Court Opinion

ID: 9955943
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-29 19:02:26.903875+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:15:41.300433
License: Public Domain

Filed 3/29/24 Hester v. Southern Cal. Regional Rail Authority CA2/8
   NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions
not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion
has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

                         SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

                                      DIVISION EIGHT

LUTHER HESTER,                                                  B321396

         Plaintiff and Appellant,                               Los Angeles County
                                                                Super. Ct. No. 21AVCV00128
         v.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY
DBA METROLINK,

         Defendant and Respondent.

     APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of
Los Angeles County, Michael C. Kelley, Judge. Affirmed.
     Luther Hester, in pro. per., for Plaintiff and Appellant.
     Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs, Rickey Ivie and Marie
Maurice for Defendant and Respondent.
                      ____________________
     Luther Hester sued Southern California Regional Rail
Authority (Metrolink) for premises liability. Metrolink and
Hester traded demurrers and complaints. When Hester’s second
amended complaint was essentially the same as his earlier
complaints, the trial court granted a demurrer without leave to
amend. Hester argues the court did not let him present his side.
We affirm because Hester had a sufficient opportunity to present
his case and he gives no record or legal support to demonstrate
otherwise.
       Hester’s original complaint had one sentence of allegations.
He said his head got caught in a Metrolink train door. Metrolink
demurred. It argued Hester did not sufficiently allege duty, did
not allege facts that Metrolink had notice of a dangerous
condition, and did not allege facts that Metrolink negligently
used or maintained property. Metrolink included as an exhibit
the Judicial Council of California’s Civil Jury Instructions for
premises liability. Hester did not file an opposition to the
demurrer.
       The court “fully considered the arguments of all parties,
both written and oral, as well as the evidence presented” and
sustained the demurrer with leave to amend.
       Hester filed a first amended complaint that again alleged
premises liability and reworded the same facts as his original
complaint. Metrolink demurred with the same reasoning as the
first demurrer. Hester did not file an opposition.
       The court “considered the moving papers and oral
testimony” and sustained the demurrer with leave to amend.
The court directed Hester to file an amended complaint “that
specifically alleges a legally recognized dangerous condition
which holds the Defendant responsible.”
       Hester filed a second amended complaint that again alleged
premises liability and reworded the same facts as the earlier
complaints. Metrolink demurred a third time with the same

                                2
reasoning as its earlier demurrers. Metrolink requested the
court deny leave to amend. Hester did not file an opposition.
       The court “fully considered the arguments of all parties,
both written and oral, as well as the evidence” and sustained the
demurrer without leave to amend.
       Hester appealed.
       When the trial court sustains a demurrer, we
independently review the pleadings to determine whether they
allege facts that state a cause of action. We review a trial court’s
denial of leave to amend for abuse of discretion. We assess
whether there is a reasonable possibility the plaintiff could cure
defects by amendment. The plaintiff has the burden to establish
this possibility. (Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318.)
       Hester’s opening brief is one page long. He says the judge
“talked one sided” and did not review Hester’s paperwork. Hester
requests a “real trial or a civil right[s] trial.” Hester’s reply
makes similar points. He says the judge violated his right to be
heard by not letting him present his side.
       We presume judgments are correct and the appealing party
has the burden to prove error. (Bullock v. Philip Morris USA,
Inc. (2008) 159 Cal.App.4th 655, 685.) Appellate briefs must
provide record citations to support references to matters in the
record. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.204(a)(1).) We may disregard
unsupported or conclusory legal arguments and we may
disregard factual contentions that lack record citations.
(Tanguilig v. Valdez (2019) 36 Cal.App.5th 514, 520.)
       Hester argues the court did not hear his side, but this is
incorrect. Hester’s briefs have no record or legal citations to
establish this point. The record demonstrates the court did hear
him. Metrolink and the court correctly identified deficiencies in

                                 3
Hester’s complaints and the court granted Hester opportunities
to fix them. Instead, he filed amended complaints with no
substantive changes. In its order granting the final demurrer,
the court explained that it heard Hester’s side: it considered the
arguments and evidence of both sides. And Hester has not
provided reporter’s transcripts, so we presume what happened
supports the judgment. (See Hearn v. Howard (2009) 177
Cal.App.4th 1193, 1201.) This means we presume the court let
Hester present his position at the hearings. The court heard
Hester’s side, many times over.
       The court did not abuse its discretion by denying leave to
amend. Hester does not explain how he would cure his complaint
on appeal.
                          DISPOSITION
       We affirm the judgment. The parties shall bear their own
costs on appeal. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.278(a)(5).)

                                          WILEY, J.

We concur:

             STRATTON, P. J.

             GRIMES, J.

                                4