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Simple English definitions for legal terms
clean-hands doctrine
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A quick definition of clean-hands doctrine:
The clean-hands doctrine is a rule that says if someone wants help from a court to solve a problem, they have to be fair and honest in how they acted. If they did something wrong or unfair, they can't ask the court for help. This rule is based on the idea that a court should only help people who acted fairly and honestly. The person who did something wrong is said to have "unclean hands." The rule only applies to the specific problem that the person is asking the court to help with. The court can look at evidence of how the person acted to decide if they should get help or not. The rule comes from the saying, "He who comes into Equity must come with clean hands."
A more thorough explanation:
The clean-hands doctrine is a legal principle that states a party cannot seek equitable relief or defenses if they have acted unfairly or in bad faith in the matter for which they seek a remedy. This means that a party who has violated an equitable principle, such as good faith, is described as having "unclean hands."
For example, if a person sues their employer for wrongful termination, but it is discovered that the person was stealing from the company, the clean-hands doctrine would prevent them from seeking relief because they acted unfairly in the matter.
The doctrine of unclean hands only applies to misconduct directly related to the matter in which a party seeks relief. For instance, if a person is suing their landlord for not fixing a leaky roof, but it is discovered that the person has not paid rent for several months, the clean-hands doctrine would not apply because the misconduct is not directly related to the matter at hand.
The clean-hands doctrine is based on the maxim: "He who comes into Equity must come with clean hands." This means that a party seeking equitable relief or defenses must act fairly and in good faith in the matter for which they seek a remedy.