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Simple English definitions for legal terms
unclean hands
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A quick definition of unclean hands:
Unclean hands refers to a legal principle that states a person who has acted wrongly or unethically in a situation cannot seek relief or remedy from a court of law. This principle is closely related to the , which requires a plaintiff to have acted fairly and honestly in the matter at hand in order to seek legal recourse. Essentially, if someone has "unclean hands," they cannot expect the court to help them.
A more thorough explanation:
Unclean hands
Unclean hands is a legal doctrine that states a person who has acted wrongly or unethically in a situation cannot seek a remedy or relief from a court for their own wrongdoing. This is because they have "unclean hands" and are not entitled to the court's assistance.
For example, if a person sues their employer for wrongful termination, but it is discovered that the person was actually fired for stealing from the company, they would have unclean hands. The court would not provide them with a remedy because they acted unethically.
Another example could be a person who sues their neighbor for property damage, but it is discovered that the person also caused damage to their neighbor's property. In this case, the person would have unclean hands and would not be entitled to a remedy from the court.
The doctrine of unclean hands is based on the idea that a person who has acted unethically or wrongly should not be able to benefit from their own wrongdoing. The examples illustrate how a person who has acted unethically in a situation cannot seek relief from a court for their own wrongdoing. In both examples, the person has acted unethically and therefore has unclean hands. As a result, they are not entitled to a remedy from the court.