Law Commons^™

Notice By Citizen Plaintiffs In Environmental Litigation, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note evaluates judicial handling of citizen suits tainted by defective notice. After reviewing the legislative history of the citizen suit provisions, the Note presents an array of judicial responses to defective notice and classifies decisions by their stringency in applying the notice provision. In the final section, the Note argues that Congress's purpose in requiring notice should determine the limits of judicial tolerance of defective notice. It concludes that courts should dismiss citizen suits unless actual notice of intent to sue, whether or not in the form specified by EPA regulations, was given sixty days before the filing of …

Regulation Through The Looking Glass: Hospitals, Blue Cross, And Certificate-Of-Need, Sallyanne Payton, Rhoda M. Powsner

Michigan Law Review

A clear focus on the commitment of the public health and hospital establishments to the large teaching hospital and their belief in rationalizing the health care system through community-based planning allows us to understand the ideas and institutions that have produced our present system of hospital regulation. It can also help us to understand the structure and behavior of the hospital industry and can illuminate current controversies over health care policy.

What follows is a narrative account of the development of regional planning and certificate-of-need legislation. As part of that story, we trace the evolution of the Blue Cross, explain …

Black English And Equal Educational Opportunity, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

There is a danger that the King case will be misunderstood. The press has sometimes portrayed it as a vindication of the right to use black English in the classroom rather than of the educational opportunities of the children who speak it, and the King opinion itself is at times confusing. This Note clarifies the meaning of King and section 1703(f) by examining four critical steps in Judge Joiner's reasoning. Section I examines the court's holding that "language barriers" under section l 703(f) include impediments to equal educational opportunity arising from dialect differences, and concludes that although the court's argument …

Wage Discrimination And Job Segregation: The Survival Of A Theory, Ruth G. Blumrosen

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

My earlier article in this journal, Wage Discrimination, Job Segregation, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, advanced the theory that the same discriminatory factors which lead to job segregation are also likely to be responsible for wage differentials between segregated jobs. The discriminatorily depressed wage rate of the segregated job is therefore one of the "adverse effects" under Griggs v. Duke Power Co. of job segregation. In order to establish a prima facie case of wage discrimination in a Title VII action, plaintiffs must show the fact of job segregation - that the jobs were …

Narrowing The "Routine Use" Exemption To The Privacy Act Of 1974, John W. Finger

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article suggests a balancing test to determine which routine uses of information legitimately fall within the Privacy Act. Part I briefly examines the background of the Act, concentrating on the legislative history of the routine use exemption, and examining problems the exemption presents. Part II then proposes a balancing test, based on notice and need for data, as a means of ascertaining proper routine uses.

Qualification Requirements For Foreign Corporations: The Need For A New Definition Of "Doing Business" Based On In-State Sales Volume, Stanley M. Klem

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Part I of this article examines the mechanics of the present qualification system, paying special attention to the problems created by a multiplicity of vague state standards. Part II discusses the historical justification and purposes of the present system, concluding that only the protection function justifies the continued existence of the system. Finally, Part III proposes that "doing business" be defined in terms of the annual volume of in-state sales. This solution would remedy the problems which plague the present system while furthering the legitimate protection function of the state qualification requirements.

Incorporation Of State Law Under The Federal Arbitration Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note proposes a solution to this choice-of-law problem. Section I surveys the courts' response to Congress's silence and finds confusion and disarray. Section II argues that courts should apply the state law pertinent to arbitration unless that law places heavier burdens on arbitration contracts than on other contracts; where state law does discriminatorily burden arbitration, the courts should apply the pertinent state rules applicable to "any contract." It concludes that the "grounds . . . for the revocation of any contract," although determined as a matter of federal policy, are to be found in state law rather than in …

Incapacitating The Habitual Criminal: The English Experience, Sir Leon Radzinowicz, Roger Hood

Michigan Law Review

In this Article, Sir Leon Radzinowicz and .Dr. Roger Hood trace 150 years of unsuccessful English efforts to identify, sentence, and reform habitual criminal offenders. The Supreme Court's recent decision in Rummel v. Estelle has publicized habitual offender statutes in the United States. But Rummel primarily addressed the constitutionality, rather than the desirability, of a state habitual offender statute. This Article examines the broader policy questions common to habitual offender programs in both the United Stales and Great Britain. It describes the tension between liberal tradition and the state's desire to incapacitate those who repeatedly threaten life or property.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: Legislating A Judicial Role In National Security Surveillance, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note evaluates the constitutionality of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Section I summarizes the legal history of national security surveillance from 1940 until the passage of the FISA, and briefly discusses the three major circuit court rulings on warrantless foreign intelligence surveillance. Section II describes the provisions of the Act. Section III examines the Act's constitutionality, first considering the scope of congressional authority to regulate the conduct of foreign affairs, then considering whether the political question doctrine prevents judicial scrutiny of executive decisions to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance. The Note concludes that the FISA is an appropriate and constitutional …

