Which of the following is a required element of a quasi-contract?

Which of the following is a required element of a quasi-contract?

• A. Reasonable expectation
• B. Benefit to defendant via goods or services
• C. New or had reason to know of plaintiff's expectation
• D. Unjust enrichment of plaintiff

Answer: (D)

Quasi-contracts are obligations created by law to prevent unjust enrichment when no actual agreement exists. The essential element is that the defendant would be unjustly enriched by keeping the benefit conferred by the plaintiff without paying for it. The court imposes restitution to the plaintiff to prevent that unjust outcome, even though there was no contract. So, the focus is on preventing the defendant’s unjust enrichment, not on the plaintiff’s own enrichment or on the plaintiff’s reasonable expectations. The other ideas—having a reasonable expectation of payment, receiving goods or services alone, or the plaintiff’s own unjust enrichment—don’t establish the legal duty under a quasi-contract.

Quasi-contracts are obligations created by law to prevent unjust enrichment when no actual agreement exists. The essential element is that the defendant would be unjustly enriched by keeping the benefit conferred by the plaintiff without paying for it. The court imposes restitution to the plaintiff to prevent that unjust outcome, even though there was no contract.

So, the focus is on preventing the defendant’s unjust enrichment, not on the plaintiff’s own enrichment or on the plaintiff’s reasonable expectations. The other ideas—having a reasonable expectation of payment, receiving goods or services alone, or the plaintiff’s own unjust enrichment—don’t establish the legal duty under a quasi-contract.