An injunction is a court order that commands someone to do something or, more commonly, to stop doing something. When a judge issues an injunction, it's not a suggestion or request: it's a legal command that must be obeyed, or the person can face serious consequences like fines or even jail time.

Imagine a company plans to cut down a forest where endangered owls live. Environmental groups might ask a judge for an injunction to stop the logging until the court can fully examine whether it's legal. If the judge grants the injunction, the company must immediately halt their chainsaws, even if they disagree with the decision. The injunction freezes the situation in place while the legal system works out what should happen.

Injunctions often appear when waiting for a full trial would cause harm that can't be undone. A judge might issue an injunction to stop a factory from polluting a river, to prevent someone from selling another person's invention, or to keep a bully from contacting their victim. When you see injunction in the news, it usually means a judge has stepped in to stop something urgent from happening while the courts figure out the bigger legal questions.