POOF!, Sanctions: Lower Court’s Dismissal Of Case For Late Filing Of Joint Pretrial Documents Under LASC Local Rule Reversed As Disproportionate

$84,600 In Attorney’s Fees Went POOF! With The Merits Reversal.

In Meinhardt v. Sunny Acre LLC,Case No. B343467 (2d Dist., Div. 5 June 23, 2026) (unpublished), the 2/5 DCA reversed a lower court’s dismissal of plaintiffs’ case and imposition of an $84,600 attorney’s fees award where plaintiffs tardily filed joint pretrial disclosures the day before trial rather than the earlier time provided by pertinent LASC local rules.  It held that dismissal was a disproportionate sanction for the violation, constituting an abuse of discretion and citing these supporting cases:  Elkins v. Superior Court, 44 Cal.4^th 1337, 1364 (2007); Garcia v. McCutchen, 16 Cal.4^th 469, 481-482 (1997); Gonzalez v. Munoz, 156 Cal.App.4^th 413, 423 (2007); In re Harley C., 37 Cal.App.5^th 494, 510 (2019); Link v. Cater, 60 Cal.App.4^th 1315, 1326 (1998); and Wantuch v. Davis, 32 Cal.App.4^th 786, 795 (1995).

BLOG BONUS—The reversal of the dismissal for violating Orange County Superior Court pretrial meet and confer procedures occurred in Yang v. Evan Paul Motorcross, Case No. G063328 (4^th Dist., Div. 3 Jan. 2, 2026) (unpublished), where the dismissal resulted through the fault of counsel with respect to complying with Local Rule 317.