Ahmad v. Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP
- Laura Swain
- 1:25-cv-04167
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 4
In Ahmad v. Relin, Judge Subramanian denied Ahmad’s emergency injunction request without prejudice and ordered Marshals Service service of the complaint.
Rasheed Ahmad and Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP are affected by the service and injunction rulings; the Clerk of Court and U.S. Marshals Service must carry out the service instructions.
What happened
In Ahmad v. Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP, Rasheed Ahmad, representing himself, sued under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and requested emergency court action. The court had already allowed him to proceed without paying filing fees upfront.
The court ordered the Clerk to issue a summons and provide the necessary documents to the U.S. Marshals Service so the defendant could be served. Ahmad must ask for more time if service is not completed within 90 days after the summons is issued, and he must notify the court if his address changes.
Judge Arun Subramanian denied Ahmad’s request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order without prejudice because Ahmad had not shown likely success, sufficiently serious issues for litigation with a strongly favorable hardship balance, or likely irreparable harm. The court also denied permission to proceed without fees for an appeal from this order.
The detailed version
- Ahmad v. Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP · No. 1:25-cv-04167
- Laura Swain
- Aug. 5, 2025
Background
Rasheed Ahmad, appearing without a lawyer, brought an action against Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. He requested permission to proceed without prepaying court fees, which the court had granted in an earlier order. Ahmad also filed a motion seeking emergency injunctive relief, including a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order.
Service of the Complaint
Because Ahmad was allowed to proceed without prepaying fees, the court ordered the Clerk of Court to issue a summons for Relin, Goldstein & Crane LLP, complete the required U.S. Marshals Service form, and send the necessary paperwork to the Marshals Service for service on the defendant. The court explained that the usual 90-day service period would run from the date the summons is issued. If service is not completed within that period, Ahmad must request an extension of time. The court also directed Ahmad to notify it in writing if his address changes.
Emergency Injunctive Relief
The court explained that preliminary injunctive relief requires a showing of likely irreparable harm and either a likelihood of success on the merits or sufficiently serious questions for litigation combined with a hardship balance strongly favoring the requesting party. The court described this relief as extraordinary and requiring a clear showing.
At this early stage, the court found that Ahmad had not shown likely success on the merits, sufficiently serious questions combined with a strongly favorable hardship balance, or likely irreparable harm. The court therefore denied his request for immediate injunctive relief without prejudice and directed the Clerk to terminate the motion.
Other Rulings
The court certified under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that an appeal from the order would not be taken in good faith and denied Ahmad permission to proceed without prepaying fees for an appeal. The Clerk was also directed to mail Ahmad an information package. The order did not decide the underlying Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claims.
Read the full 4-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.