Landmark Cases In The Law Of Restitution

It is now well established that the law of unjust enrichment forms an important and distinctive part of the English law of obligations. Restitutionary awards for unjust enrichment and for wrongdoing are clearly recognised for what they are. But these are recent developments. Before the last decade of the twentieth century the very existence of a separate law of unjust enrichment was controversial, its scope and content matters of dispute. In this collection of essays, a group of leading scholars look back and reappraise some of the landmark cases in the law of restitution. They range from the early seventeenth century to the mid-twentieth century, and shed new light on some classic decisions. Some argue that the importance of their case has been overstated; others, that it has been overlooked, or misconceived. All persuasively invite the reader to think again about some well-known authorities. The book is an essential resource for anyone, scholar, student or practitioner, with an interest in this fascinating area of the law.

Written by leading experts who have shaped and defined the law of restitution, the book provides an authoritative and scholarly guide to the subject. The second edition of this seminal title continues the formula of the first edition by combining a comprehensive coverage of cases with extracts from leading academic authorities.

This new textbook outlines the general principles of the rapidly developing subject of the Law of Restitution. Restitution is concerned with the reversing of unjust enrichment and was recently recognized as a discrete body of law by the House of Lords although restitutionary principles have in fact been evolving for over 200 years. Rather than taking the traditional approach which assumes that restitutionary remedies will be awarded against a defendant only where it can be shown that the defendant has been unjustly enriched at the expense of the plaintiff.The book asserts that the law of restitution is simply concerned with the question of when restitutionary remedies may be awarded, that is remedies which are assessed by reference to a benefit obtained by the defendant. But in determining whether restitutionary remedies are available it is necessary to identify the causes of the action which triggers them. There are three such causes of action, namely the reversal of the defendants unjust enrichment, the commission of a wrong by the defendant, and the vindication of the defendants property rights. The state of the law is examined through analyses of the statutory provisions and key cases demonstrating the way the law is used to resolve a wide variety of legal problems. The very different views of academics as to the nature and ambit of the subject are also identified. This book will be invaluable to students on restitution courses at every level.

Landmark Cases in Equity continues the series of essay collections which began with Landmark Cases in the Law of Restitution (2006) and continued with Landmark Cases in the Law of Contract (2008) and Landmark Cases in the Law of Tort (2010). It contains essays on landmark cases in the development of equitable doctrine running from the seventeenth century to recent times. The range, breadth and social importance of equitable principles, as these affect commercial, domestic and even political matters are well known. By focusing on the historical development of these principles, the essays in this collection help us to understand them more clearly, and also provide insights into the processes of legal change through judicial innovation. Themes addressed in the essays include the nature of the courts' equitable jurisdiction, the development of property rights in equity, constraints on the powers of settlors to create express trusts, the duties of trustees and other fiduciaries, remedies for breach of these duties, and the evolution of constructive and resulting trusts.

"Although it is often referred to as "the third branch of private law", alongside contract and tort, the law of unjust enrichment and restitution is not well understood. That is true for a variety of reasons. The subject is seldom taught in law school. Many of the traditional cases speak in a language that is incomprehensible to modern ears. Most significantly, until now, there has not been a text that is structured in accordance with the modern Canadian principle of unjust enrichment.

Landmark Cases in the Law of Contract offers twelve original essays by leading contract scholars. As with the essays in the companion volume, Landmark Cases in the Law of Restitution (Hart, 2006) each essay takes as its focus a particular leading case, and analyses that case in its historical or theoretical context. The cases range from the early eighteenth- to the late twentieth-centuries, and deal with an array of contractual doctrines. Some of the essays call for their case to be stripped of its landmark status, whilst others argue that it has more to offer than we have previously appreciated. The particular historical context of these landmark cases, as revealed by the authors, often shows that our current assumptions about the case and what it stands for are either mistaken, or require radical modification. The book also explores several common themes which are fundamental to the development of the law of contract: for instance, the influence of commercial expectations, appeals to 'reason' and the significance of particular judicial ideologies and techniques.

This new edition of a landmark study of the law of restitution has been substantially revised and updated. Concentrating on structural principles rather than detailed rules, the book is an invaluable guide to this difficult area of law.

This highly-praised textbook provides detailed and incisive coverage of all aspects of restitution. The author's expert analysis and clarity of style will be invaluable to both students and practitioners with an interest in this area of law.