Friends of the So. Fork Gualala v. Dept. of Forestry & Fire Prot.

I. INTRODUCTION

In this California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code § 21000 et seq.) proceeding, we consider whether the trial court erred in denying an application for disability accommodation under rule 1.100 of the California Rules of Court (rule 1.100). The rule 1.100 application at issue, made by a lawyer who was serving as counsel of record to Friends of the South Fork Gualala (FSFG), sought extensions of time to meet briefing deadlines and other relief from routine procedural obligations. We see no error and will affirm.

1 We set forth the full procedural setting in greater detail below, but to frame our holding properly at the outset, a quick thumbnail sketch of the relevant background is as follows. In July 2023, the court granted in part and denied in part a petition for a writ of mandate brought by FSFG challenging the approval by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFIRE) of a rancher’s plan to harvest timber (the Plan). Although the court granted the petition on the merits, vacating the approval as deficient in several respects—inadequate consideration of geologic, biologic and cultural resources—it rejected FSFG’s…