In civil cases, a court under its equitable power can deny relief to a party who has acted unfairly or in bad faith to the opposing party
The doctrine of equitable estoppel bars relief to a party who has engaged in deceitful and unconscionable behavior.
Equitable Doctrine of Unclean Hands
A long-standing phrase in law is: A party that seeks equity must do equity…
The equitable doctrine of unclean hands is a form of equitable estoppel. The defense will usually plead this in their Answer as an affirmative defense to the plaintiff’s Complaint. The court can deny the plaintiff relief if the defense can prove the plaintiff acted deceitfully or with unclean hands.
