What legal remedy is sought when a plaintiff wants the court to enforce a contract?

When a plaintiff seeks to enforce a contract through a legal remedy, the appropriate choice is specific performance. This remedy compels a party to fulfill their obligations as stated in the contract rather than merely providing monetary compensation for breach. Specific performance is typically used in cases where the subject matter of the contract is unique, such as real estate transactions or rare items, where financial damages would not adequately remedy the situation.

In contrast, damages refer to monetary compensation awarded to the aggrieved party for losses incurred due to the breach of contract, which may not fulfill the plaintiff's desire to have the contract executed as initially intended. Rescission involves canceling the contract and restoring the parties to their pre-contractual positions, which would not serve the purpose of enforcing the contract. Compromise refers to a mutual agreement between parties to settle a dispute, often leading to an alteration of the original terms rather than enforcing the original agreement. Thus, specific performance accurately reflects the remedy sought when the goal is to enforce an existing contract.