Judge: Lee W. Tsao, Case: 24NWCV01045, Date: 2025-05-19 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24NWCV01045    Hearing Date: May 19, 2025    Dept: F

Chirica v. Lopez 24NWCV01045

This motor vehicle-personal injury action was filed on April 4, 2024. Trial is scheduled to begin on July 2, 2025 in Dept. L.  

A Notice of Reassignment was filed in this case on May 8, 2025, which states that effective June 2, 2025, this action will be reassigned to Judge Julian C. Recana as an individual, direct calendaring judge for all purposes, including trial, in Dept. L. 

Plaintiff Susan Chirica now moves ex parte to continue trial from July 2, 2025 to a date on or after November 10, 2025 because "Plaintiff's attorney has suffered a back injury, resulting in a lumbar radiculopathy diagnosis and has been undergoing physio-chiropractic rehabilitation and is unavailable for trial until the end of August." (Notice Ex Parte 2:2-4.)

In Opposition, Defendant Lopez argues that a continuance to November 2025 is unreasonable, and that trial should be continued to a date on or about early to mid-September 2025. Defense Counsel also states that she will be unavailable from November 5, 2025 to November 12, 2025 for her own wedding that is being held out of state and has been planned for the last year. 

This is the first request for a trial continuance.  Plaintiff's Ex Parte Application Continue Trial is GRANTED in part.  Trial is continued for approximately 90 days to a date convenient with the court and counsel.  All pretrial deadlines, including the discovery cut-off date, are extended to track the new trial date.  Moving Party to give notice.