A defendant or cross-defendant may move under CCP §418.10 (to quash for lack of personal jurisdiction, to stay or dismiss on ground of inconvenient forum, or to dismiss for delay in prosecution) and simultaneously answer, demur, or move to strike the complaint or cross-complaint.
(c) If a party serves and files a notice of motion to strike without demurring to the complaint, the time to answer is extended and no default may be entered against that defendant, except as provided in Sections 585 and 586.
If you have a lawyer, the lawyer has to file the motion. If you want to file without the lawyer, you need to discharge the lawyer.
The Summons and Complaint were not served properly If a defendant thinks the other side did not have the Complaint and Summons properly served, they can file a motion to ask the judge to cancel (to quash) the service. This is called a motion to quash service of summons.
(Ellard v. 4th at 543 114 Cal. Rptr. 2d at 401.) On a motion to quash, the burden is on the plaintiff to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the service was valid and that the court has jurisdiction over the defendant.
If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, the defendant has to file and serve the demurrer or motion to strike within the deadline (usually 30 days) for responding to the Complaint. The other side then gets a chance to file a response before a court date where the judge will make a decision.
A lawyer may file a motion to quash if a mistake has been made on the part of a court, or if an attorney believes that some court document such as a subpoena was not issued or delivered following the required procedure. For example, a party that receives improper service of process may file a motion to quash.
The motion shall be made within a reasonable time after receipt of the subpoena. The person bringing the motion shall serve copies of the motion on all parties. Notice to all other persons entitled to such notice must also be given or received as may be required by law.
A Motion to Strike is similar to a Demurrer, in that it challenges defects in the complaint. However, the two pleadings challenge different types of defects. A Demurrer is used to challenge the legal sufficiency or clarity of the claims.
Motion to Strike This asks the court to take something out of the Complaint because it is not understandable, it is repetitive, it isn't legal, or it doesn't matter. This motion can help to limit what the case is about so you do not have to defend that part of the case.