Legal Definitions - equitable action

An equitable action is a type of legal action that seeks equitable relief, such as an injunction or specific performance, instead of monetary damages. It is different from a legal action, which seeks monetary compensation for damages.

For example, if a person wants to stop their neighbor from building a fence that encroaches on their property, they can file an equitable action seeking an injunction to stop the construction. Another example is if a person wants to force a seller to complete a real estatetransaction, they can file an equitable action seeking specific performance of the contract instead of seeking monetary damages.

Overall, equitable actions are used when monetary compensation is not enough to remedy the situation and when a court order is necessary to provide a fair and just outcome.