Nova Scotia Trusts and Estates Centre

Unjust enrichment is a legal concept that refers to a situation where one party has received a benefit at the expense of another party without any legal justification or right to do so. In the context of estates, unjust enrichment can occur when one party improperly receives a benefit from an estate, such as by receiving property or funds they are not entitled to, such as the proceeds of a life insurance policy. Courts may intervene in these cases by imposing constructive trusts to remedy unjustly impoverished parties. The recent Supreme Court decision Moore v. Sweet provides an updated approach to this issue.