Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. v. Usina

What the Court Ordered

The court adjourned the preliminary-injunction hearing from May 18, 2023 to June 13, 2023. It also extended the temporary restraints entered on April 21, 2023, at 4:52 p.m. until the court issues its decision on Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc.’s application for a preliminary injunction.

Reasons for the Extension

The court found good cause for extending the restraints. First, several late-stage motions had been filed shortly before the originally scheduled hearing. These included Nadezda Usina’s motion to dismiss the case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, which the court states it had summarily denied in a separate short-form order, and Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc.’s motion to hold Usina in contempt for allegedly violating the temporary restraints. The court said it needed additional briefing and development of the record before deciding the contempt motion.

Second, the parties had requested expedited discovery, which was continuing and had produced a substantial record. The court said the extension would give it time to evaluate that record. Finally, the court said additional time was needed to prepare its decision on the preliminary-injunction application.

Effect of the Order

The order kept the existing temporary restraints in place while the preliminary-injunction proceedings continued. It did not decide whether to grant or deny the preliminary injunction, and it did not decide the contempt motion. The opinion describes the jurisdictional dismissal motion as having been denied in a separate order.