Judge: Armen Tamzarian, Case: 23STLC01829, Date: 2025-01-09 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23STLC01829    Hearing Date: January 9, 2025    Dept: 52

Defendant City of Hawthorne’s Motion to Continue Trial

Defendant City of Hawthorne moves to continue the trial and pretrial deadlines.  The non-jury trial is set for April 9, 2025.  California Rules of Court, rule 3.1332(a) provides: “To ensure the prompt disposition of civil cases, the dates assigned for a trial are firm.  All parties and their counsel must regard the date set for trial as certain.”  (Italics added.) 

Defendant does not show good cause to continue the trial or pretrial deadlines.  Defendant argues the court should continue the trial due to the pending appeal of the court’s order on defendant’s anti-SLAPP motion.  Plaintiff filed this action on March 20, 2023.  California Rules of Court, rule 3.714(b)(1) provides that the trial court should manage its unlimited cases so that 85 percent are disposed within 18 months and 100 percent are disposed within 24 months.  The current trial date is over 24 months after plaintiff filed the action.  The case is set for a one-day bench trial.  The court finds that continuing the trial will not serve the interest of judicial economy.

Defendant’s motion to continue trial is denied.