A proceeding held pursuant to Section 1668, 1668.5, 1738, 1739, or 12921.8 that involves allegations of misconduct perpetrated against a person age 65 or over shall be held within 90 days after receipt by the department of the notice of defense, unless a continuance of the hearing is granted by the department or the administrative law judge. When the matter has been set for hearing, only the administrative law judge may grant a continuance of the hearing. The administrative law judge may, but need not, grant a continuance of the hearing, only upon finding the existence of one or more of the following:

(a) The death or incapacitating illness of a party, a representative or attorney of a party, a witness to an essential fact, or of the parent, child, or member of the household of any of these persons, when it is not feasible to substitute another representative, attorney, or witness because of the proximity of the hearing date.

(b) Lack of notice of hearing as provided in Section 11509 of the Government Code.

(c) A material change in the status of the case where a change in the parties or pleadings requires postponement, or an executed settlement or stipulated findings of fact obviate the need for hearing. A partial amendment of the pleadings shall not be good cause for continuance to the extent that the unamended portion of the pleadings is ready to be heard.

(d) A stipulation for continuance signed by all parties, or their authorized representatives, that is communicated with the request for continuance to the administrative law judge no later than 25 business days before the hearing.

(e) The substitution of the representative or attorney of a party upon showing that the substitution is required.

(f) The unavailability of a party, representative, or attorney of a party, or witness to an essential fact, due to a conflicting and required appearance in a judicial matter if, when the hearing date was set, the person did not know and could neither anticipate nor at any time avoid the conflict, and the conflict, with the request for continuance, is immediately communicated to the administrative law judge.

(g) The unavailability of a party, a representative or attorney of a party, or a material witness due to an unavoidable emergency.

(h) Failure by a party to comply with a timely discovery request if the continuance request is made by the party who requested the discovery.

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 546, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.)