Rather, it arises out of the need to avoid unjust enrichment to a party even in the absence of an actual agreement to pay for the services rendered. See Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs., Ltd. v. County Comm'rs of Arapahoe County, 945 P.2d 395, 403 (Colo. 1997); Cablevision of Breckenridge v. Tannhauser Condominium Ass'n, 649 P.2d 1093, 1097 (Colo. 1982). Quantum meruit literally means "as much as [is] deserved." Black's Law Dictionary 1255 (7th ed. 1999). Accordingly, the equitable doctrine seeks to restore fairness when a contract fails.
Presumably, that value came from the other law firms not having either to perform the services that Hannon performed, or to pay another to perform those services. SeeDove Valley Bus. Park Assocs., Ltd. v. Bd. of County Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 403 (Colo.1997) (benefit forming basis for quantum meruit claim includes any form of advantage, including saving adverse party expense or loss). Whether Hannon, in fact, conferred a benefit on the other firms is not in issue at the motion on the pleadings stage.
]"); Sykeston Township v. Wells County, 356 N.W.2d 136, 140 (N.D. 1984) (same). In fact, quasi contract and unjust enrichment are two terms for the same theory of relief. See, e.g., Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs., Ltd. v. Board of County Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 403 (Co. 1997) (en banc) ("Unjust enrichment [is] also known as a quasi contract or contract implied in law[.]"), cert. denied, 118 S.Ct. 1302 (1998); Henning v. Security Bank, 564 N.W.2d 398, 403 (Iowa 1997) (unjust enrichment is a "modern designation for the older terms of quasi contracts or contracts implied in law").
See cases cited, supra, note 4. See Portofino Seaport Village, LLC v. Welch, 4 So.3d 1095, 1098 (Ala.2008); City of Sierra Vista v. Cochise Enterprises, Inc., 144 Ariz. 375, 697 P.2d 1125, 1131 (Ct.App.1984); Hatchell v. Wren, 363 Ark. 107, 211 S.W.3d 516, 522 (2005); Lectrodryer v. SeoulBank, 77 Cal.App.4th 723, 726, 91 Cal.Rptr.2d 881 (2000); Dove Valley Business Park Assocs., Ltd. v. Board of County Comm'rs of Arapahoe County, 945 P.2d 395, 403 (Colo.1997); Ayotte Bros. Const. Co. v. Finney, 42 Conn.App. 578, 680 A.2d 330, 332 (1996); News World Commc'ns, Inc. v. Thompsen, 878 A.2d 1218, 1222 (D.C.2005); Hillman Const. Corp. v. Wainer, 636 So.2d 576, 577 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1994); Engram v. Engram, 265 Ga. 804, 463 S.E.2d 12, 15 (1995); Small v. Badenhop, 67 Haw. 626, 701 P.2d 647, 654 (1985); People ex rel. Hartigan v. E & E Hauling, Inc., 153 Ill.2d 473, 180 Ill.Dec. 271, 607 N.E.2d 165, 177 (1992); Bayh v. Sonnenburg, 573 N.E.2d 398, 408 (Ind.1991); State, Dept. of Human Services ex rel. Palmer v. Unisys Corp., 637 N.W.2d 142, 154-55 (Iowa 2001); Transportation Ins. Co. v. Leavines, 656 So.2d 720, 721 (La.Ct.App.1995); Berry & Gould, P.A. v. Berry, 360 Md. 142, 757 A.2d 108, 113 (2000); Santagate v. Tower, 64 Mass.App.Ct. 324, 329, 833 N.E.2d 171 (2005); B & M Die Co. v. Ford Motor Co., 167 Mich.App. 176, 421 N.W.2d 620, 622 (1988); Acton Const. Co. v. State, 383 N.W.2d 416, 417 (Minn.Ct.App.1986); Lucent Techs., Inc. v. Mid-West Elects
Salzman v. Bachrach, 996 P.2d 1263, 1265 (Colo. 2000) (citing Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs., Ltd. v. Bd. of County Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 403 [Colo. 1997]).
¶ 24. Because the state constitution protects property interests that are "defined by existing rules or understandings that stem from an independent source such as state law," Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs. v. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 401 (Colo. 1997) (quoting Webb's Fabulous Pharmacies, Inc. v. Beckwith, 449 U.S. 155, 161, 101 S.Ct. 446, 66 L.Ed.2d 358 (1980) ), we looked in that case to TECDA's language. We found it to be devoid of references to "tenure," unlike the language in TEDTA, TECDA's predecessor statute.
¶ 24. Because the state constitution protects property interests that are "defined by existing rules or understandings that stem from an independent source such as state law," Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs. v. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 401 (Colo. 1997) (quoting Webb's Fabulous Pharmacies, Inc. v. Beckwith, 449 U.S. 155, 161 (1980)), we looked in that case to TECDA's language. We found it to be devoid of references to "tenure," unlike the language in TEDTA, TECDA's predecessor statute.
Rather, the constitutions protect property interests that are "defined by existing rules or understandings that stem from an independent source such as state law." Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs. v. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 401 (Colo. 1997) (quoting Webb's Fabulous Pharmacies, Inc. v. Beckwith, 449 U.S. 155, 161, 101 S.Ct. 446, 66 L.Ed.2d 358 (1980) ); Phillips v. Washington Legal Found., 524 U.S. 156, 163–64, 118 S.Ct. 1925, 141 L.Ed.2d 174 (1998).
Rather, the constitutions protect property interests that are "defined by existing rules or understandings that stem from an independent source such as state law." Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs. v. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs, 945 P.2d 395, 401 (Colo. 1997) (quoting Webb's Fabulous Pharmacies, Inc. v. Beckwith, 449 U.S. 155, 161 (1980)); Phillips v. Washington Legal Found., 524 U.S. 156, 163-64 (1998).
We cannot simply rewrite the statute. See Dove Valley Bus. Park Assocs., Ltd. v. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs , 945 P.2d 395, 403 (Colo. 1997).* * *