Opinion ID: 2542656
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: we remand to the trial court for consideration of mr. allen's unjust enrichment claim against mr. hall

Text: ¶ 25 The trial court quieted title in Mr. Hall and, therefore, had no cause to consider Mr. Allen's unjust enrichment claim. The court of appeals reversed the trial court, and we affirm, thus quieting title in Mr. Allen. We now must remand for consideration of Mr. Allen's unjust enrichment claims as we lack the evidence to rule on this issue. ¶ 26 Both parties point to a three-element test for unjust enrichment, which is taken from Desert Miriah, Inc. v. B & L Auto, Inc., 2000 UT 83, ¶ 13, 12 P.3d 580. First, there must be a benefit conferred by one person on another. Second, the conferee must appreciate or have knowledge of the benefit. Third, there must be acceptance or retention by the conferee of the benefit under such circumstances as to make it inequitable for the conferee to retain the benefit without payment of its value. These are factual elements and have not been briefed by the parties and as such cannot be determined by this court. The facts underlying unjust enrichment claims vary greatly from case to case, and the doctrine of unjust enrichment was specifically developed to address situations that did not fit within a particular legal standard but which nonetheless merited judicial intervention. An appellate court's ability to clearly articulate outcome-determinative factors in unjust enrichment cases remains elusive, and thus favors granting the trial court broad discretion. Id. ¶ 12.