{"id":5387,"date":"2023-01-10T09:51:45","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T09:51:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/?p=5387"},"modified":"2025-09-22T05:32:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T05:32:03","slug":"he-who-comes-into-equity-must-come-with-clean-hands-versus-he-who-seeks-equity-must-do-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/he-who-comes-into-equity-must-come-with-clean-hands-versus-he-who-seeks-equity-must-do-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201dHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands\u201d versus \u201cHe who seeks equity must do equity\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The common-law equivalent of this equitable maxim is Ex turpi causa non oritur actio <\/em>(\u201cOut of a base cause, no action shall arise\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands\u201d differs from \u201cHe who seeks equity must do equity\u201d because while the former is retrospective, the latter is prospective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands\u201d looks \u201cto the past rather than the future. The plaintiff not only must be prepared now to do what is right and fair but must also show that his past record in the transaction is clean.\u201d Snell\u2019s Principles of Equity<\/em>, 28th ed., 33.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the emphasis of this first maxim is on the plaintiff\u2019s past conduct. As was said in the days of old, \u201che who has committed Iniquity \u2026 shall not have Equity.\u201d Jones v Lenthal <\/em>(1669) 1 Ch. Cas. 154 (uppercasing in original).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first maxim requires the suitor in equity to have behaved irreproachably regarding the equitable relief sought. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The maxim has at least two limitations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not demand a saintly biography: \u201cEquity does not demand that its suitors shall have led blameless lives.\u201d Loughran v Loughran<\/em>, 292 US 216, 229 (1934) (Brandeis J).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0A general depravity on the part of the suitor in equity will not preclude him or her from seeking equitable relief; only a depravity specific to the equitable relief sought will conjure the maxim, a depravity with \u201can immediate and necessary relation to the equity sued for.\u201d\u00a0 Dering v Earl of Winchelsea<\/em> (1787) 1 Cox Eq. 318, 319, 320.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second maxim, \u201cHe who seeks equity must do equity\u201d is prospective, rather than retrospective. It looks toward the future: \u201cTo obtain equitable relief, the plaintiff must be prepared to do \u2018equity,\u2019 in its popular sense of what is right and fair to the defendant.\u201d Snell\u2019s Principles of Equity<\/em>, 28th ed., 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinua Asuzu, Learned Writing (Partridge, 2019), 575\u2013576.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

He who comes into equity must come with clean hands<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The common-law equivalent of this equitable maxim is Ex turpi causa non oritur actio <\/em>(\u201cOut of a base cause, no action shall arise\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands\u201d differs from \u201cHe who seeks equity must do equity\u201d because while the former is retrospective, the latter is prospective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe who comes into equity must come with clean hands\u201d looks \u201cto the past rather than the future. The plaintiff not only must be prepared now to do what is right and fair but must also show that his past record in the transaction is clean.\u201d Snell\u2019s Principles of Equity<\/em>, 28th ed., 33.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the emphasis of this first maxim is on the plaintiff\u2019s past conduct. As was said in the days of old, \u201che who has committed Iniquity \u2026 shall not have Equity.\u201d Jones v Lenthal <\/em>(1669) 1 Ch. Cas. 154 (uppercasing in original).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first maxim requires the suitor in equity to have behaved irreproachably regarding the equitable relief sought. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The maxim has at least two limitations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not demand a saintly biography: \u201cEquity does not demand that its suitors shall have led blameless lives.\u201d Loughran v Loughran<\/em>, 292 US 216, 229 (1934) (Brandeis J).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0A general depravity on the part of the suitor in equity will not preclude him or her from seeking equitable relief; only a depravity specific to the equitable relief sought will conjure the maxim, a depravity with \u201can immediate and necessary relation to the equity sued for.\u201d\u00a0 Dering v Earl of Winchelsea<\/em> (1787) 1 Cox Eq. 318, 319, 320.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second maxim, \u201cHe who seeks equity must do equity\u201d is prospective, rather than retrospective. It looks toward the future: \u201cTo obtain equitable relief, the plaintiff must be prepared to do \u2018equity,\u2019 in its popular sense of what is right and fair to the defendant.\u201d Snell\u2019s Principles of Equity<\/em>, 28th ed., 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinua Asuzu, Learned Writing (Partridge, 2019), 575\u2013576.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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