Maxims of Equity

Eugene Volokh has ‘discovered’ some lost maxims of equity:

bq. Equity abhors a nudnik.
Equity delights in a good practical joke.
He who seeks equity must do so with full pockets.
Equity is not for the squeamish.
Equity, schmequity.
Equity can be grumpy before its first cup of coffee.
Equity is crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.
Equity is a mean drunk.
Equity, like all of us, prefers the rich and good-looking.

There must be more of these. They sound a bit American. I think ‘like all of us’ is stylistically weak. Again, ‘He who seeks equity must do so with full pockets’ is funny, but it has no depth.Here are some real maxims of equity:

Equity will not suffer a wrong to be without a remedy.

Equitable remedies are discretionary.

Equity regards the balance of convenience.

Equity, like nature, does nothing in vain.

He who seeks equity must do equity

He who comes into equity must come with clean hands.

Delay defeats equity.

Equity is equality.

Equity looks to the intent rather than to the form.

Equity looks on that as done which ought to be done.

Equity imputes an intention to fulfil an obligation.

Equity acts on the conscience.

I don’t know the third and fourth, but I think equity is taught a bit differently in the USA than in England.

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