Exhaustion of Remedies: Owner Defeats Subcontractor’s Unjust Enrichment Claim

John Mark Goodman | BuildSmart A federal judge in Oregon has tossed a subcontractor’s unjust enrichment or “quantum meruit” claim against the owner because the subcontractor did not first exhaust its contractual remedies against the contractor. Exhaustion of remedies is a common legal doctrine that generally requires parties to pursue relief in a particular order.… Continue reading Exhaustion of Remedies: Owner Defeats Subcontractor’s Unjust Enrichment Claim

Exhaustion of Remedies: Owner Defeats Subcontractor’s Unjust Enrichment Claim

John Mark Goodman | BuildSmart A federal judge in Oregon has tossed a subcontractor’s unjust enrichment or “quantum meruit” claim against the owner because the subcontractor did not first exhaust its contractual remedies against the contractor.  Exhaustion of remedies is a common legal doctrine that generally requires parties to pursue relief in a particular order. In… Continue reading Exhaustion of Remedies: Owner Defeats Subcontractor’s Unjust Enrichment Claim

Court Affirms Quantum Meruit Award in Home Construction Dispute

Jose A. Aquino | Duane Morris In Schott v. Lucatelli, decided by the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department on June 12, 2025, the court addressed a dispute between two members of an extended family over the construction of a home. In 2017, the defendant asked the plaintiff to build a home, but… Continue reading Court Affirms Quantum Meruit Award in Home Construction Dispute

Oregon Ruling Calls Into Question Quantum Meruit Claims in Construction Cases

Matthew Mues | Davis Wright Tremaine On February 15, 2023, the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that an excavation subcontractor, plaintiff Kizer Excavating Co., (“Kizer”) could not maintain a quantum meruit claim against a general contractor, defendant Stout Building Contractors, LLC, (“Stout”) for work performed by Kizer beyond that contemplated in Kizer’s proposal, which was incorporated into… Continue reading Oregon Ruling Calls Into Question Quantum Meruit Claims in Construction Cases

Working Without a Safety Net: can Subcontractors and Suppliers still Sue an Owner for Quantum Meruit and Unjust Enrichment in Virginia

Subcontractors and suppliers provide labor, equipment or materials on construction projects without direct contractual relationships with the project owner, the ultimate beneficiary of that work, equipment and materials.  In the event of payment disputes, those subcontractors and suppliers will often look directly to the project owner, as the ultimate beneficiary, for payment.  Payment may be… Continue reading Working Without a Safety Net: can Subcontractors and Suppliers still Sue an Owner for Quantum Meruit and Unjust Enrichment in Virginia