| " | |
| UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT | |
| FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS | |
| EASTERN DIVISION | |
| ART ASK AGENCY, ) | |
| ) | |
| Plaintiff, ) Case No. 20-cv-1666 | |
| ) | |
| v. ) Hon. Steven C. Seeger | |
| ) | |
| THE INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, ) | |
| LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES, ) | |
| PARTNERSHIPS AND ) | |
| UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS ) | |
| IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A ) | |
| HERETO, ) | |
| ) | |
| Defendants. ) | |
| ____________________________________) | |
| ORDER | |
| Meanwhile, the world is in the midst of a global pandemic. The President has declared a | |
| national emergency. The Governor has issued a state-wide health emergency. As things stand, | |
| the government has forced all restaurants and bars in Chicago to shut their doors, and the schools | |
| are closed, too. The government has encouraged everyone to stay home, to keep infections to a | |
| minimum and help contain the fast-developing public health emergency. | |
| The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois took action last week | |
| to protect the public, issuing General Order No. 20-0012 entitled IN RE: CORONAVIRUS | |
| COVID-19 PUBLIC EMERGENCY. See www.ilnd.uscourts.gov (last visited March 16, 2020) | |
| (bold and all caps in original). On March 16, the Executive Committee issued an amended Order | |
| that, among other things, holds all civil litigation in abeyance. Id. | |
| Last week, Plaintiff filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (Dckt. No. 11) | |
| against the Defendants (who are located abroad) and requested a hearing. See Dckt. No. 1, at | |
| ¶ 12. This Court thought that it was a bad time to hold a hearing on the motion. So, this Court | |
| Case: 1:20-cv-01666 Document #: 27 Filed: 03/18/20 Page 1 of 3 PageID #:2438 | |
| 2 | |
| moved the hearing by a few weeks to protect the health and safety of our community, including | |
| counsel and this Court’s staff. See Dckt. No. 19. Waiting a few weeks seemed prudent. | |
| Plaintiff has not demonstrated that it will suffer an irreparable injury from waiting a few | |
| weeks. At worst, Defendants might sell a few more counterfeit products in the meantime. But | |
| Plaintiff makes no showing about the anticipated loss of sales. One wonders if the fake fantasy | |
| products are experiencing brisk sales at the moment. | |
| In response, Plaintiff Art Ask Agency and its counsel filed a motion for reconsideration. | |
| See Dckt. No. 20. They ask this Court to re-think its scheduling order. They want a hearing this | |
| week (telephonically if need be). | |
| The world is facing a real emergency. Plaintiff is not. The motion to reconsider the | |
| scheduling order is denied. | |
| Case: 1:20-cv-01666 Document #: 27 Filed: 03/18/20 Page 2 of 3 PageID #:2439 | |
| 3 | |
| Date: March 18, 2020 | |
| Steven C. Seeger | |
| United States District Judge | |
| Case: 1:20-cv-01666 Document #: 27 Filed: 03/18/20 Page 3 of 3 PageID #:2440 | |
| " | |