Which equitable remedy is used to prevent ongoing or future harm by prohibiting a party from taking a specific action?

• A. Injunction.
• B. Specific performance.
• C. Rescission.
• D. Reformation.

Answer: (A)

An injunction is an equitable remedy that stops a party from doing something in order to prevent ongoing or future harm. It acts as a prophylactic shield, preserving the status quo by prohibiting a specific action, which is why it’s the right fit when the goal is to prevent harm from occurring or continuing. Injunctions can be temporary (like a preliminary injunction) or permanent, depending on the steady risk of harm.

By contrast, specific performance forces a party to fulfill a contract, which is about ensuring contractual obligations are met rather than stopping conduct to prevent harm. Rescission cancels a contract and resets the parties to their pre-contract positions, not about halting actions. Reformation alters the contract’s terms to reflect the parties’ true agreement, again not about prohibiting conduct to avert harm.