Tentative Ruling

Judge Thomas Anderle
Department 3 SB-Anacapa
1100 Anacapa Street P.O. Box 21107 Santa Barbara, CA 93121-1107

FAMILY LAW
Sarah Strassburg v. George Manuras
Case No: 17FL00679
Hearing Date: Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:30

Nature of Proceedings: Req. for Order: Modification Child Support/Attorney

Req. for Order: Modification Child Support/Attorney

Attorneys: Glenn L. Robertson for Petitioner; Paul A. Capritto for Respondent

Ruling: The request to present oral evidence is granted. Counsel will meet and confer prior to the case being called and agree on the hearing dates, and how much time the Court needs to reserve. The timing of this case needs careful consideration under the circumstances and we need to be precise since the Court intends to guarantee the dates. Trial briefs, witness lists, exhibit lists and in limine motions due one week in advance of the hearing. The request for forensic fees is denied without prejudice.

Analysis: The case was last on calendar on 12/17 when the case was continued to 2/25.

Mr. Capritto filed a Notice of Intent to Present Oral Evidence on 2/10; estimates eight hours of testimony.

The Court has read the declaration of Mr. Roberson dated 2/12/20. A Status Report was filed by Mr. Robertson on 2/19; he reports that after review of Mr. Capritto’s Declaration of February 13, 2020, he is convinced that Mr. Capritto is correct that his office did deliver 821 pages of documents on August 27, 2020, to Mr. Robertson’s office; apologizes to the Court and to Mr. Capritto for mistake in misplacing and losing these documents; has never lost or misplaced a production of documents; thus he never sent these documents to Wayne Lorch CPA; but the support of a child remains at issue; proposes that he withdraws his request for fees at present; that Mr. Capritto again provide the 821 pages; that the Court order Mr. Manuras to pay Mr. Lorch $5,000 in fees; the fact that he lost these documents does not alter the fact that it is in the interest of justice that this forensic examination take place; his loss of these records has not resulted in increased fees by Mr. Lorch, as he has not been furnished the 821 pages; his analysis of the 2018 documents will be useful in any further court proceeding. That the Court set the matter for further hearing.