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Corporations - Stockholders - Effect Of State Constitutional Provisions On Liabilty To Creditors For Unpaid Subscriptions, Douglas Peck S.Ed. Dec 1955

Corporations - Stockholders - Effect Of State Constitutional Provisions On Liabilty To Creditors For Unpaid Subscriptions, Douglas Peck S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Basset and Company, an Oklahoma corporation, issued stock to defendant for which defendant never paid. The sum due was carried on the corporate books as "subscriptions receivable." The corporation became bankrupt and the trustee brought suit in the federal district court to recover the amount due on the subscriptions. Held, judgment for the defendant. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, where stock is issued for consideration which is less than par value, the issue is void. The stock certificate cannot serve as a consideration to support the would-be stockholder's promise to pay for the stock, and no liability attaches to the …


Federal Procedure - Venue - Interpretation Of Section 1404(A) In Cases Arising Under The Federal Employers' Liability Act, Charles G. Williamson, Jr. S.Ed. Dec 1955

Federal Procedure - Venue - Interpretation Of Section 1404(A) In Cases Arising Under The Federal Employers' Liability Act, Charles G. Williamson, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Three petitioners instituted separate suits in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the provisions of the Federal Employers' Liability Act, for injuries received in the derailment of a train in South Carolina. The cases were transferred to the Eastern District of South Carolina under the provisions of section 1404 (a), title 28, U.S.C. Because of a court of appeals ruling that orders for transfer were not appealable, petitioners sought mandamus to compel the district judge to set aside his orders for transfer. The court of appeals denied the applications. On certiorari to the United …


Husband And Wife -- Personal Tort Actions Between Spouses -- Statutory Construction, Robert B. Olsen S.Ed. Jun 1955

Husband And Wife -- Personal Tort Actions Between Spouses -- Statutory Construction, Robert B. Olsen S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Following an interlocutory divorce decree, and while the parties were living apart from one another, defendant allegedly assaulted the plaintiff. The trial court dismissed her complaint on the ground that no action could be brought by one spouse against the other for personal torts committed during coverture. On appeal, held, reversed, three judges dissenting and one concurring. The Judicial Code and the Husband and Wife Statutes of Utah, when considered together, entitle a married woman to maintain an action against her husband for injuries intentionally inflicted upon her. Taylor v. Patten, 2 Utah (2d) 404, 275 P. (2d) …


Contributory Negligence - Duty Of Pedestrian To Look While Crossing Intersection With Light, Harvey A. Howard S.Ed. Jun 1955

Contributory Negligence - Duty Of Pedestrian To Look While Crossing Intersection With Light, Harvey A. Howard S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff was crossing a busy intersection in reliance on a green traffic light in his favor when he was struck by defendant's automobile. Testifying in his own behalf, plaintiff said that he waited until the light changed to green and traffic on both sides stopped before proceeding to cross the street. He further stated that he was hit just before reaching the other side of the street. He did not see defendant's automobile before it struck him. At the conclusion of this testimony defendant moved for a directed verdict on the ground that plaintiff had failed to show freedom …


Restitution - Election Of Remedies - Action In Quasi-Contract Against Joint Tortfeasor As Barring Fraud Action Against Other Joint Tortfeasors, Douglas Peck S.Ed. Jun 1955

Restitution - Election Of Remedies - Action In Quasi-Contract Against Joint Tortfeasor As Barring Fraud Action Against Other Joint Tortfeasors, Douglas Peck S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued for fraud, alleging that defendant engraving companies secretly agreed with an agent of the plaintiff to give the agent a commission in return for which the agent was to contract for engraving work to be done by the defendants for plaintiff at a rate in excess of the fair market price for such work. Upon discovery of the fraud and prior to the commencement of this action, plaintiff had instituted an action in a state court against its agent for money had and received, and had obtained an attachment. Upon defendants' motion to dismiss the fraud action, held …


Federal Procedure - Jurisdiction - Suit Under Direct Action Statute Where There Is Diversity Of Citizenship Between Claimant And Insurer But Not Between Claimant And Wrongdoer, William R. Jentes May 1955

Federal Procedure - Jurisdiction - Suit Under Direct Action Statute Where There Is Diversity Of Citizenship Between Claimant And Insurer But Not Between Claimant And Wrongdoer, William R. Jentes

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a citizen of Louisiana, was injured in an automobile accident allegedly caused by the negligence of another citizen of Louisiana. Defendant insurance company, an Illinois corporation, had issued a public liability policy insuring the latter against claims arising from the negligent operation of his car. Pursuant to a Louisiana statutory provision that "the injured person or his or her heirs, at their option, shall have a right of direct action . . . against the insurer alone or against both the insured and the insurer, jointly and in solido,'' respondent brought an action against the petitioner alone in the …


Negligence - Duty Of Landlord Toward His Own Social Guest Injured On A Common Stairway, Lawrence Sperling May 1955

Negligence - Duty Of Landlord Toward His Own Social Guest Injured On A Common Stairway, Lawrence Sperling

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was co-owner of an apartment house and occupied one of the apartments. Plaintiff, his invited social guest, was injured while descending the common stairway because of defendant's negligence in failing to provide adequate lighting. A directed verdict for the defendant was affirmed by the appellate division on the ground that plaintiff as a social guest of the landowner was only a licensee. On appeal to the supreme court, held, reversed, three judges dissenting. A social guest of the landlord is an invitee while on the common stairway and therefore may recover for injuries sustained due to negligent maintenance …


Sales - Conditional Sales - Punitive Damages For Forcible Repossession Of Chattel, William G. Cloon, Jr. S.Ed. May 1955

