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Full-Text Articles in Law

Constitutional Law-Eminent Domain-Elements Of Fair Value, Hugh B. Muir Dec 1949

Constitutional Law-Eminent Domain-Elements Of Fair Value, Hugh B. Muir

Michigan Law Review

Respondent bought the tug MacArthur from the Coast Guard in March, 1942. Exclusive of his own labor, his outlay for purchase and repair of the tug totaled $8,574.78. In October, 1942, the War Shipping Administration, acting under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, requisitioned the tug and awarded compensation of $9,000. Respondent contested the award, and the Court of Claims found that the fair market value at the time of taking was $15,500. This determination was made without deduction for enhancement of value due to the government's need of vessels, or previous taking of vessels of similar type. The Court …


Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Foreign Corporations-Discriminatory Intangibles Tax, Robert P. Griffin S.Ed. Dec 1949

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Foreign Corporations-Discriminatory Intangibles Tax, Robert P. Griffin S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

An Ohio statute required foreign corporations doing business within the state to pay an ad valorem tax on accounts receivable which arose through outstate sales of goods shipped from warehouses within the state, even though the sales were consummated by an agent maintaining his office without the state. Such intangibles were declared by the Ohio statutory formula to have a situs within the state. At the same time, the accounts receivable of Ohio residents and domestic corporations which were derived from outstate sales by agents having their offices without the state were exempt, even though the goods were shipped from …


Constitutional Law-Privilege Against Self-Incrimination-Waiver Under Compulsory Testimony Act, John A. Nordberg Dec 1949

Constitutional Law-Privilege Against Self-Incrimination-Waiver Under Compulsory Testimony Act, John A. Nordberg

Michigan Law Review

Smith, sole owner and officer of a clothing corporation, appeared before an OPA examiner in response to a subpoena to produce the corporate books. Under the Emergency Price Control Act these records were required to be kept and preserved. Smith said that the records were "destroyed, lost, or misplaced.'' Then, on claiming privilege against self-incrimination, he testified as to activities of the corporation and contents of the absent records. During the interrogation Smith made a long statement in partial summation of his testimony. When he finished, he was asked, ''This is a voluntary statement. You do not claim immunity with …


Constitutional Law--Commerce Clause--Due Process--State Taxation Of Interstate Barges, E. Blythe Stason, Jr. Nov 1949

Constitutional Law--Commerce Clause--Due Process--State Taxation Of Interstate Barges, E. Blythe Stason, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Action was brought to recover ad valorem taxes assessed and collected by the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana on plaintiff's freight ba1ges used in interstate commerce. Plaintiff was a foreign corporation, and its barges were enrolled at ports outside Louisiana but were not taxed by the state of incorporation. They moved, without a fixed schedule, on the Mississippi River. The tax was apportioned on the basis of miles travelled in Louisiana to miles travelled everywhere. Plaintiff argued that the tax violated the due process and commerce clauses of the Constitution because the vessels acquired no tax …


Constitutional Law-Due Process Of Law-Freedom From Unreasonable Search And Seizure-The Admissibility Of Illegally Seized Evidence, Bernard Goldstone S.Ed. Nov 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process Of Law-Freedom From Unreasonable Search And Seizure-The Admissibility Of Illegally Seized Evidence, Bernard Goldstone S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Local police officers entered the private office of petitioner, a practising physician, without a warrant and seized his private books and records. As a result of the information thus obtained, petitioner was convicted of conspiracy to perform an abortion. Petitioner claimed that his constitutional rights were invaded contending that due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment includes freedom from unreasonable search and seizure and prevents the admission of illegally seized evidence, but this was denied by the Supreme Court of Colorado and the conviction was affirmed. On certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States, held, affirmed, …


Henry Moore Bates, Roscoe Pound Jun 1949

Henry Moore Bates, Roscoe Pound

Michigan Law Review

It has been my uniform practice never to read from a manuscript or use notes when I am speaking to an audience, but in speaking of so old and dear a friend I feel a certain inhibition of emotion that stands in the way of an adequate oral speech. Moreover, when I think of Dean Bates' unswerving adherence to exact, accurate statement, his abhorrence of all exaggeration, of all overstatement, I feel that he would not be satisfied with one who followed the relatively loose method of oral statement instead of adhering to a carefully and meticulously prepared manuscript for …


Constitutional Law--Commerce Clause--Is Organized Baseball Interstate Commerce, Charles Hansen Jun 1949

Constitutional Law--Commerce Clause--Is Organized Baseball Interstate Commerce, Charles Hansen

