As a provisional remedy, courts may appoint a receiver to oversee a party's property. This prevents the party from neglecting or destroying the property while the suit is pending. For example, in a suit over ownership of a shopping mall, a party might request that the court appoint a receiver so that its owner could not neglect the mall if she thought she was going to lose the suit.
Rules regarding the appointment of receiver vary by jurisdiction. See State Civil Procedure Rules.