Sales - Conditional Sales - Punitive Damages For Forcible Repossession Of Chattel, William G. Cloon, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff purchased a truck under a conditional sales contract which was assigned to the defendant finance company. He drove the truck to the place of business of the defendant to adjust differences between the two parties, but when he attempted to leave after no agreement had been reached, he discovered that the keys had been removed from the truck. When informed that the truck had been repossessed, the plaintiff produced another set of keys but was unable to leave with the truck. The testimony of the plaintiff that an agent of the defendant seized his hand to prevent the unlocking …


Conflict Of Laws - Due Process And Full Faith And Credit - Direct Action Statute, Harvey A. Howard S.Ed. Apr 1955

Conflict Of Laws - Due Process And Full Faith And Credit - Direct Action Statute, Harvey A. Howard S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Defendant issued a liability insurance policy to the manufacturer of a hair-waving product, an Illinois subsidiary of a Delaware corporation having its headquarters in Massachusetts. The policy, issued in Massachusetts and delivered in Massachusetts and Illinois, was to protect the insured against damages that might be suffered by users of the product anywhere in the United States or Canada. It contained a "no action" clause enforceable under Massachusetts and Illinois law prohibiting direct actions against the insurer until final determination of the insured's liability, either by judgment or agreement. Alleging injuries sustained in Louisiana where the product was bought and …


Workmen's Compensation - Traumatic Neurosis Without Physical Injury, Irving L. Halpern Apr 1955

Workmen's Compensation - Traumatic Neurosis Without Physical Injury, Irving L. Halpern

Michigan Law Review

Appellee and his co-worker attempted to lower a suspended scaffold on which they were standing, whereupon the scaffold gave way and the coworker fell to his death. Appellee suffered only slight bruises on his leg, but as a result of seeing his fellow employee fall to his death, he sustained severe fright and shock which resulted in a traumatic neurosis preventing him from engaging in the normal duties of his occupation. The lower court awarded appellee judgment for permanent partial disability under the Texas Workmen's Compensation Law. On appeal, held, reversed. Appellee's condition was a mental disease and compensable …


Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Application To Multiple Defendants In The Alternative, Edward H. Hoenicke Mar 1955

Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Application To Multiple Defendants In The Alternative, Edward H. Hoenicke

Michigan Law Review

Appellant, a minor, was injured by the explosion of an "aerial bomb" which he found on a county fair ground. Two of the defendants admitted having brought aerial bombs to the fair but each entered evidence which if believed would show that he had not left the article which injured the appellant. These two defendants were completely independent of each other and it was admitted that both could not be responsible for the injury to the child. The lower court instructed the jury that if they could not determine which of the two defendants was actionably negligent, they were compelled …


Negligence - Breach Of Duty - Standard Of Care Required Of Infant Defendants, Dale Van Winkle Feb 1955

Negligence - Breach Of Duty - Standard Of Care Required Of Infant Defendants, Dale Van Winkle

Michigan Law Review

One of the defendants, a child four years and eight months of age, while playing with infant plaintiff, threw a stone which struck a bottle near where plaintiff was standing. A chip of glass Hew from the bottle into the eye of plaintiff, resulting in injury. The action was brought by infant plaintiff's father individually and as guardian ad litem against infant defendant's father individually and as guardian ad litem. The trial court denied infant defendant's motion for summary judgment. On appeal, held, reversed and remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint as to infant defendant. The authorities do …


Negligence - Proximate Cause - Liability Of Saloon Keeper For Liquor Sale Against Wife's Notice, Stephen C. Bransdorfer Feb 1955

Negligence - Proximate Cause - Liability Of Saloon Keeper For Liquor Sale Against Wife's Notice, Stephen C. Bransdorfer

Michigan Law Review

A wrongful death action was brought by the widow and children of a deceased patron of defendant's saloon, the patron having been fatally injured in a fall while engaged in fisticuffs after consuming liquor sold by defendant. Plaintiffs alleged that defendant knew that deceased became belligerent when intoxicated and that sales were made despite widow's prior request that liquor not be furnished to deceased husband in sufficient quantity to cause intoxication. The trial court sustained a demurrer without leave to amend and gave judgment for defendant. On appeal, held, reversed; the trial court abused its discretion. Cole v. Rush …


Federal Procedure - Venue In Third-Party Tort Actions Against The United States, Robert B. Olsen S.Ed. Jan 1955

Federal Procedure - Venue In Third-Party Tort Actions Against The United States, Robert B. Olsen S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sustained serious injuries when he was struck by a mail pouch thrown from defendant's moving train by a United States mail clerk. Action was was brought against the railroad in the District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, whereupon the railroad filed a third-party complaint against the United States, alleging negligence on the part of the mail clerk. The United States moved for a dismissal on the ground that both plaintiffs residence and the situs of the injury were in the Eastern District of Oklahoma; since the venue provisions of Title 28, U.S.C. (1952) §1402(b) prescribe that tort …


Torts - Liability Of Physician Erroneously Certifying Insanity, Richard Z. Rosenfeld Jan 1955

Torts - Liability Of Physician Erroneously Certifying Insanity, Richard Z. Rosenfeld

Michigan Law Review

A physician certified plaintiff to be insane, when in fact she was sane; she was thereafter committed to a state sanitarium. Upon her release, she sued the physician for negligence in examination. Defendant's demurrer for failure to state a cause of action was sustained. On appeal, held, affirmed. Quoting almost the entirety of an analogous 1900 decision from the same jurisdiction, the court held that defendant had owed no duty to plaintiff. Because the administration of the law "should not be obstructed by the fears of physicians that they may render themselves liable to suit," certifying physicians "should be …