The claimant has a strong case for a constructive trust. As the court explained in Kerr v. Baranow, 2011 SCC 10 [Kerr], since the decision in Pettkus v. Becker, 1980 CanLII 22 (SCC), [1980] 2 S.C.R. 834, the law of unjust enrichment has provided a much less artificial, more comprehensive, and more principled basis on which to address claims for the distribution of assets on the breakdown of domestic relationships. Recovery is now permitted whenever a plaintiff can establish three elements: an enrichment of the defendant by the plaintiff, a corresponding deprivation of the plaintiff, and the absence of a juristic reason for the enrichment.
"The most advanced legal research software ever built."
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.