Law Commons^™

Appeal And Error - General Verdict On Several Counts- Several Specifications Of Negligence As Constituting One Cause Of Action

Michigan Law Review

In a highway accident case the plaintiff made five distinct allegations of negligence: failure to place lights upon a plank which had been placed across a highway; failure to remove the plank; permitting and suffering the plank to be placed where it was dangerous to travel; failure to construct poles, gates, and guards so that persons using the highway would be informed of the dangerous situation; and failure to employ a watchman to warn the public of the existence of the obstruction. Held, there was but one act of negligence, hence but one cause of action. Therefore, an erroneous …

A Comparative Study Of The Statutory Survival Of Tort Claims For And Against Executors And Administrators, Alvin E. Evans

Michigan Law Review

The problem of the survival of actions after death of one of the parties is unfortunately not merely a mater of history. Like the poor, it is always with us. We can no longer profitably wave aside the problems likely to be presented by a comparative study of American legislation on survival by stating that our legislation covers the same general field as do the English statutes of 4 Edward III and 3 and 4 William IV and others of less importance. There is a need for an outline of these American statutes and for a rationalization of the principles …

Conflict Of Laws-Right Of Action For Foreign Tort

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, an automobile guest, brought action against the driver in Wisconsin for personal injuries sustained in Illinois through the driver's negligence. After commencement of the action, but before trial, the parties intermarried and established a matrimonial domicil in Wisconsin. Held, that the law governing the creation and extent of tort liability is that of the place where the tort is committed; that by the law of Illinois the cause of action was extinguished because of the legal unity of husband and wife; and therefore that the suit must abate, despite the fact that suits between spouses are ordinarily permitted …

Husband And Wife-Right Of Wife To Sue Husband For Tort

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, an automobile guest resident in Wisconsin, brought action against the driver for personal injuries sustained in Illinois through the driver's negligence. After commencement of the action but before trial the parties intermarried. Held, that by the law of Illinois the cause of action was extinguished because of the legal unity of husband and wife, that the law governing the creation and extent of defendant's liability was the law of Illinois, and the cause of action therefore abated. Buckeye v. Buckeye (Wis. 1931) 234 N.W. 342.

Conflict Of Laws-Foreign Tort-Survival Of Action

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, defendant, and defendant's intestate were all residents of Minnesota. Plaintiff was injured in Wisconsin due to the negligence of the defendant's intestate. Under Wisconsin statute (Laws of Wis., 1927, sec. 287.01) such cause of action survived against the estate of the wrongdoer. By express statute in Minnesota (Minn. Gen. Stat. 1923, sec. 9656) the rule of the common law applied to such actions and they abated on the death of the wrongdoer. Plaintiff sued the defendant executor in Minnesota. Held, that the lex loci delicti governed and the action did not abate. Chubbuck v. Holloway (Minn. 1931) 234 …

Torts-Proximate Cause-Intervening Criminal Act

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, in entering plaintiff's house to repossess certain furniture sold under a contract granting the vendor the right to repossess, opened, and left open, a window which plaintiff had nailed shut. Subsequently a burglar entered plaintiff's house and stole other goods belonging to plaintiff. Alleging negligence on defendant's part, plaintiff sued and recovered for the value of the goods stolen, but, on appeal, it was held that there was not sufficient evidence of negligence to warrant the verdict, and that, admitting negligence, the alleged negligence was not, as a matter of law, the cause of plaintiff's loss. Strong v. Granite …

Nuisance-Effect Of Failure To Do Everything Practicable To Prevent

Michigan Law Review

The defendant's galvanizing plant emitted noxious fumes, causing a noticeable odor on the premises of the plaintiff. Held, the defendant was maintaining a nuisance. Its failure to do everything "commercially practicable" to prevent the condition was an important factor in determining whether or not a nuisance existed. De Blois v. Bowers, 44 F.(2d) 621.

Sales-Absolute Warranty Of Purity Of Food--"Liability Without Fault"

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff bought a bottle of Coca-Cola from a retailer; it was opened in his presence and he drank it at once. The bottle contained decomposed parts of a mouse or rat, and the plaintiff became violently ill after drinking the Coca-Cola. In an action against the manufacturer, held, that there was an absolute warranty of fitness for human consumption, and that the manufacturer was liable for the results of any impurities, regardless of whether or not he was negligent. Coca-Cola Bottling Works v. Simpson (Miss. 1930) 130 So. 479.

Torts-Negligence-Duty To A Seen Trespasser-Child Trespassers

Michigan Law Review

The defendant was hired by the owner of some waste land to cut down a tree. The land was unfenced and the children of the neighborhood used. it as a playground, although they had no license to do so. When the cutting of the tree began, a crowd of children gathered, and though driven away they returned. With but one root remaining the defendant cut it without further warning, and the infant plaintiff was injured by the falling tree. The trial court found that the defendant was guilty of negligence; that this negligence was the proximate cause of plaintiff's injury; …

Trusts-Right Of Trustee To Reimbursement For Tort Liability

Michigan Law Review

The recent New York case, In re Lathers presents the question seldom before raised whether a trustee may be reimbursed from the trust estate for tort liability to a third person through his negligence in management of the estate. In that case, as a result of fire in an apartment building of the trust property, the trustee suffered judgments for $62,000 plus costs. The rooms of one apartment, rented by the trustee's agent, had been closed off by the lessee to form several small apartments. For the one subleased to the tort creditor, access to fire escapes, adequate normally, was …

Constitutional Law-Action For Personal Injury As Property

Michigan Law Review

In an action for personal injury to the plaintiff while a guest in defendant's car, the trial court instructed the jury that plaintiff must prove the elements required by the Guest Act, i.e., a heedless and reckless disregard of the rights of others, and not merely the common law requirements for negligence. The Guest Act (Pub, Acts, 1927, c. 308) was void for failure of the governor to sign in the prescribed time. Validating acts were passed after the accident in question. Held, action for personal injury was a property interest and the validating acts, operating retrospectively, impaired plaintiff's …

Contracts-Rescission For Substantial Breach-Lien For Improvements Given Vendee

Michigan Law Review

For statement of facts see preceding note in this issue, Younger v. Caroselli, 251 Mich. 533, 232 N.W. 378.

According to the majority view in the United States, a builder, whose substantial breach of contract (the instant case can hardly be considered one of substantial performance) is merely negligent and in good faith, can recover the value of his labor and materials less the damage caused the promisee.

Contribution--Joint Tort-Feasors--Parent Of Minor Plaintiff

Michigan Law Review

A, a minor, while riding in an automobile driven by B, his father, sustained injuries in a collision with an automobile driven by C. A sued C, and the latter impleaded B on a cross-complaint for contribution. The jury found the injuries to be the result of the concurring negligence of both defendants. The cross-complaint was dismissed. Held, that since there could be no recovery against the father by his son, no right of contribution existed. Zutter v. O'Connell (Wis. 1930) 229 N.W. 74-