Legal Definitions - Cairns's Act

Definition: Cairns's Act was a statute passed in 1858 in England that expanded the relief available in chancery courts. It allowed for monetary damages to be awarded in addition to injunctive relief.

Example: Before Cairns's Act, if someone wanted to stop another person from doing something, they could only get an injunction. An injunction is a court order that tells someone to stop doing something. But if the person didn't stop, there was no other punishment. Cairns's Act changed that. It allowed the court to also award monetary damages, which means the person who was harmed could get money as compensation.

Explanation: Cairns's Act expanded the power of chancery courts to provide more comprehensive relief to those who were harmed. The example illustrates how the act allowed for monetary damages to be awarded in addition to injunctive relief, providing a more effective means of addressing harm caused by another person's actions.