I am writing to request a continuance of my case. I am scheduled for surgery on January , 2010.Explain the reasons why you have to miss your court date, and provide any documentation for proof, like a note from your doctor or work supervisor. What do I do if I missed a court date and an order was issued in my absence? There's not time to read all that comes before a judge to read. 2. Explain why you will miss the court date. Whatever the reason, try to be brief. Explain why you will miss the court date. Whatever the reason, try to be brief. By keeping it a lot simpler and to the point than many of the samples already provided .