from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
COMPENSATIO CRIMINIS. The compensation or set-off of one crime against
another; for example, in questions of divorce, where one party claims the
divorce on the ground of adultery of his or her companion, the latter may
show that the complainant has been guilty of the same offence, and having
himself violated the contract, he cannot complain of its violation on the
other side. This principle is incorporated in the codes of most civilized
nations. 1 Ought. Ord. per tit. 214; 1 Hagg. Consist. R. 144; 1 Hagg. Eccl.
R. 714; 2 Paige, 108; 2 Dev. & Batt. 64. See Condonation.