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff contracted to play baseball for defendant ball club. The agreement contained the usual "reserve" clause whereby the player agreed not to perform for a team other than defendant unless assigned or released. By terms of the contract, broad disciplinary power over the contracting parties was accorded the commissioner of baseball, and when plaintiff breached the reserve clause, an exercise of that power resulted in his being barred from Organized Baseball for a period of five years. Suit was brought against the organizations comprising Organized Baseball under the Sherman Act, for damages caused by the consequent deprivation of plaintiff's means …


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Punishment For Direct Contempt Of Court, William R. Worth Jun 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Punishment For Direct Contempt Of Court, William R. Worth

Michigan Law Review

Opposing counsel's objection to material in petitioner's opening statement to the jury was sustained. When petitioner rephrased his statement, the trial court, feeling that he was still trying to get inadmissible material before the jury, threatened to "declare a mistrial if you mess with me two minutes and a half, and fine you besides.'' Petitioner took an exception to the conduct of the court, and was immediately fined $25. His protests led to successive increases in penalty, culminating in a $100 fine and three days in jail. The Supreme Court of Texas denied habeas corpus on the ground that the …


Corporations-Restrictions On Holding Real Estate-Lnterpretation Of Michigan's Constitutional Restriction, W. M. Myers May 1949

Corporations-Restrictions On Holding Real Estate-Lnterpretation Of Michigan's Constitutional Restriction, W. M. Myers

Michigan Law Review

While it is now well settled that a corporation has the power to acquire and hold real estate, this power may be limited by the charter creating the corporation, by legislative enactments of a general nature, or by specific constitutional provisions. When such a limitation is imposed by constitution, a problem of construction arises in interpreting it in a workable way after the social conditions motivating it have changed or disappeared.


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Freedom Of Speech-Limitations On Use Of Sound Amplification Devices, Bernard Goldstone S. Ed. May 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Freedom Of Speech-Limitations On Use Of Sound Amplification Devices, Bernard Goldstone S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Appellant used sound equipment mounted on his truck to comment on a labor dispute. He was convicted in a police court of violating a city ordinance which prohibited the use on any public street of sound amplifying devices emitting loud and raucous noises. The intermediate court of appeal of New Jersey, in affirming the conviction, construed the ordinance to be an absolute prohibition. The conviction was sustained on appeal to the highest court of New Jersey by an evenly divided court of twelve justices. On appeal to the United States Supreme Court, held, affirmed. Justice Reed, joined by Chief …


Constitutional Law-Search And Seizure As An Incident To Lawful Arrest, Zolman Cavitch May 1949

Constitutional Law-Search And Seizure As An Incident To Lawful Arrest, Zolman Cavitch

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners, suspected of carrying on an illegal lottery, had been under police observation for several months, during which time one of the petitioners maintained a room in a rooming house in the District of Columbia. On the day of the arrest, a police officer, without a warrant, but believing the unlawful lottery to be in operation, climbed through a window of the landlady's room, and admitted two other officers. They proceeded to the petitioner's room, where one of the officers looked through the transom. Seeing the petitioners working on an illegal lottery, the officers entered the room, arrested the petitioners …


Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Miscegenation Statute Declared Unconstitutional, Donald D. Davis Apr 1949

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Miscegenation Statute Declared Unconstitutional, Donald D. Davis

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners, a female white and a male Negro, applied to respondent, county clerk of Los Angeles County, for a marriage license. Respondent refused to issue the license, relying on sections 60 and 69 of the California Code. Petitioners brought a mandamus proceeding to compel respondent to issue the license, contending that the statutes relied on by respondent were unconstitutional in that they prohibited the free exercise of their religion. Held, in a four to three decision, the statute is unconstitutional. Three justices of the majority found that the statute violated the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution …


Compulsory Licensing By Judicial Action: A Remedy For Misuse Of Patents, Neal Seegert Mar 1949

Compulsory Licensing By Judicial Action: A Remedy For Misuse Of Patents, Neal Seegert

Michigan Law Review

Having viewed the fundamental problems, it is pertinent to outline some of the alleged abuses of the American patent system as it operates in our modern business and industrial economy and to canvass some of the proposed remedies. First are abuses that might be termed attempts to extend the duration of the patent monopoly. These stem mainly from the procedural aspects of the patent laws. Foremost among them is the problem of long pendency of applications, particularly the dilatory tactics that are possible under the law, which postpone issuance of the patent, thus extending the time duration of the patent …


Aliens-Naturalization Proceedings-Is Alleged Communist Attached To Principles Of Constitution?, Paul E. Anderson Mar 1949

Aliens-Naturalization Proceedings-Is Alleged Communist Attached To Principles Of Constitution?, Paul E. Anderson

