unclean hands
noun plural
un·clean hands
: an equitable doctrine: a complainant will be denied relief if he or she has engaged in misconduct (as acting in bad faith) directly relating to the complaint
also
: the condition of having engaged in such misconduct and being barred from equitable relief
may not be invoked by a plaintiff with unclean hands —
Royal Sch. Labs., Inc. v. Town of Watertown, 358 F.2d 813 (1966)
Royal Sch. Labs., Inc. v. Town of Watertown, 358 F.2d 813 (1966) Note: Unclean hands on the part of the plaintiff is often pleaded as an affirmative defense by the defendant.
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“Unclean hands.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/unclean%20hands. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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