A Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power to produce documents responsive to a Public Records Act request made 18 months ago by the San Diego County Water Authority. Judge James Chalfant ruled that LADWP “…did not produce the responsive documents on its own initiative, whether before or during the lawsuit.” LADWP has 30 days to turn over the documents based upon a set of search terms provided by the Water Authority.
Category Archives: Litigation
Water Authority Expands its Lawsuit Against MWD
Today San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard A. Kramer granted a motion by the San Diego County Water Authority to amend the lawsuit it filed last year challenging the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s 2011 and 2012 water rates. Over MWD’s objections, Judge Kramer granted the Water Authority’s motion to add five additional causes of action to its case challenging MWD’s systematic discrimination against the Water Authority and its ratepayers.
Water Authority Seeks Review of MWD Wheeling Rates by State Supreme Court
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to Vote on Rate Increases in April
A day after hearing heartfelt testimony from several dozen speakers from the San Diego region, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors today voted to follow its own Administrative Code and vote on adoption of its next two-year budget and rate increases in April. The recommended budget includes two more years of rate increases, “averaging” 7.5 percent for 2013 and another 5 percent in 2014.
Appellate Court to Review Key Pre-Trial Decision in Water Authority Rate Case vs. Metropolitan Water District
Late Thursday afternoon, the First District Court of Appeal issued a preliminary order asking for further briefing on a request by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to prevent discovery in litigation filed by the San Diego County Water Authority challenging its 2011 and 2012 water rates. The court did not grant MWD’s request, or writ petition. It only asked the other parties in the case to set forth their positions on that request.
Judge Rejects MWD Efforts to Avoid Discovery in Water Authority Rate Challenge
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard A. Kramer today rejected arguments made by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and other Southern California water agencies that they do not have to produce documents to the San Diego County Water Authority disclosing how MWD set its 2011 and 2012 water rates.
Court Clears the Way for Water Authority’s Lawsuit to Be Heard
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer today ruled that the San Diego County Water Authority’s legal challenge to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s 2011 and 2012 wholesale water rates will move forward, despite another round of pre-trial motions by MWD that sought to dismiss most of the case.
Water Authority Files New Lawsuit Against Metropolitan Water District Challenging 2013 and 2014 Water Rates
The San Diego County Water Authority Friday filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California over its adopted wholesale water rates for calendar years 2013 and 2014.
Appellate Court Summarily Denies MWD Writ Petition to Prevent Discovery in Rate Case
SAN FRANCISCO — California’s 1st Appellate District Court of Appeal Thursday summarily denied a writ petition by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California seeking to prevent discovery in a lawsuit filed by the San Diego County Water Authority challenging MWD’s 2011 and 2012 rates. MWD filed the writ petition March 6, 60 days after San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer granted a motion by the Imperial Irrigation District and the Water Authority to permit discovery in the case.
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Sued for Failing to Release Public Documents
The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power was sued in Los Angeles Superior Court today for failing to release public documents as required by state law. The suit was filed by the San Diego County Water Authority to compel LADWP to comply with the California Public Records Act.