McConnell & Malek Enterprises v. Proof Mark, Inc

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 MCCONNELL & MALEK Case No. 23-cv-00010-LJC

ENTERPRISES,

8 Plaintiff, ORDER STAYING ARBITRATION 9 v. Re: Dkt. No. 25

PROOF MARK, INC,

11 Defendant.

13 Before the Court is Plaintiff McConnell & Malek Enterprise’s (MME) Ex Parte 14 Emergency Motion to Stay Arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Dkt. 15 25. On May 18, 2022, MME and Defendant Proof Mark, Inc (PMI) signed a Professional Service 16 Agreement (PSA) containing an arbitrability clause. MME now challenges the arbitrability of this 17 dispute, including whether the PSA is a binding contract and whether the PSA mandates 18 arbitration. See Dkt. 25 at 4. PMI, on the other hand, filed a demand with the AAA on January 9, 19 2023, initiating the arbitration process in Houston, Texas. Dkt. 27-1 at 1-2; Dkt. 27-2 at 1. MME 20 asserts the arbitration is imminent, but the AAA states it “will abide by any court order issued” 21 regarding the arbitration’s timing. Dkt. 25-2 at 1. 22 Having read the papers filed by the parties…