A preliminary injunction is an injunction that may be granted before or during trial, with the goal of preserving the status quo before final judgment.OverviewTo get a preliminary injunction, a party must show that they will suffer irreparable harm unless the injunction is issued. Preliminary injunctions may only be issued after a hearing. When determining whether to grant preliminary injunctions, judges consider the extent of the irreparable harm, each party's likelihood of prevailing at trial, and any other public or private interests implicated by the injunction. Parties may appeal the judge's decisions on whether to award a preliminary injunction.