S. Murtha

The defendants and respondents brought a motion to declare the self-represented plaintiff a party under disability and to appoint the Public Guardian and Trustee as his litigation guardian.

The plaintiff opposed the motion, arguing he was capable of representing himself despite a history of mental health issues and a traumatic brain injury.

Applying the test from Huang v. Braga, the court found the plaintiff lacked the capacity to understand the litigation process, appreciate the consequences of his decisions, or maintain a consistent approach to the proceedings.

The court declared the plaintiff a party under disability and appointed the Public Guardian and Trustee as his litigation guardian.

At a case conference, the court established a timetable for a motion to determine the capacity of the self-represented plaintiff.

The defendants intend to bring a motion to appoint the Public Guardian and Trustee as litigation guardian for the plaintiff before any further steps are taken in the actions.