Quantum Meruit

From the Latin Latin: quantum meruit, meaning 'as much as he deserves.'.

In one sentence

Payment for work done when no formal contract price exists.

Plain English

Quantum meruit means "as much as he deserves" in Latin. It's a legal remedy that lets someone get paid for work or services they provided, even when there's no written contract setting a price. Courts figure out a fair market value for what was done. This often comes up when a contract falls apart partway through, or when someone does work at another person's request without ever agreeing on payment.

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Example

A plumber starts fixing a homeowner's burst pipe and works for three hours before the homeowner says they can't afford it and tells him to stop. The plumber can sue for quantum meruit to recover the reasonable value of those three hours of work, even though they never discussed a price.

Used in a sentence

“When the contractor abandoned the job halfway through, the homeowner sued for quantum meruit to recover the value of work already completed.”

Related terms

Consideration

Something of value exchanged by each party to make a contract binding.

Executed Contract

A contract where both parties have fully performed all their obligations.

Implied-in-Law Contract

A court-imposed obligation to prevent unjust enrichment when no actual contract exists.

Expectation Damages

Money awarded to put a party in the position they would have been in if the contract had been fully performed.

Contract Interpretation

The process of determining what a contract's words and terms actually mean.

Material Fact

A fact that significantly affects a party's rights, obligations, or decision-making in a contract.

Offer

A proposal to enter into a binding agreement on specific terms.

Acceptance

Agreeing to the exact terms of an offer, creating a binding contract.

This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney.