Ex turpi causa non oritur action

“Ex turpi causa non oritur actio” is a Latin legal maxim that means “an action does not arise from a dishonorable cause”. This principle is a fundamental part of common law and equity.

The doctrine essentially states that a person cannot bring a legal action if their claim is based on an illegal or immoral act. If someone engages in wrongful or unlawful behavior and suffers harm as a result, they cannot seek legal remedies or damages arising directly from their own wrongdoing.

The purpose of this principle is to prevent individuals from benefiting or profiting from their own illegal or immoral actions. It upholds the integrity of the legal system by discouraging people from seeking legal redress for harm that they have caused through their own wrongful conduct.