Tentative Ruling on Uncalendared Motion to Consolidate Cases

Kramer v. Gaston, Case No. 2020-03322 (and related case, Gaston v. Kramer, Case No. 2020-01716) CMC: October 30, 2020, 9:15 a.m., Dept. 72

1. Overview and Procedural Posture.

This is a battle for control of Omega Family Global, Inc. (OFG), an enterprise which provides services to would-be parents "needing assistive reproductive technologies." Disputes arising between the founders/shareholders** in December, 2019 have given rise to two lawsuits: this one, and the first-filed Case No. 2020-01716 (in which the parties' roles are reversed – i.e., Gaston v. Kramer). The complaint in this (second filed) case was filed January 21, 2020. The first case was assigned to Judge Trapp, but Gaston challenged her and the case was reassigned to the undersigned.*

On the Dept. 72 ex parte calendar on January 30, 2020, Kramer sought a TRO and an OSC re preliminary injunction. ROA 12-18. The court granted a very limited TRO (i.e., Gaston and