Judge: Mark H. Epstein, Case: SC128454, Date: 2023-03-22 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: SC128454    Hearing Date: March 22, 2023    Dept: R

The matter is here for a final status conference.  At the last hearing, the court stated that it would agree to continue the matter per the parties’ stipulation, but it needed an extension of the time to bring the case to trial until a date certain because the law does not allow for open-ended extensions.  The court requested that a stipulation be filed with the court and excused the parties from filing FSC materials for today’s hearing.  The court has now received the stipulation.  The court has approved the stipulation as requested and will set a trial date for the first Monday in October, 2023.  The court interprets the agreed extension as going to December 1, 2024.  The parties are, however, free to agree to a later date.  The FSC will be the Monday before the trial date.  The parties are to familiarize themselves with the Long Cause readiness package so that when the court transfers the matter to Department 1 for the long cause determination, it will be deemed ready.