The Propriety Of Benefit-Spreading Regulations Under The 10% Lending Limit Of The National Bank Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note examines whether the ten percent lending limit of the National Bank Act should be used to promote benefit-spreading. Section I evaluates the legislative and judicial history of the lending limit and concludes that Congress never intended the Comptroller to issue regulations to foster benefit-spreading. Section II examines the practical ramifications of the benefit-spreading regulations. It concludes that the lending limit cannot effectively foster benefit-spreading without undermining the risk-reducing function of the statute; that compliance with the benefit-spreading regulations is costly while the penalties for noncompliance are inappropriate and unfair; and that existing statutes better promote benefit-spreading while avoiding …

The Case Against Living Probate, Mary Louise Fellows

Michigan Law Review

This Article presents the case against living probate in hopes of preventing a reform that was appropriately discarded a century ago. Part I describes the various living probate proposals, highlighting their similarities, differences, and procedural complexities, and the benefits they seek to realize. Part II lays out four failings of living probate that call the desirability of this reform into question. Finally, in Part III, I propose an alternative reform which concentrates on the underlying problem inspiring living probate proposals - the expense and uncertainty of a mental capacity requirement for executing a valid will.

After "Life For Erie--A Reply, Peter Westen

Michigan Law Review

Erie, having "preoccupied the intellectually dominant group of academic lawyers rising to maturity during the 1940's and 1950's," is reported to be losing its "symbolic centrality" for the newest generation of legal scholars. Professor Redish's prompt and excited response to our essay proves one thing: there is at least one scholar in the country who, having come to legal maturity during the last decade, still remains capable of becoming impassioned about Erie RR v. Tompkins.

Continuing The Erie Debate: A Response To Westen And Lehman, Martin H. Redish

Michigan Law Review

Although the Supreme Court has not spoken in detail on the Erie doctrine since its much-discussed decision in Hanna v. Plumer in 1965, commentary on the doctrine in the literature has undergone something of a "boomlet" in the last several years. Much of it has been stimulated by the groundbreaking article by Professor John Hart Ely in 1974. The latest contribution to the area is the recent article by Professor Peter Westen and Mr. Jeffrey Lehman appearing earlier this year in this journal. Unfortunately, their article does little to advance analysis of the Erie question, and contains numerous fundamental misstatements …

A Model For Determining The Publication Requirements Of Section 552(A)(1) Of The Administrative Procedure Act, Michael J. Kump

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article addresses the question of when the publication rule requires an agency to publish its results in the Federal Register, particularly "interepretations of general applicability" and "statements of general policy." The vast number of recent cases involving violations of the publication rule provide ample· impetus for settling this controversy. Of striking significance is the broad spectrum across which these cases stretch: food stamp cases, prison matters, and immigration disputes. The list is as broad as the range of administrative practice.

Standards For Insecurity Acceleration Under Section 1-208 Of The Uniform Commercial Code: A Proposal For Reform, Darlene M. Nowak

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article examines in Part I how insecurity clauses function under the common law and the U.C.C .. Part II discusses the areas of controversy under section 1-208, the definition of good faith, the need for notice to the debtor, and the debtor's burden of proof. The article will evaluate the need for substantive reform in each area of controversy. A two-tier test of the creditor's insecurity is proposed wherein although the creditor has no responsibility to check the truth of his information, he may accelerate only if the information is true and is such as to make a reasonable …

The Public Broadcasting Act: The Licensee Editorializing Ban And The First Amendment, John C. Grabow

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article contends that the public is deprived of an important source of information on public affairs issues as a result of the section 399(a) prohibition on editorializing. After an examination of the legislative history of Section 399(a), and the heritage of broadcast regulation in the United States, the article concludes that the prohibition on editorializing is an improper restriction on free expression in violation of the First Amendment.

