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Full-Text Articles in Law

Congressional Redistricting And The Constitution, Harold M. Bowman Dec 1932

Congressional Redistricting And The Constitution, Harold M. Bowman

Michigan Law Review

Is congressional redistricting by state legislatures an exercise of the lawmaking function, subject to the governor's veto power? Is fairness in such redistricting secured today either by federal statute or by the federal Constitution? Of these two questions, posed by recent events, the first has been completely answered; the second has been answered in part only -- breeding in its answer new and troublesome problems.


Assignment Of Money Claims (Particularly Wage Claims) - Restraint On Alienation Dec 1932

Assignment Of Money Claims (Particularly Wage Claims) - Restraint On Alienation

Michigan Law Review

If a contract has been performed on one side so that all that remains is an obligation to pay and a right to receive money, can the parties by agreement effectively prevent the assignment of the claim? The Illinois Supreme Court had this question before it for consideration in the case of State Street Furniture Co. v. Armour & Co., where the plaintiff was the assignee of wages due to an employee of the defendant, the employee having agreed not to assign his wages without the written consent of his employer. The court decided that the restrictive agreement had …


Carriers-Power Of The Interstate Commerce Commission To Award Reparation On Rates Formerly Fixed As Reasonable Nov 1932

Carriers-Power Of The Interstate Commerce Commission To Award Reparation On Rates Formerly Fixed As Reasonable

Michigan Law Review

In 1921 the Interstate Commerce Commission fixed a rate of 96.5 cents per cwt. as the maximum reasonable rate for the future on sugar between Phoenix, Arizona, and all points in California. In a subsequent attack on rates in 1925, the Commission found reasonable a still lower rate of 73 and 71 cents per cwt. from Northern and from Southern California, respectively, and awarded reparation for the amount by which the rates actually charged exceeded the new rates over a period from 1923 to 1925. From this order the carrier appealed on the ground that the Commission was precluded from …


Municipal Corporations-Power Of Board Of Appeals To Vary Application Of Zoning Ordinance Nov 1932

Municipal Corporations-Power Of Board Of Appeals To Vary Application Of Zoning Ordinance

Michigan Law Review

Although there was some dispute among the earlier authorities, it is the rule today that comprehensive zoning ordinances, if enacted under proper legislative authority, are constitutional and will be upheld in so far as they are reasonable in application. In order to give aggrieved property owners an opportunity to obtain relief upon the basis of the ordinance itself without attacking its constitutionality, it has become common practice to give the board of appeals the power to vary the operation of the ordinance in specific cases.


Constitutional Law-Public Purpose-Feed Loans To Destitute Farmers Nov 1932

Constitutional Law-Public Purpose-Feed Loans To Destitute Farmers

Michigan Law Review

Pursuant to a constitutional provision enabling such action, the Governor asked the supreme court of South Dakota the following question: "Could the legislature enact legislation which would permit the several counties as a county enterprise to raise funds either by supplemental budget or bond or warrant issues with which they might in turn furnish feed loans or even distribute feed as a part of a county poor relief system . . . ?" In answer to this question the court held, in In re Opinion of the Judges, that the furnishing of feed or feed loans to individuals …


Constitutional Law-Criminal Procedure-Comment By Judge On Evidence Jun 1932

Constitutional Law-Criminal Procedure-Comment By Judge On Evidence

Michigan Law Review

In the recent case of People v. Kelly, the Illinois supreme court decided (two justices dissenting) that the common law right of a judge, in charging the jury, to comment on the evidence and advise as to the facts was not an essential attribute of trial by jury as it, existed at common law, and held that a statute limiting the charge strictly to matters of law was not an infringement of the right of trial by jury guaranteed by successive Illinois constitutions. The court also decided, in upholding the legislative enactment, that this restriction of the functions of …


Banks And Banking - Preferred Claims Of Savings Depositors - Set-Offs Jun 1932

Banks And Banking - Preferred Claims Of Savings Depositors - Set-Offs

Michigan Law Review

Members of the Michigan bar who have had to deal with perplexing receivership problems, growing out of the many recent bank failures, should welcome the case of Reichert v. Farmers & Workingmens Savings Bank, 257 Mich. 500, decided April 4, 1932. It involves twelve important questions in banking law, certified from the Jackson circuit court. The answers of the supreme court to these questions should serve to settle the law for the benefit of receivers and their counsel for years to come.


