Legal Definitions - rien luy doit

Rien luy doit is a historical legal phrase originating from Law French, which directly translates to "owes him nothing." Historically, it was a type of legal defense, similar to what was known as a "plea of nil debet." When a defendant asserted "rien luy doit," they were essentially claiming a direct denial of the plaintiff's accusation, stating that they had no debt, duty, or obligation whatsoever to the person suing them.

Here are a few examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a scenario where a person, Mr. Henderson, receives a court summons for an unpaid medical bill from a hospital he has never visited. Mr. Henderson would assert "rien luy doit" as his defense, meaning he owes the hospital nothing because he has no record of receiving services from them, and the debt is not his. His claim is that no financial obligation exists between him and the hospital.

• Consider a small construction company, "BuildRight Inc.," that is sued by a client for failing to complete a renovation project. BuildRight Inc. presents evidence that they completed all work according to the contract, and the client signed off on the final inspection. In this case, BuildRight Inc. would be asserting "rien luy doit," arguing that they owe the client nothing further because they have already fulfilled their contractual obligations. They believe no outstanding duty remains.

• Suppose a dog walker, Ms. Patel, is sued by a pedestrian who slipped on ice on a public sidewalk in front of a house where Ms. Patel was walking a client's dog. Ms. Patel's defense would be "rien luy doit" because she has no legal responsibility for maintaining the public sidewalk, nor does she own the property. She would argue that she owes no duty of care to the pedestrian in that specific context, and therefore, owes no compensation for the injury.