A Latin legal principle meaning 'as much as he deserved,' allowing recovery of reasonable compensation for services rendered or goods provided when no specific contract price was agreed upon. It prevents unjust enrichment.
Direct Latin: 'quantum' (how much, as much as) and 'meruit' (he/she deserved), from 'merere' (to earn, deserve). This equitable remedy developed in English law to ensure fair compensation when formal contracts were absent or failed.
Quantum meruit is the law's way of saying 'pay what it's worth' when there's no price tag! It's like having an invisible contract that kicks in whenever someone provides valuable services - even if you never agreed on payment, you can't just take the benefit and run without compensating fairly.
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