Preliminary injunction
A temporary court order to stop or do something until a final decision is made.
A preliminary injunction is a temporary court order. It's issued early in a lawsuit to prevent one party from taking certain actions that could cause harm before a full trial can happen.
Think of it like a pause button. If someone is accused of stealing trade secrets, a court might issue a preliminary injunction to stop them from using or sharing those secrets while the case is being decided. This ensures that if the accuser wins, the situation can be restored to how it was before the alleged harm occurred.
A preliminary injunction is an extraordinary remedy granted by a court to preserve the status quo pending a final determination on the merits of a case. To obtain one, the moving party typically must demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits, a likelihood of irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, that the balance of equities tips in their favor, and that an injunction is in the public interest.
These orders are temporary and are not a final judgment. They are designed to prevent a party from taking actions that would render a future final judgment ineffective. The standard for granting a preliminary injunction can vary by jurisdiction, but generally requires a significant showing by the party seeking the injunction.
Recent legal disputes involving OpenAI highlight the use of preliminary injunctions. These orders are sought in high-stakes cases, such as allegations of trade secret theft, to prevent immediate harm while a lawsuit proceeds.
- Apple, OpenAI legal fight keeps escalating. Here's how we got hereOpenAI · Axios AI ·
- The court rejects Elon’s latest attempt to slow OpenAI downOpenAI · OpenAI News ·
- OpenAI ChatGPT
- OpenAI has been involved in legal actions where preliminary injunctions may be sought or issued to manage disputes during litigation.
- Permanent injunction
- A permanent injunction is a final court order issued after
- Temporary restraining order (TRO)
- A TRO is an even more immediate, short-term o
The concept of preliminary injunctions has roots in English common law, evolving through centuries of judicial practice to provide interim relief in civil litigation.
While you cannot directly experience a preliminary injunction, you can observe its effects by following news about ongoing lawsuits involving AI companies. Pay attention to court filings and news reports that mention a party seeking or being granted an order to stop or allow specific actions during a legal dispute.
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Questions people ask
- What is the difference between a preliminary injunction and a permanent injunction?
- A preliminary injunction is temporary, issued before a final court decision to maintain the status quo. A permanent injunction is a final order issued after a trial.
- Who decides if a preliminary injunction is issued?
- A judge decides whether to issue a preliminary injunction after reviewing arguments and evidence from both sides of a lawsuit.
First seen on Subvolts Mar 14, 2025. Updated Sep 15, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.