Legal Definitions - inadequate remedy at law

Inadequate remedy at law refers to a situation where the traditional legal solution, which is typically an award of money (known as monetary damages), is not sufficient to fully correct a wrong or prevent ongoing harm.

When a court determines that money alone cannot adequately address the injustice or loss suffered by a party, it may consider providing an alternative type of relief, known as an "equitable remedy." These remedies often involve a court order, such as an injunction, which compels a party to perform a specific action or to stop doing something.

• Example 1: Unique Property Sale

  Imagine a collector who contracts to purchase a rare, antique map from a dealer. Before the sale is finalized, the dealer decides to sell the map to someone else for a higher price. If the collector sues, simply receiving money to cover the difference in price or to buy a similar map might not be enough, because this particular map is one-of-a-kind and holds unique historical significance to the collector. In this scenario, monetary damages would be an inadequate remedy at law because no amount of money could truly replace that specific, irreplaceable item. The court might instead issue an injunction (a type of specific performance) ordering the dealer to complete the sale of the original map to the collector.

• Example 2: Environmental Damage

  Consider a factory that begins illegally discharging pollutants into a pristine lake, which is a vital habitat for endangered species and a source of drinking water for a nearby community. While the community or environmental groups could sue for monetary damages to cover the costs of cleanup or past harm, money alone would not stop the ongoing pollution or prevent further, irreversible ecological destruction. Here, monetary compensation is an inadequate remedy at law because the harm is continuous and threatens irreplaceable natural resources. A court would likely issue an injunction compelling the factory to immediately cease its polluting activities and take steps to mitigate the damage.