Michigan Law Review

Seeking citizenship status, petitioner filed a formal petition for naturalization, introduced affidavits of two citizens as to his character, and testified under oath that he would support the Constitution. The Immigration and Naturalization Service opposed his petition on the ground that he failed to show a proper attachment to the principles of the Constitution as required by the Nationality Act. On hearing, proof was made that petitioner was a member and officer of the International Workers Order, an organization labeled by the House Committee on Un-American Activities as a Communist front. Testimony of an immigration inspector that petitioner had the …


Workmen's Compensation Acts-Amendments Changing Period For Additional Compensation Due To Aggravation Of Injury, W. Stirling Maxwell S. Ed. Mar 1949

Workmen's Compensation Acts-Amendments Changing Period For Additional Compensation Due To Aggravation Of Injury, W. Stirling Maxwell S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The typical workmen's compensation act provides both for an award to compensate the employee for his original injury and for subsequent awards to compensate him for aggravation of the injury occurring after the original award. The time during which the original award may be opened to allow additional compensation for subsequent aggravation may not be expressly limited, or opening may be limited to a stated time after the original injury or the last payment of the original award. By amendment, the legislature may either lengthen or shorten this period for opening. Whether such amendment applies to a claim for compensation …


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Federal Right To Counsel In Non-Capital Cases In State Courts, J. D. Mcleod Mar 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Federal Right To Counsel In Non-Capital Cases In State Courts, J. D. Mcleod

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner was convicted in Illinois on pleas of guilty to two indictments charging him with a non-capital offense. On writ of error to the Supreme Court of Illinois, petitioner alleged that the trial court had not inquired into his desire or ability to have counsel and that he had been convicted without having had assistance of counsel. His contention that the circumstances alleged constituted a violation of the State and Federal Constitutions was overruled, and the judgments of the lower court affirmed. On certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, held affirmed. The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment …


Constitutional Law-Interstate Commerce--Validity Of Statute Requiring Collection Of Use Tax By Out-Of-State Vendor Engaged Solely In Interstate Commerce, J. C. Mordy Mar 1949

Constitutional Law-Interstate Commerce--Validity Of Statute Requiring Collection Of Use Tax By Out-Of-State Vendor Engaged Solely In Interstate Commerce, J. C. Mordy

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a Tennessee corporation, sued to recover taxes paid under protest pursuant to the Mississippi Use Tax Act. The act required collection by retailers "maintaining a place of business" in the state, which phrase was defined as including any retailer having any agent operating within the state. Plaintiff's salesmen, nonresidents of Mississippi, solicited orders for goods within that state. Acceptance of the orders and delivery to an interstate carrier were at plaintiff's home office in Tennessee. Held, insofar as the act requires a nonresident vendor to collect the tax, it violates the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. …


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Prisoner Condemned To Death To Hearing On His Sanity, E. Blythe Stason Jr. Mar 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Prisoner Condemned To Death To Hearing On His Sanity, E. Blythe Stason Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner, sentenced to death in California for murder, obtained a judicial stay of execution on the ground that he had become insane since sentence had been passed. Eighteen days later he was certified as sane by the medical superintendent of the state hospital, who made this determination by an ex parte examination without giving petitioner notice or opportunity of hearing. A new date for execution was then set. The applicable statute provided a procedure, enforceable by mandamus, whereby a sentenced prisoner could obtain a hearing on his sanity. The petitioner, without seeking mandamus to compel the warden to act, applied …


The Presidential Succession Act Of I947, Ruth C. Silva Feb 1949

The Presidential Succession Act Of I947, Ruth C. Silva

Michigan Law Review

The Constitution of the United States empowers the Congress to designate what officer shall act as President in case of the death, resignation, removal, or inability of both the President and Vice President. Recently the Eightieth Congress passed a statute under this grant of power. Although the new succession act is frequently alleged to be unconstitutional, it is similar to the first succession law enacted by the Second Congress, which contained many of the men who framed the Constitution and voted for its ratification. The law of 1792 provided that the President pro tempore of the Senate or, if the …


Constitutional Law-State Taxation Of Gross Receipts From Interstate Commerce, John C. Walker Feb 1949

Constitutional Law-State Taxation Of Gross Receipts From Interstate Commerce, John C. Walker

Michigan Law Review

A New York statute imposed a tax of two per cent on the gross receipts of all utilities doing business within the state. The State Tax Commission construed this statute as applicable to the total receipts of petitioner derived from transporting passengers for hire from a point within New York to another point within the same state over a route which passed through New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The state courts affirmed the determination of the commission, and the petitioner appealed. Held, reversed and remanded. The transportation was interstate, and an unapportioned tax on the gross receipts derived therefrom was …


Coigne: Statute Making, Michigan Law Review Feb 1949

Coigne: Statute Making, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of STATUTE MAKING. By Armand B. Coigne.


