Prejudgment writ of attachment

A prejudgment writ of attachment may be ordered in a legal action where a plaintiff has demonstrated meritorious allegations, fraud in the underlying action, or that defendant may attempt to dispose of or hide assets from the court. In this context, a prejudgment writ of attachment functions much like a temporary restraining order (TRO), which preserves the status quo pending a final resolution of the dispute. However, unlike a TRO, a prejudgment writ of attachment provides a source of financial recovery for a plaintiff. Usually, a plaintiff seeking a prejudgment writ of attachment must post a surety bond of up to two times the amount of the damages claimed by the plaintiff.

See Attachment (law) for more on attachment.