Legal Definitions - legal remedy

A legal remedy is a means of enforcing a right or preventing or correcting a wrong through legal or equitable relief. It is a way for a court to help someone who has been wronged or is about to be wronged. There are different types of legal remedies, including:

• Civil remedy: a means of enforcing a right or preventing or redressing a wrong.
• Equitable remedy: a nonmonetary remedy, such as an injunction or specific performance, obtained when available legal remedies cannot adequately redress the injury.
• Provisional remedy: a temporary remedy awarded before judgment and pending the action's disposition, such as a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction.

For example, if someone breaches a contract by not delivering goods as promised, the injured party can seek a specific remedy by asking the court to order the defaulting seller to deliver the specified goods to the buyer. If someone is about to suffer irreparable harm, such as losing their home, they can seek an equitable remedy by asking the court to issue an injunction to prevent the harm from occurring.