A legal principle that prevents a person from asserting claims or rights that contradict their previous statements or actions upon which others have reasonably relied. It promotes fairness by stopping people from taking inconsistent positions.
From Old French 'estoupail,' meaning 'stopper' or 'plug,' related to 'estopper' (to stop up). The legal concept developed from the idea of 'stopping' someone from making claims that would contradict their previous conduct or representations.
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