The above-entitled action comes on for hearing before the Honorable Thomas E. Kuhnle 21 on January 4, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 5. The Court now issues its tentative ruling as 22 follows:

23 I. INTRODUCTION

24 Plaintiffs in this case alleged that defendant City of Santa Clara’s (“City”) at-large 25 method of election violated the California Voting Rights Act (“CVRA”). This action was tried 26 in two phases – liability and remedies. In the liability phase of trial, the Court found Plaintiffs 27 proved by a preponderance of the evidence that the at-large method of election used by the City 28 impaired the ability of Asians to elect candidates as a result of the dilution and abridgment of

TENTATIVE RULING RE: MOTION TO TAX COSTS

1 their voting rights. In the remedies phase, the Court ordered that six City Council members be 2 elected in district-based elections, and the City mayor be elected in an at-large election. The 3 Court also ordered Plaintiffs are entitled to recover at