Opinion ID: 308204
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Traditional Preliminary Injunction Tests

Text: 13 The district court's denial of a preliminary injunction may also be upheld under the traditional tests for determining whether a preliminary injunction should issue-namely, the possibility of irreparable harm if an injunction prior to trial does not issue, and the probability that the party seeking the preliminary relief will succeed on the merits. See, e.g., Stark v. New York Stock Exchange, 466 F.2d 743, 744 (2 Cir.1972); Checker Motors Corp. v. Chrysler Corp., 405 F.2d 319, 323 (2 Cir.), cert. denied, 394 U.S. 999 (1969); Dino DeLaurentiis Cinematografica, S.p.A. v. D-150, Inc., 366 F.2d 373, 375 (2 Cir.1966). 14 The requirement that a party seeking a preliminary injunction demonstrate that it will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief necessitates more than a mere showing that the party seeking relief will see its relative position deteriorate. Preliminary injunctive relief is extraordinary relief. It requires a convincing demonstration that the balance of hardships tips decidedly toward the moving party. Dino DeLaurentiis Cinematografica, S. p.A. v. D-150, Inc., supra, 366 F.2d at 375. 2 On the record before us, we are unable to find either the likelihood of irreparable harm pending trial or a clear tipping of the balance of hardships toward appellant. The principal reason for this is our belief that the Grandfathers, should they prevail at the trial on the merits, can be made whole without a preliminary injunction. Monetary damages, whether in the form of back pay or otherwise, will of course be available, as will appropriate affirmative relief. 3 Placing this consideration alongside the very real burdens that would inure to appellees should a preliminary injunction issue of the breadth and vagueness of that sought, we hold that the district court's denial of the preliminary injunction should be affirmed. 15 Appellant also has not convinced us of the probability of his success on the merits. We of course do not intimate any view on the ultimate outcome of the case. We simply note that appellees' contentions on their face are sufficiently substantial to prevent appellant's prima facie case from overcoming its shortcomings on the other burdens. Unicon Management Corp. v. Koppers Co., 366 F.2d 199, 204-05 (2 Cir. 1966). 16 In short, we are unable to say that the district court's denial of appellant's motion for a preliminary injunction was clearly erroneous. We affirm those portions of the order concerning the Grandfathers' grievance against Airlift and ALPA.