Vicente Perez v. Eugenio Pomar

Summary

Vicente Perez sued Eugenio Pomar, agent of Compania-General de Tabacos, for unpaid wages for interpreter services rendered from December 1901 to May 1902. Despite the absence of a written contract, the Supreme Court found that an implied contract existed based on tacit mutual consent when Pomar accepted and utilized Perez's interpreter services. The Court applied Civil Code provisions on contracts and obligations, establishing that acceptance of beneficial services creates an obligation to pay reasonable compensation. The principle that no one should enrich themselves at another's expense was central to the decision. The Court exercised its discretionary power to determine fair compensation, awarding 200 Mexican pesos minus 50 pesos owed by plaintiff, affirming the existence of binding contractual obligations even without express written agreements when services are accepted and beneficial.