What are equitable remedies?

Equitable remedies are court-ordered actions that compel a party to act in a certain way or to refrain from certain actions. These remedies are rooted in the principles of equity, which seek to achieve fairness and justice when monetary damages alone would not suffice.

In the context of civil practice, equitable remedies may include specific performance, where a party is ordered to fulfill their obligations under a contract, or injunctions, which are orders to stop doing something that is causing harm to another party. This is particularly relevant in situations where unique circumstances exist, such as in cases involving real property or rare items, where an award of monetary damages would not effectively address the harm suffered by the injured party.

Other options do not align with the definition of equitable remedies. Monetary compensation pertains to legal remedies, punitive damages serve as a punitive measure rather than a corrective one, and irrevocable contracts relate to enforceability in contract law, not equity specifically. Thus, the correct understanding of equitable remedies emphasizes the court's authority to enforce actions that go beyond mere monetary compensation, aiming to achieve justice in accordance with the principles of fairness.