Võlaõiglaselt

Võlaõiglaselt is an Estonian legal term that translates to "unjust enrichment" in English. It refers to a legal principle where a person is enriched at the expense of another without a legal basis. This means that if someone has received a benefit or asset that they are not legally entitled to, and this benefit came from someone else's loss or expense, the law may require them to return that benefit or compensate the injured party.

The core idea behind võlaõiglaselt is to prevent unfairness and ensure that people do not profit from situations where they have no legal right to do so. This can arise in various circumstances, such as mistaken payments, situations where a contract is invalid but one party has already performed their obligations, or when someone has used another's property without permission and profited from it. The Estonian Law of Obligations Act contains provisions that govern claims based on unjust enrichment.

A claim for unjust enrichment is typically made when there is no other specific legal remedy available, such as a contractual claim or a claim based on tort. The person seeking restitution must prove that the other party has been enriched, that this enrichment occurred at their expense, and that there was no legal ground for the enrichment. If successful, the court can order the recipient of the unjust enrichment to return the benefit or pay its value to the person who suffered the loss. This principle is fundamental to maintaining fairness and equity within the Estonian legal system.