Legal Definitions - equitable relief

Equitable relief is a type of legal remedy that is sought when a plaintiff wants the court to compel the defendant to do something or refrain from doing something. This is different from seeking monetary damages, which is a remedy for legal actions.

For example, if a person is being harassed by their neighbor, they may seek equitable relief in the form of an injunction, which would require the neighbor to stop the harassing behavior. Another example is if a person has a contract with someone who is not fulfilling their obligations, the person may seek specific performance, which would require the other party to fulfill their obligations under the contract.

These examples illustrate how equitable relief is used to compel someone to take a specific action or refrain from a specific action, rather than seeking monetary damages.