CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
SECTION 165-167

165.  The justices of the Supreme Court and of the courts of appeal,
or any of them, may, at chambers, grant all orders and writs which
are usually granted in the first instance upon an ex parte
application, except writs of mandamus, certiorari, and prohibition;
and may, in their discretion, hear applications to discharge such
orders and writs.

166.  (a) The judges of the superior courts may, in chambers:
   (1) Grant all orders and writs that are usually granted in the
first instance upon an ex parte application, and hear and dispose of
those orders and writs, appoint referees, require and receive
inventories and accounts to be filed, order notice of settlement of
supplemental accounts, suspend the powers of personal
representatives, guardians, or conservators in the cases allowed by
law, appoint special administrators, grant letters of temporary
guardianship or conservatorship, approve or reject claims, and direct
the issuance from the court of all writs and process necessary in
the exercise of their powers in matters of probate.
   (2) Hear and determine all motions made pursuant to Section 657 or
663.
   (3) Hear and determine all uncontested actions, proceedings,
demurrers, motions, petitions, applications, and other matters
pending before the court other than actions for dissolution of
marriage, for legal separation, or for a judgment of nullity of the
marriage, and except also applications for confirmation of sale of
real property in probate proceedings.
   (4) Hear and determine motions to tax costs of enforcing a
judgment.
   (5) Approve bonds and undertakings.
   (b) A judge may, out of court, anywhere in the state, exercise all
the powers and perform all the functions and duties conferred upon a
judge as contradistinguished from the court, or that a judge may
exercise or perform in chambers.

166.1.  Upon the written request of any party or his or her counsel,
or at the judge's discretion, a judge may indicate in any
interlocutory order a belief that there is a controlling question of
law as to which there are substantial grounds for difference of
opinion, appellate resolution of which may materially advance the
conclusion of the litigation.  Neither the denial of a request for,
nor the objection of another party or counsel to, such a commentary
in the interlocutory order, may be grounds for a writ or appeal.

167.  Any act required or permitted to be performed by the clerk of
a court may be performed by a judge thereof.