Which remedy is commonly sought in a civil lawsuit?

• A. Injunction or financial compensation
• B. Criminal penalties
• C. Specific performance only
• D. Punitive damages only

Answer: (A)

In civil lawsuits, remedies aim to address harm without imposing criminal penalties. The most common relief is to provide financial compensation to the harmed party and, when necessary, to stop or require certain actions through an injunction. This captures the typical ways courts restore the harmed party or prevent ongoing harm.

Criminal penalties belong to the realm of criminal law, not civil cases, so they aren’t remedies sought in civil lawsuits. Specific performance can be a remedy in contract disputes, but it isn’t always available and isn’t the default remedy. Punitive damages may be awarded in some civil cases to punish particularly egregious conduct, but they are not the universal or sole remedy. Therefore, the usual civil remedy described here—injunction or financial compensation—is the best answer.