court of chancery
court of chancery — idiom
1. a former English court that dealt with cases where the ordinary common law could
a former English court that dealt with cases where the ordinary common law could not provide a fair outcome, focusing on principles of fairness and moral justice rather than strict legal rules
In 1845, merchant Adina brought a contract dispute to the Court of Chancery.
historical context: the court handled cases where common law offered no remedy
The Court of Chancery could order someone to keep a promise, a power that ordinary courts lacked.
distinctive remedy: specific performance
After 1873, the Court of Chancery was merged into the High Court of Justice in London.
Dewi waited three years for the Court of Chancery to settle the land dispute.
- court of equity
broader term that can refer to any equity court, not just the English historical one
用法筆記
Strictly refers to the English court system before 1875. After the Judicature Acts, equity and common law were administered together by the High Court of Justice. In modern American usage, some states have a 'chancery court' or 'court of equity', but the historical English Court of Chancery is a specific institution.