Lawyers for Tesla have asked a Delaware judge to reverse her decision to void a multibillion-dollar pay package for Mr. Musk after shareholders approved it a second time in June.
The company’s directors are asking shareholders to again approve the multibillion-dollar compensation plan and to move the company’s registration to Texas, from Delaware.
Some shareholders saw the automaker’s decision to move up the deadline by two months as a way to suppress criticism during the company’s annual meeting on Tuesday.
Corporate governance experts say the electric-car maker’s directors may need to rein in the chief executive, with whom many have personal ties.
The automaker’s annual meeting will include votes on several proposals, including one on discrimination and another on board independence, that are opposed by its chief executive, Elon Musk.
Elon Musk announced the move at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, hosted at a factory Tesla is building near Austin.
Activist shareholders have submitted five proposals to compel Tesla to disclose more information about its efforts to diversify its work force, how it handles employee disputes and its human rights record.