A Cease and Desist Order is an order issued by a court or government agency. It directs the recipient to immediately stop a specific illegal or harmful activity or behaviour.
Unlike a letter, a Cease and Desist Order is an enforceable order by a judge or administrative agency that requires certain practices to stop and may outline fines, penalties, and even imprisonment for noncompliance. Usually, courts will only issue a Cease and Desist Order after you’ve filed a legal complaint and gone through the proper legal channels.
On the other hand, courts and government agencies are not involved with Cease and Desist Letters. Instead, individuals and organisations use them as a first step in resolving issues.