Opinion ID: 149301
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Schindler’s “unclean hands” defense

Text: Finally, Schindler insists that the district court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on its proposed “unclean hands” defense. Schindler urges that it should have been absolved of liability on a showing that Bagby had acted improperly when it obtained the Younan contracts from Schindler in the first place. Schindler’s argument is unavailing, however, as Texas courts have long held that the affirmative defense of unclean hands is available only in equity.17 Under Texas law, “[t]he clean hands doctrine requires that one who seeks equity, does equity.”18 As at least one Texas court has explained, the doctrine “should not be applied unless the party asserting [it] has been seriously harmed and the wrong complained of cannot be corrected without the application of the doctrine.”19 Thus, the district court did not err by denying Schindler’s proposed defense in the instant case.