EQUITY (Justice), noun aequitas, aequum, chancery,
evenhandedness, fair-mindedness, fair treatment, fairness,
honesty, ideal justice, impartial justice, iustitia, justice,
justice as distinguished from conformity to enactments or
statutes, justice ascertained by natural reason, justice
under the law, justness, natural right, quality of being
equal and fair, reasonableness, recourse to the principles of
natural justice, redress, remedial justice, right dealing,
righteousness, rightfulness, spirit of the law, unwritten law,
uprightness
ASSOCIATED CONCEPTS: balance of equities, chancery, equitable right, equity action, equity jurisdiction, existing equities, suit in equity
FOREIGN PHRASES: Nihil tam conveniens est naturali aequitati quam unumquodque dissolvi eo ligamine quo ligatum est. Nothing is so agreeable to natural equity as that a
thing should be dissolved by the same means by which it
was bound. Lex aequitate gaudet; appetit perfectum; est
norma recti. The law delights in equity; it grasps at perfection; it is a rule of right. In fictione juris semper aequitas
existit. In a fiction of law, equity is always present. Equitas
sequitur legem. Equity follows the law. Lex respicit aequitatem. The law regards equity. Ratio in jure aequitas
integra. Reason in law is impartial equity. Nulli vendemus,
nulli negabimus, aut differemus rectum vel justitian.
We will sell to none, we will deny to none, we will delay to
none, either equity or justice. Judex ante oculos aequitatem semper habere debet. A judge ought always to have
equity before his eyes. Aequitas supervacua odit. Equity
abhors superfluous things. Aequitas uxoribus, liberis,
creditoribus maxime favet. Equity favors wives and
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children, creditors most of all. Aequitas est quasi aequalitas. Equity is as it were equality. Aequum et bonum
est lex legum. That which is equitable and right is the law
of laws. In omnibus quidem, maxime tamen injure, aequitas spectanda sit. In all matters, but especially in law,
equity should be regarded. Prima pars aequitatis aequalitas. The prime element of equity is equality. Nemo
allegans suam turpitudinem audien dus est. No one
should be permitted to testify as a witness to his own baseness or wickedness. Nemo ex suo delicto meliorem suam
conditionem facere potest. No one can improve his condition by his own misdeed. Jure naturae aequum est neminem cum alterius detrimento et injuria fieri locupletiorem. According to the laws of nature, it is just that no
one should be enriched by the detriment and injury of another. Nihil iniquius quam aequitatem nimis intendere.
Nothing is more unjust than to extend equity too far. Judex
aequitatem semper spectare debet. A judge ought always to regard equity. Bonus judex secundum aequum
et bonum judicat, et aequitatem stricto juri praefert.
Good judges decide according to what is just and right, and
prefer equity to strict law. Si aliquid ex solemnibus deficiat, cum aequitas poscit, subveniendum est. If anything
is deficient in formal requisites, where equity requires it, it
should be supplied. Aequitas nunquam contravenit
legis. Equity never counteracts the laws. Aequitas non
facit jus, sed juri auxiliatur. Equity does not make law,
but assists law. Aequitas ignorantiae opitulatur, oscitantiae non item. Equity assists ignorance, but not carelessness. Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. The laws aid the vigilant and not those who slumber.
Aequitas agit in personam. Equity acts upon the person.
Jure naturae aequum est neminem cum alterius detrimento et injuria fieri locupletiorem. By natural law it is
not just that any one should be enriched by the detriment
or injury of another. Hoc quidem perquam durum est, sed
ita lex scripta est. This indeed is exceedingly hard, but
such is the written law. Nemo debet aliena jactura locupletari. No one ought to gain by another’s loss. Frustra
legis auxilium quaerit qui in legem committit. He vainly
seeks the aid of the law who transgresses the law.
Commodum ex injuria sua non habere debet. No person
ought to derive any advantage by his own wrong. Nemo ex
proprio dolo consequitur actionem. No one acquires a
right of action from his own fraud.