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Equity And Criminal Law, Howard Brill

School of Law Faculty Publications and Presentations

The relationship between courts of equity and the criminal law in Arkansas is laid out by two black letter rules: (1) equity will not enjoin a criminal prosecution, and (2) equity will not enjoin a crime. The basis of both rules is that equity should not intervene in criminal courts, unless no other remedy in the court of law exists. However, the exceptions allowed for each rule are different. Exceptions to the first rule include: cases involving property rights, multiple prosecutions, unlawful exactions, or prosecutions made in bad faith. The second rule allows for an exception when a criminal punishment …