Injunction
A court order that requires a person or organization to do something or to stop doing something.
An injunction is a court order that tells someone to either do something or stop doing something. Courts issue injunctions when money alone would not fix the problem. There are three main types: a temporary restraining order (immediate, short-term relief), a preliminary injunction (protection while the case is pending), and a permanent injunction (a final order after the case is decided).
To get an injunction in Minnesota, you generally must show that you will suffer irreparable harm without it, that the balance of harms favors granting it, and that you are likely to succeed on the merits of your case. Violating an injunction can result in contempt of court, which may lead to fines or jail time.
Why it matters: Injunctions are one of the most powerful tools courts have. They can stop someone from destroying property, violating a contract, or continuing harmful behavior while a case is being resolved.
Example: A business obtains a temporary injunction preventing a former employee from sharing trade secrets with a competitor while the lawsuit over the non-compete agreement proceeds.
Lawsuits seeking to prevent harm, business disputes, harassment cases, environmental cases