A preliminary injunction is a legal order issued by a court that temporarily prohibits a party from taking a specific action while a case is being decided. This type of injunction is often sought to prevent potential harm or to maintain the status quo until the court can make a final decision. It is typically requested early in a lawsuit and requires the party seeking it to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits of the case. To obtain a preliminary injunction, the requesting party must show that they will suffer irreparable harm without the injunction, that the balance of harms favors them, and that the public interest will not be harmed by granting the injunction. If granted, the preliminary injunction remains in effect until the court reaches a final ruling in the case, which may involve further hearings and legal arguments.