Which of the following is a type of legal order requiring a court to act or refrain from acting?

An injunction is a type of legal order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific actions. It is often used in civil cases where a party needs immediate relief to prevent harm, such as stopping someone from encroaching on their property or halting the enforcement of an unlawful act. By issuing an injunction, the court is actively intervening to ensure that rights are preserved and potential harm is avoided, making it a powerful tool in civil litigation.

In contrast, a writ of attachment is aimed at seizing a defendant’s property to satisfy a potential judgment, while a writ of certiorari is an order from a higher court to review a lower court's decision. A declaratory judgment concludes the legal rights of parties without providing the specific relief that an injunction would. Therefore, within the context of this question, an injunction is uniquely characterized as a directive for the court to take specific action or to abstain from action, thus highlighting its role in maintaining legal rights and preventing future disputes.