Estoppel is a legal principle that prevents a party from arguing something contrary to a claim made or implied by their previous actions or statements. It is used to ensure fairness by holding people to their word or preventing them from denying facts they have previously affirmed.
Legal Context
In legal proceedings, estoppel can prevent a party from asserting a right or fact that contradicts what they previously established. There are different types of estoppel, such as promissory estoppel, where a party is stopped from going back on a promise that another party relied upon to their detriment. The doctrine ensures that one cannot take unfair advantage by changing their stance on a matter after leading the other party to act on their earlier position.
Example
For instance, in a business agreement, if a landlord verbally agrees to lower rent for a tenant during hard times and the tenant relies on this promise to stay in business, the landlord may be estopped from later demanding the original higher rent for the same period. The tenant’s reliance on the landlord’s promise would prevent the landlord from going back on their word.
