Injunction Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Injunction, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Injunction?

It refers to the courts order directing the parties of the lawsuit to do or not to do certain things or act.It is essential to bring temporary relief for the benefitting party if the opponent is restricted to perform certain act till the time the final judgement is announced or that trial is continued.

History and Meaning of Injunction

An injunction is a court order that requires a party to either stop doing something or to do something specific. It is often used as a form of legal remedy to prevent irreparable harm or to maintain the status quo while the case is pending. The concept of an injunction dates back to early English law, where the king had the power to issue orders to his subjects that could not be ignored.

The power to issue injunctions was later delegated to the courts, and the remedy evolved with the legal system. Injunctions are now used in a wide variety of legal contexts, including contract disputes, intellectual property cases, and environmental cases.

Examples of Injunction

  1. A company might seek an injunction to prevent a competitor from using a trade secret that they claim was stolen.
  2. A homeowner might seek an injunction to prevent a neighbor from building a fence that would block their view.
  3. A group of citizens might seek an injunction to prevent a company from polluting a local river.
  4. A celebrity might seek an injunction to prevent a gossip magazine from publishing private photos.

Legal Terms Similar to Injunction

  1. Restraining order - A type of injunction that is often used in domestic violence cases to prevent contact between parties.
  2. TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) - A type of injunction that is often used in emergency situations to prevent immediate harm before a hearing can be held.
  3. Preliminary injunction - A type of injunction that is used in the early stages of a case to maintain the status quo until a final decision is made.