Apple’s plans for its new recruit from IBM, Mark Papermaster, have been suspended as a judge will consider a suit from IBM.

US Federal District Judge Kenneth Karas late on Friday ordered the new executive to “immediately cease” any work going on with Apple until the court had come to a decision on whether his employment there breaches the non-competition clause in his contract with IBM that prompted a lawsuit from the electronics giant.

The ruling delays Apple’s plans to have Papermaster replace senior official Tony Fadell, who is leaving the position at the consumer electronics maker for personal reasons (spending time with family, never a bad reason really).

Apple and Papermaster’s lawyers have already asserted in legal filings, arguing that his top spot in the division handling the iPhone and iPod touch carries too narrow a scope to risk trade secrets from IBM being threatened or exposed, which sounds like a reasonable argument.

Many circles believe the lawsuit will eventually be settled, but Apple has to be more than a little annoyed at this monkey wrench in its corporate shuffle.