PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh defense attorney got a hearing postponed at the last minute after convincing a judge that his wife’s labor was a matter of life — or his death.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (http://bit.ly/1hQ0LJm) reports Marc Daffner was granted a continuance Thursday after filing a blunt request with a Pittsburgh City Court magistrate.

It read: “Defense counsel’s wife went into labor at approximately 11:15 a.m. today, and defense counsel will be killed by his wife if he does not get to the hospital immediately.”

Daffner says the district attorney and judge agreed to the move. His client is charged with receiving stolen property.

Daffner says, “I didn’t have a legal reason for the continuance, but that was the truth.”

Daffner’s staff couldn’t immediately confirm Friday whether his wife had given birth.