Title

IX.6 - No restitution in case of knowledge of illegality of performance

Content

No. IX.6 - No restitution in case of knowledge of illegality of performance

No one may claim restitution of what he has rendered to the other party while knowing the illegality of his performance ("nemo auditur turpitudinem suam allegans").

Commentary

This Principle follows from the general Principle of good faith. A party who positively knows that its performance is illegal may not later claim restitution of that performance. Doubts as to the illegality of the performance do not suffice unless the party who performs makes it clear that it assumes all risks arising out of that performance.

References

Arbitral Awards

CRCICA Award 14/1989, in: Mohie Eldin I. Alam Eldin, Arbitral Awards of the Cairo Regional Centre of International Commercial Arbitration, The Hague 2000, at 17 et seq.ICC Award No. 3916, Coll. ICC Arb. Awards 1982, 507 et seq.ICC Interim Award to Case No. 10671, Clunet 2006, 1417

Court Decisions

Holmann v. Johnson [1775], 98 Engl. Rep. 1120 (1. Cowp. 341)

Doctrine

Charles T. Kotuby Jr. / Luke A. Sobota, GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF LAW AND INTERNATIONAL DUE PROCESS - Principles and Norms Applicable in Transnational Disputes, New York NY USA 2017Domingo, Ortega, Rodriguez-Antolin, Zambrana, Principios de Derecho Global, Navarra, 2006Liebs, Detlef, Lateinische Rechtsregeln und Rechtssprichwörter, 4th ed., Munich 1986Niederländer, Hubert, Nemo Turpitudinem Suam Allegans Auditur, Ein Rechtsvergleichender Versuch, in: Festschrift Gutzwiller, Basel 1959, at 621 et seq.Romero, Eduardo Silva, Note to ICC Award No. 10671, Clunet 2006, at 1423 et seq.

National Legislation

Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch - German Civil CodeFrench Civil Code 2016Nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek - New Netherlands Civil Code ( Dutch Civil Code )Schweizer Obligationenrecht - Swiss Law of Obligations