What does a suit for specific performance entail?

A suit for specific performance is a legal remedy in contract law that requires the party who is in breach of the contract to fulfill their obligations as stipulated in the contract rather than simply paying damages. This remedy is typically sought in real estate transactions because every property is unique, and monetary damages may not be adequate to compensate the non-breaching party for their loss.

When a plaintiff seeks specific performance, they are asking the court to enforce the original terms of the sale contract, compelling the party to complete the transaction as originally agreed upon. This is particularly relevant in real estate deals, where parties often pursue specific performance to ensure that property transfers are executed according to the contractual terms.

The other options speak to different situations: seeking financial damages in lieu of performance does not align with the essence of specific performance, which focuses on fulfilling contractual obligations; refusing to complete a sale due to external factors suggests a different legal approach rather than enforcement; and modifying the original contract goes against the purpose of specific performance, which is to uphold the contract as it was originally written. All these alternatives involve deviations from the original agreement, whereas a suit for specific performance seeks adherence to the agreement itself.