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Equity Follows the Law

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Equity follows the law. Discuss

Equity has no clash with law neither it overrides the provisions of law. Nor it is the enemy of law. It adopts and follows the basic rules of law. It is said that equity is not a body of jurisprudence acting against the law but rather a supplement to law. it is a well-known rules that equity follows the analogies of law The equity came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it , to supplement it , to define it .Equity respects every word of law. Equity is intended to supplement the law and not to supersede it. Maxims of equity are principles developed by the English Court of Chancery and other courts who have administered equity jurisdiction, including the law of trusts. They were expressed in Latin but are translated into English. The role of the maxims is simple , they are general principles which can be deviated from specific cases.
“He who comes into equity must come with clean hands.” This is one of the many maxims of equity. This maxim “bars relief”* that anyone guilty of improper conduct in the matter at hand .It operates to prevent any affirmative recovery* for the person with “dirty hands” no matter how unfairly the person’s adversary has treated him or her . The maxim’s purpose is to protect the integrity of the court. This rule is not meant to punish carelessness or a mistake .Another notable maxim is “Equity looks on that as done which ought to be done” , this maxim means that when individuals are required , by their agreements or by law to perform some act of legal significance , equity will regard that act as having been done as it ought to have been done , even before it has actually happened. Another maxim says “Equity will not complete an imperfect gift” which explains that if a donor has made and imperfect gift namely lacking the formalities required at common law , equity will not assist the intended donee*, this

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