JORGE LUIS ESTRADA et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. ROYALTY CARPET MILLS, INC., Defendant and Appellant., 15 Cal. 5th 582

Summary

HOLDINGS: [1]-The trial court lacked inherent authority to strike a Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA), Lab. Code, § 2698 et seq., claim based on concerns about manageability and judicial economy because trial courts had inherent authority to dismiss claims only in limited circumstances, which did not include broad considerations of judicial economy, and the class action manageability requirement of Code Civ. Proc., § 382, and Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3)(D) had no applicability in the context of PAGA actions, which differed significantly from class actions; [2]-Striking a PAGA claim based on manageability was not necessary or appropriate to protect the employer's right to present an affirmative defense because manageability could be addressed by limiting the presentation of evidence or using other tools and case management techniques to try the claim effectively.