Schmeckpeper v. Koertje

The plaintiff, Garrón Schmeckpeper, appeals the judgment in his action in equity for restitution of the value of improvements placed upon the land of the defendant, Arnold Koertje. The plaintiff’s assignor and son, Richard Schmeckpeper, claimed to have improved the land he farmed as tenant of Arnold Koertje, relying on Koertje’s assurances that Richard Schmeckpeper would inherit some portion of the farm property on Koertje’s death.

The trial court found that Koertje made no such assurances and that Koertje was not unjustly enriched when he exercised his possessory rights to the leasehold and…