Domestic Relations - Statutory Abolition Of Certain Causes Of Action, George A. Rinker S.Ed. Jan 1949

Domestic Relations - Statutory Abolition Of Certain Causes Of Action, George A. Rinker S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

ln response to widespread and vigorous criticism of the abuses practiced through the use of the action at law for breach of promise to marry, and to a lesser extent, the actions for alienation of affections, criminal conversation, and seduction, several states enacted legislation designed to eliminate the evils complained of by abolishing some or all of those causes of action. The purpose of the present discussion is to analyze and compare the various statutes, and to indicate how they have fared in the courts; in short, to survey the whole reform program as it stands twelve years after the …


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Accused To Writ Of Error Coram Nobis, Bernard L. Trott Jan 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Accused To Writ Of Error Coram Nobis, Bernard L. Trott

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner, a nineteen year old Negro, was convicted of rape in a circuit court of Alabama. The conviction, largely predicated on a confession made by petitioner on July 3, 1946, to the local police, was affirmed on April 24, 1947, by the Supreme Court of Alabama. This petition was subsequently initiated before the Alabama Supreme Court seeking an order granting permission to petition the trial court for a writ of error coram nobis. The request was accompanied by an allegation that petitioner's confession had been induced by mental and physical torture administered by the local police. At no time during …


Constitutional Law--Anti-Lynching Legislation, William B. Harvey S.Ed. Jan 1949

Constitutional Law--Anti-Lynching Legislation, William B. Harvey S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Despite progress in recent years toward the elimination of lynching, the demand for adequate federal legislation to cope with the problem is unabated. For almost three decades Congress has considered a succession of anti-lynching bills, most of which have been favorably reported by committees. None has become law. Legislators and others opposing the enactment of a federal anti-lynching act have placed primary reliance on an asserted lack of constitutionality. It is argued that lynching is merely local crime within the scope of the power and responsibility of the states to enforce their own criminal law. The purpose of this comment …


Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Alien Enemy To Judicial Review Of Deportation Proceeding, Robert P. Griffin Jan 1949

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Right Of Alien Enemy To Judicial Review Of Deportation Proceeding, Robert P. Griffin

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner, a German alien enemy, had been arrested and interned during the war by virtue of broad summary powers granted the Chief Executive by the Alien Enemy Act of 1798. The act subjects alien enemies to apprehension, detention, and deportation upon order of the President "whenever there is a declared war . . . . " Under authority of the act, the President, on July 14, 1945, ordered the removal of all alien enemies "who shall be deemed by the Attorney General to be dangerous to the public peace . . . . " Though the act makes no provision …


Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-State Restrictions In Nominations Of Candidates, David H. Armstrong S.Ed. Jan 1949

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-State Restrictions In Nominations Of Candidates, David H. Armstrong S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The Progressive Party, unable to qualify as a political party for purposes of the Illinois primary election, sought to nominate candidates for state and national offices by petition. The Illinois Election Code provides that such nominating petitions shall include the signatures of at least 200 qualified voters from each of at least 50 counties in the state. Of the state's registered voters, 87 per cent reside in the 49 most populous counties. The State Officers Electoral Board found that the petitions were insufficient, and the Illinois Supreme Court denied a motion for leave to file a petition of mandamus to …


Constitutional Law--Statutory Interpretation Under Labor-Management Relations Act--Prohibition Of Union Political Expenditures, Roland E. Ginsburg Jan 1949

Constitutional Law--Statutory Interpretation Under Labor-Management Relations Act--Prohibition Of Union Political Expenditures, Roland E. Ginsburg

Michigan Law Review

The C.I.O., with the consent of its president, Philip Murray, made expenditures from the funds of the organization for the publication of an editorial in the "C.I.O. News," a regularly issued periodical, urging the members of the C.I.O. to vote for a particular candidate in a special Congressional election in Maryland. Additional funds were expended for the publication and transportation of one thousand extra copies. Both the C.I.O. and Mr. Murray were charged with violation of section 304 of the Labor-Management Relations Act in the district court. Defendants moved to dismiss the indictment, alleging that the statute abridged rights guaranteed …


Venue-Forum Non Conveniens-Transfer Of Venue In Federal Employers' Liability Cases Under The New Judicial Code, Donald D. Davis Jan 1949

Venue-Forum Non Conveniens-Transfer Of Venue In Federal Employers' Liability Cases Under The New Judicial Code, Donald D. Davis

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a resident of Texas, brought action in a United States district court in Minnesota to recover damages under the Federal Employers' Liability Act for injuries received in an accident in Texas. Defendant, in accordance with section 1404(a) of the United States Judicial Code, moved for a change of venue to Texas for the convenience of parties and witnesses and in the interest of justice. Plaintiff resisted the transfer solely on the ground that the section did not apply where venue was granted under the F.E.L.A. Held, by a two judge district court, motion granted. Hayes v. Chicago, R.I. …