What is equity law?

Equity law is a distinct body of legal principles that originated in the English Court of Chancery. It was developed to address situations where the rigid application of common law fails to provide just outcomes. The
primary focus of equity law is to ensure fairness and justice in legal proceedings.

Equity law was formed almost in response to the common law in the 13th century. The common law was very rigid and could not bend for the unlimited possible situations man could face in dealing justly with one another. Equity law was formed and controlled by the clergy whom the King granted for such duties. The courts of Chancery were formed often conflicting with common law rulings. The doctrine of the conflict of laws was later established which states that whenever there is a conflict between the common laws and equity, equity shall always prevail.

It is said that the Chancellor of the chancery courts was the "keeper of the King's conscience" and that equity law is God's law because it always does what is moral and just. By the end of the 13th century, the common law courts had become corrupt which equity sought to correct. Today, the courts of the U.S. of A. are blended running both common law and equity law jurisdictions concurrently. Equity is especially applicable to trusts and trust law due to the nature of equitable title v. legal title when passing property to beneficiaries.