Comparative law notes
"Arresto" is a provisional remedy whereby a sufficient amount of the defendant's property is seized to cover the defendant's indebtedness and secure satisfaction of the potential judgment. The purpose of an "arresto" is to prevent the defendant from making himself judgment-proof, i.e, to make sure that the plaintiff is able to collect on the judgment if the plaintiff prevails. To highlight the fact that an "arresto" takes place BEFORE final judgment, one might place the word "prejudgment" before it and translate it as "prejudgment attachment".
