Legal Definitions - alternative relief

Alternative relief is a type of judicial relief that is mutually exclusive with another form of judicial relief. This means that a party can request alternative relief, such as asking for both specific performance and damages that would be averted by specific performance.

For example, in a legal case, a plaintiff may ask for either specific performance (forcing the defendant to fulfill a contract) or damages (monetary compensation for breach of contract). However, if the plaintiff requests alternative relief, they can ask for both specific performance and damages.

Another example of alternative relief is when a defendant raises a counterclaim or cross-claim that could have been maintained independently of the plaintiff's action. This is called affirmative relief.

Overall, alternative relief allows parties to request multiple forms of relief in a legal case, giving them more options for resolving their dispute.