One cannot rely upon one’s own wrong in the courtroom, observe Oliver Radley-Gardner & Mark Sefton
In the well known case of Interfoto Picture Library v. Stiletto [1989] QB 433, [1988] 1 All ER 348, Bingham LJ explained that, rather than developing an overriding general concept of good faith, the English law has adopted “piecemeal solutions to demonstrated problems of unfairness” without recourse to any more general concept. This article considers one of those solutions, namely the principle that a contracting party should not be permitted to rely upon his own wrong to take a benefit under his contract. This principle has been considered in a series of recent cases, frequently involving development agreements, contracts for the disposition of interests in land, and leases.
The New Zealand Shipping case
In New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd v Société des Ateliers et Chantiers de France [1919] AC 1, [1918-19] All ER Rep 552 the House of Lords was concerned with a contract by a French company, the vendors, to build a steamboat for the purchasers. The contract provided that if a steamer
