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Maxims in Equity

     In the merry old days in England, not everyone was merry.  The King's Courts of Law had developed highly technical rules and procedures for bringing disputes before the Court.  If a person's case did not "fit" into one of the technical "forms of action", the Court could not hear the case or grant any relief.  Typically, the law courts could only enter judgments for payment of money to the
plaintiff.  Aggrieved persons seeking other relief, such as injunctions, accountings, rescission of documents, etc., would complain to the Chancellor about the injustice of the law courts
and pray for relief.

     Courts of Equity were created to hear and determine disputes in which the Courts of Law could not grant the requested relief. The King's chancellor, who "held the king's conscience", heard the
complaints for equitable relief.  Over the centuries, a body of law or jurisprudence developed which was time and again phrased in the form of maxims, some are commonly known among laymen.  Here are a few that may be of interest:

    Equity looks upon that as done which ought to have been done.
    Equity suffers no right to be without a remedy.
    Equity regards substance rather than form.
    Where the equities are equal, the first in time will prevail.
    Where equities are equal, the law will prevail.
    He who seeks equity must do equity.
    He who seeks equity must have clean hands.
    Equity aids the vigilant, not those who sleep on their rights.
    Equity will not concern itself with abstract wrongs.
    Equity abhors a forfeiture.
    Equity does not require an idle gesture.
    Equity will not permit a party to profit by his own wrong.
    Equity delights to do justice, and not by halves.
    Equity will take jurisdiction to avoid a multiplicity of suits.
 

Quotes and sayings about Judges and Justice
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