Remedies and Damages

Remedies and damages are the ways courts fix a legal wrong. A remedy can be money paid to the injured party, an order to do or stop doing something, or another form of relief. State and federal courts decide which remedy fits a case, and legislatures may set limits.

Readers usually want to know the difference between kinds of money awards, such as those that repay a loss and those meant to punish. They ask when a court orders a party to keep a promise instead of paying, and how the amount of an award is determined.