legal action

Legal action primarily refers to the act of bringing a lawsuit, prosecution, or judicial proceeding  to obtain a legal remedy or to ascertain or protect a legal right. In Fisher Controls International, Inc. v. Marrone, the Supreme Court of Iowa defined legal action as “a formal proceeding in any forum in which a party is entitled to seek the relief being asked under authority of the state,” which includes filing a claim before an administrative agency. The Court noted that this makes the term “substantially broader than . . . ‘an action.’” The phrase may also be used more broadly to refer to any action taken pursuant to the law.

[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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