(a) When an act to be done in any action or proceeding in any court of this state or before any state administrative agency, as provided by law or rule, relates to the pleadings in the action, or the preparation of bills of exceptions, or of amendments thereto, or to the service of notices (other than of appeal, of intention to move for a new trial, and of intention to move to vacate a judgment), and such act is not a motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the time allowed therefor, unless otherwise expressly provided, shall be extended to a date certain by the judges of the court or by the agency in which the action or proceeding is pending, or by the judge who presided at the trial of the action, when it appears to the judge of any court or to the agency to whom the application is made that an attorney of record for the party applying for the extension is a Member of the Legislature of this state, and that the Legislature is in session or in recess not exceeding a recess of 40 days or that a legislative committee of which the attorney is a duly appointed member is meeting or is to meet within a period which the court or agency finds does not exceed the time reasonably necessary to enable the member to reach the committee meeting by the ordinary mode of travel. When the Legislature is in session or in recess, extension shall be to a date not less than 30 days next following the final adjournment of the Legislature or the commencement of a recess of more than 40 days. If a date is available during recess, extension shall be to such earlier date. When a legislative committee is meeting or is to meet within a period which the court or agency finds does not exceed the time reasonably necessary to enable the member to reach the committee meeting by the ordinary mode of travel, extension shall be for such period as the court or agency finds will be reasonably necessary to enable the member to perform the act to be done in the action or proceeding, unless the extension would expire when the Legislature is to be in session; and in that case the extension shall be to a date not less than 30 days following the final adjournment of the Legislature or the commencement of a recess of more than 40 days. If the act may be reasonably done by the member within the recess, continuance shall be to such earlier date. However, any postponement granted under the provisions of this section shall suspend for the same period of time as the postponement, the running of any period of time for any ruling or proceeding by a court, board, commission, or officer, or for the performance by any party of any act affected by the postponement.
(b) Extension of time pursuant to this section is mandatory unless the court determines that the extension would defeat or abridge a right to relief pendente lite in a paternity action or a right to invoke a provisional remedy such as pendente lite support in a domestic relations controversy, attachment and sale of perishable goods, receivership of a failing business, and temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, and that the continuance should not be granted.
(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 517, Sec. 169.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018