Civil actions.

(1) Existing law requires an attorney to provide a written advisory to a building owner or tenant with each demand for money or complaint for any construction-related accessibility claim, as specified. This bill would clarify that the requirement to provide the written advisory applies whether or not the attorney intends to file a complaint or eventually files a complaint in state or federal court, and would provide that a violation of this requirement may also subject the attorney to disciplinary action. (2) Existing law requires a $550 fee to be paid by each party to a civil action at the time of filing its first paper if the case is designated as a complex case or whenever the case is determined by the court to be a complex case. Existing law imposes a limitation of $10,000 on the total amount of fees collected from all plaintiffs, and the same limitation on the total amount of fees collected from all defendants, intervenors, respondents, and adverse parties appearing in a complex case. This bill would require the payment of a single complex case fee on behalf of all plaintiffs, as specified, and would make other conforming changes. The bill would provide that these changes are declaratory of existing law. (3) Existing law permits a party to move for summary adjudication of one or more causes of action, affirmative defenses, claims for damages, or issues of duty. The bill, until January 1, 2015, would additionally authorize a party to move for summary adjudication of a legal issue or claim for damages, other than punitive damages, that does not completely dispose of a cause of action, an affirmative defense, or an issue of duty, according to specified procedures.