(a) When an act to be done, as provided in this code, 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 and of intention to move for a new trial, the time allowed therefor, unless otherwise expressly provided, may be extended, upon good cause shown, by the judge of the court in which the action is pending, or by the judge who presided at the trial of the action; but the extension so allowed shall not exceed 30 days, without the consent of the adverse party.
§ 1054.Extension of Time Allowed to Do Act
Title 14. Of Miscellaneous Provisions · Chapter 7. General Provisions · Last amended 1982 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1054 lets a judge extend, for good cause and generally by no more than thirty days without the other side's consent, the time allowed for pleadings, bills of exceptions, or service of certain notices, and requires the extension when every attorney of record stipulates to it in writing.
Full Text of § 1054
(b) In all cases in which the court or judge is authorized by this section to grant an extension of time, the extension of time shall be granted when all attorneys of record of parties who have appeared in the action agree in writing to the extension of time, and any extension of time previously granted by stipulation of all attorneys of record of parties who have appeared in the action shall not be included in the computation of the 30-day limitation upon extensions of time allowed by the court or judge.
Plain-English Summary
This is one of the code's core deadline-extension rules. Subdivision (a) covers acts tied to the pleadings, to preparing a bill of exceptions or amendments to one, or to serving notices other than a notice of appeal or a notice of intent to move for a new trial. On a showing of good cause, the judge presiding over the case, or the judge who tried it, may extend the time to do that act, but the extension cannot exceed thirty days unless the opposing party consents to more.
Subdivision (b) takes discretion out of the equation in one specific circumstance: when every attorney of record for a party who has appeared in the action agrees in writing to an extension, the court must grant it. And time already extended by that kind of written stipulation does not count against the thirty-day cap on extensions the court grants on its own authority.
Section 1054.1, immediately following, layers a separate and largely mandatory extension scheme onto this same general framework for attorneys who also serve in the Legislature, tailored to the demands of legislative session and committee schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a court extend a pleading deadline under § 1054?
Up to thirty days for good cause shown, without the adverse party's consent; a longer extension requires that party's agreement.
Is the court required to grant an extension if both sides' attorneys agree?
Yes. Section 1054(b) requires the court to grant the extension when all attorneys of record for parties who have appeared in the action stipulate to it in writing.
Do stipulated extensions count toward the thirty-day limit on court-ordered extensions?
No. Time previously extended by written stipulation of all attorneys of record is excluded from the thirty-day computation.
Does this section cover extensions of time to file a notice of appeal?
No. It expressly excludes notices of appeal and notices of intent to move for a new trial from its coverage.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 517, Sec. 168.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: extension of time to file pleading californiacalifornia court deadline extension good cause