Michigan's Nursing Home Reform Law, John D. Croll

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article examines Michigan's new nursing home reform law, which has been hailed as "landmark legislation" and as a model for the entire country. Part I examines the past failures of nursing home regulation and the need for reform. Part II analyzes the law's key provisions. Part III examines the weaknesses of certain enforcement measures. The article proposes the following improvements: (1) extension of the law's protection to residents of homes for the aged; (2) greater access to patients by approved organizations; (3) adoption of nurse-patient ratios; (4) improvement of inspection procedures; and (5) allowance for patients or their representatives …

Standards Of Willfulness Under The Fair Labor Standards Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The statutes of limitations facing plaintiffs who bring actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act [FLSA] vary, depending upon the willfulness of the violation. The Act establishes two limitations: three years for willful violations, and two years for nonwillful violations. It does not, however, define willfulness, and federal courts have interpreted the concept in two very different ways. Under the more prevalent rule, the test is: "Did the employer know the FLSA was in the picture?" But other courts have been more guarded, reserving the longer limitations period for "violations which are intentional, knowing or voluntary as distinguished from accidental." …

Title Vi, Title Ix, And The Private University: Defining "Recipient" And "Program Or Part Thereof", Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note explores the meaning of "recipient" and "program or part thereof' in title VI and title IX. Section I studies federal court definitions of "recipient" and the legislative history of title VI; it concludes that only organizations that exercise discretion in disbursing federal funds to students are "recipients." Section II explores the "program or part thereof' language as applied to the university by examining legislative history and recent discrimination cases. It argues that, since Congress sought to protect beneficiaries both from discrimination and from overbroad cutoffs, courts and agencies should draw the perimeters of a funds cutoff by balancing …

Putting Bite In Nepa's Bark: New Council On Environmental Quality Regulations For The Preparation Of Environmental Impact Statements, David M. Lesser

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article will examine the new regulations to assess the manner in which they will affect federal decisionmaking. Part I briefly reviews the role the NEPA process has heretofore played in agency decisionmaking and its potential for the future. Parts II, III, and IV discuss specific provisions of the new regulations which may profoundly affect the agencies. Part II examines those sections of the regulations which seek to ensure that the EIS contains the substantive information necessary to fulfill NEPA's policies. Part III discusses significant procedural changes in the environmental assessment process designed to insure that this substantive information is …

Protection For Trade Secrets Under The Toxic Substances Control Act Of 1976, Paula R. Latovick

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article will examine the protection provided by the Act and the measures the EPA has adopted for implementing the Act's provisions. The approach will be to focus on the different functional areas in which disclosure may take place. Part I examines the scheme for designating information as confidential and the mechanics of the reporting system under TSCA. Part II deals with disclosures of confidential information made while implementing the TSCA. Part III focuses on legal disclosures of information submitted as confidential. Finally, Part IV examines the measures taken within the EPA to guarantee the safety of confidential information, the …

Review Of The Landrum-Griffin Act: Twenty Years Of Federal Protection Of Union Members' Rights, By J. R. Bellace And A. D. Berkowitz, Theodore J. St. Antoine

Reviews

In the innocent closing years of the 1950s, the American public fastened on union democracy as the most burning issue of the day. No other subject produced as much mail for Congress. The 229-201 count by which the Landrum-Griffin bill was substituted for the House Labor Committee's bill on labor-management reporting and disclosure constituted the largest total vote in the history of the House of Representatives. Significantly, however, that vote had little if any bearing on union members' rights. What distinguished Landrum-Griffin from the Committee's bill was its stiff new curbs on picketing and boycotts. As Senator John Kennedy's advisor, …

Interest Analysis And The Myth Of Legislative Intent, Lea Brilmayer

Michigan Law Review

My critique begins with a brief analysis of the principles underlying the Currie school's calculations of whether a state has an interest in having its law applied; it seeks to expose the unarticulated biases inherent in that calculus. I then argue that Currie's principles cannot be justified as expressions of actual legislative intent regarding a statute's territorial scope. Indeed, the discrepancy between governmental interests and actual legislative intent has been overlooked only because, in the vast majority of cases, legislatures have no actual intent on territorial reach with which to contrast Currie's results.

But without actual legislative endorsement, interest analysis …

Is There Life For Erie After The Death Of Diversity?, Peter Westen, Jeffrey S. Lehman

Michigan Law Review

This Article is essentially an elaboration of these three themes. Section I sets forth the fundamental principles, or "axioms," that determine whether a particular federal rule is pertinent and valid. Once these axioms are understood, it should become apparent that Erie problems, if not easy, are not uniquely difficult either; instead, they are the kinds of "ordinary" problems that are commonplace in other areas of law. Section II applies these axioms to cases in diversity to determine the validity of various kinds of federal rules of decision. Section III examines the validity of federal rules of decision in federal question …

National Labor Policy: Reflections And Distortions Of Social Justice, Theodore J. St. Antoine

Articles

The impulse behind much of American labor law is profoundly moral. The sufferings and indignities inflicted on working men, women, and even children as the industrial revolution enveloped the western world during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries led many thoughtful observers to focus their attention on what was commonly called the "social question." Certain issues have been treated almost as if they posed questions of good and evil, when all they actually presented were problems of finding a proper balance of power between labor and management. This article shall develop these themes in several specific contexts.