CALIFORNIA FAMILY LAW
...Procedure Before Trial/Hearing
......Continuances
.........Continuance Properly Denied
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A family court's discretionary authority to grant continuances for pendente lite RFOs is somewhat limited by the requirement to hear the RFOs "with reasonable promptness."

A request for a continuance must be made either by a noticed motion or an ex parte application and supported by written evidence.

W’s request for continuance based on medical reasons properly denied where note from her doctor was neither sworn nor authenticated and failed to provide any explanation for her condition.

Continuance properly denied where W had been intimately involved in litigation, had previously filed pro per motions, and had waited until day of hearing to request continuance.

Continuance for illness properly denied; oral motion and unverified letter from doctor insufficient.

Continuances should be granted sparingly, and then only on a showing of good cause.

Motion for continuance of trial properly denied where H had been warned at OSC to get attorney.

Failure of attorney to promptly call calendar conflict to court's attention is grounds for denial of continuance.

An application for a continuance is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial judge whose ruling will not be reviewed except for the most cogent reasons.