 12 matter, and on such other and further evidence which may be presented at the time of the hearing. 13 14 DATE: January 3, 2022 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP 15 16 By: Shayna Balch Santiago 17 Kathryn M. Evans Attorneys for Defendants 18 UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca 19 Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia 20 Baker 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1 1 STATEMENT OF DEMURRER 2 Defendants UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. 3 Newbatt; Bianca Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions, 4 LLC; and Cynthia Baker jointly and severally, demur to Plaintiff Butler America, LLC’s Second 5 Amended Complaint on the following grounds: 6 DEMURRER TO THE FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 7 1. The first cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails to state facts sufficient to 8 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).) 9 2. The first cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails because itis uncertain, 10 ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).) 11 DEMURRER TO THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION 12 3. The second cause of action for “Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and 13 Fair Dealing” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 14 430.10(e).) 15 4. The second cause of action for “Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and 16 Fair Dealing” fails because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 17 430.10(f).) 18 DEMURRER TO THE THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION 19 5. The third cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails to state facts sufficient to 20 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).) 21 6. The third cause of action for “Breach of Contract” fails because it is uncertain, 22 ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).) 23 DEMURRER TO THE FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION 24 7. The fourth cause of action for “Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and 25 Fair Dealing” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 26 430.10(e).) 27 /// 28 /// 2 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1 1 8. The fourth cause of action for “Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and 2 Fair Dealing” fails because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 3 430.10(f).) 4 DEMURRER TO THE FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION 5 9. The fifth cause of action for “Conversion” fails to state facts sufficient to 6 constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).) 7 10. The fifth cause of action for “Conversion” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and 8 unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).) 9 DEMURRER TO THE SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION 10 11. The sixth cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations” 11 fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).) 12 12. The sixth cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations” 13 because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).) 14 DEMURRER TO THE SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION 15 13. The seventh cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Prospective 16 Economic Advantage” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. (Code Civ. 17 Proc. § 430.10(e).) 18 14. The seventh cause of action for “Intentional Interference with Prospective 19 Economic Advantage” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code Civ. Proc. 20 § 430.10(f).) 21 DEMURRER TO THE EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION 22 15. The eighth cause of action for “Unfair Business Practices (California Business & 23 Professions Code § 17200 et seq.)” fails to state facts sufficient to constitute any cause of action. 24 (Code Civ. Proc. § 430.10(e).) 25 /// 26 /// 27 /// 28 /// 3 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1 1 16. The eighth cause of action for “Unfair Business Practices (California Business & 2 Professions Code § 17200 et seq.)” because it is uncertain, ambiguous, and unintelligible. (Code 3 Civ. Proc. § 430.10(f).) 4 5 DATE: January 3, 2022 FISHER & PHILLIPS LLP 6 7 By: Shayna Balch Santiago 8 Kathryn M. Evans Attorneys for Defendants 9 UCOMMG, LLC; Unified Communications Group, Inc.; Kenneth W. Newbatt; Bianca 10 Newbatt; Mitchell C. Lipkin; Michael J. Bellas; WesTele Utility Solutions, LLC; and Cynthia 11 Baker 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1 1 PROOF OF SERVICE 2 (CCP §§1013(a) and 2015.5) 3 I, the undersigned, am at least 18 years old and not a party to this action. I am employed in the County of San Diego with the law offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP and its business address 4 is 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 1000, San Diego, California 92121. 5 On January 3, 2022, I served the following document(s) DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED 6 COMPLAINT on the person(s) listed below by placing the original a true copy thereof enclosed in sealed envelope(s) addressed as follows: 7 8 Paul P. Young Tel: (626) 744-1838 Joseph Chora Fax: (626) 744-3167 9 Cameron H. Totten E-Mail: paul@cym.law; joseph@cym.law; Armen Manasserian cameron@cym.law; armen@cym.law; 10 Scott O’Halloran scott@cym.law CHORA YOUNG LLP 11 650 Sierra Madre Villa Ave, Suite 304 Attorneys for Plaintiff Butler America, LLC Pasadena, California 91107 12 [by ELECTRONIC SERVICE] – Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure 13 §1010.6(e)(1), I electronically served the document(s) to the person(s) at the electronic service address(es) listed above. 14 I declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California, that the 15 foregoing is true and correct. 16 Executed January 3, 2022, at San Diego, California. 17 Amanda Funkhouser By: Print Name Signature 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5 DEFENDANT’S NOTICE AND STATEMENT OF DEMURRER TO PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FP 42562358.1