Banks And Banking - Liability Of Stockholders For Debts In Insolvencies Occurring After Transfer Of Stock, Warren W. Kennerly Jun 1932

Banks And Banking - Liability Of Stockholders For Debts In Insolvencies Occurring After Transfer Of Stock, Warren W. Kennerly

Michigan Law Review

The effect of the holding of the Sanders case is of special interest at the present time because of the large number of recent bank failures. This decision may possibly result in former stockholders of Illinois state banks and the heirs of former stockholders being subjected to an assessment on stock that was disposed of several decades ago. The holding is applicable only to state banks, since national banks are not subject to state regulation. It would not be surprising if this Illinois holding should be followed in Nebraska, since the latter state has already based some of its rulings …


Evidence -The Possibility Of Incrimination In A State Jurisdiction Does Not Warrant The Assertion Of The Constitutional Privilege In Federal Proceedings May 1932

Evidence -The Possibility Of Incrimination In A State Jurisdiction Does Not Warrant The Assertion Of The Constitutional Privilege In Federal Proceedings

Michigan Law Review

On indictment for the refusal to give information requested by the authorized revenue agent, the appellee interposed a special plea averring that it would compel him to become a witness against himself in violation of the Fifth Amendment of the federal Constitution which reads, "nor shall any person be compelled to be a witness against himself." Held, the danger of incrimination in a state court was not grounds for asserting the constitutional privilege. United States v. Murdock, 284 U. S. 141, 52 Sup. Ct. 63, 76 L. ed. 83 (1931).


State Administrative Supervision Of Municipal Indebtedness, E. Blythe Stason Apr 1932

State Administrative Supervision Of Municipal Indebtedness, E. Blythe Stason

Michigan Law Review

One of the lessons being drawn from the present economic depression, and especially from the financial straits of municipalities, is the very real need of more adequate restriction upon the power of cities, towns, villages, counties, school districts and other local governments to burden themselves and their taxpayers with excessive public debt.


Equity- Constitutional Law - Power Of Legislature To Change Equitable Doctrines Mar 1932

Equity- Constitutional Law - Power Of Legislature To Change Equitable Doctrines

Michigan Law Review

A Nebraska statute provided that in case of insolvency of a state bank the general depositors, subject to prior liens for taxes, have a first lien on all assets of the bank. A bank converted a note deposited for a special purpose, and indistinguishably mingled the proceeds with the general assets of the bank before insolvency. The deposit was held to have created a trust and the cestui was allowed to recover the amount of the note (trust fund) as a preferred claim upon the general assets of the bank. To the argument that this statute prohibited the imposition of …


Municipal Corporations - Validity Of Setback Ordinances In Improved Districts Mar 1932

Municipal Corporations - Validity Of Setback Ordinances In Improved Districts

Michigan Law Review

Mulleady sought but was refused permission to inclose with glass a porch on a lot located in the city of Trenton. The municipality was authorized to make building regulations for the purpose of lessening congestion in streets, securing safety from fire, panic, or other danger, promoting health, morals, or general welfare, providing adequate light and air, or avoiding concentration of population. Section 12 of the municipal ordinance provided that no building should be erected, reconstructed, or altered so as to project in any wise beyond the average setback lines observed by the buildings on the same side of the street …


Presumptions - Constitutional Validity Of Statute Establishing Proof Of Reputation As Prima Facie Evidence Of Commission Of Crime Feb 1932

Presumptions - Constitutional Validity Of Statute Establishing Proof Of Reputation As Prima Facie Evidence Of Commission Of Crime

Michigan Law Review

The rise and sway of the gangster as a menace to American social and economic security has led, of late, to the employment of unique means of combating lawlessness. Faced by a tremendous increase in the difficulties lying in the path of those seeking the conviction of professional criminals for major crimes, the police and prosecutors often turn towards a means of fighting crime originally devised to make life uncomfortable for petty off enders. The enforcement of the pistol laws and the vagrancy statutes against millionaire gangsters, and repeated arrests on suspicion, have been resorted to as a means of …


Legislation - Old Age Pensions Jan 1932

Legislation - Old Age Pensions

Michigan Law Review

Out of our changing social theories has grown modern social legislation. The tendency is nowhere better illustrated than in the development of legislation for the care of aged persons. During the last decade great strides have been made in enacting such legislation, and the present year has seen increased activity, leading to the passage of old age pension laws in five states and to numerous other legislative accomplishments.


Damages - Death Of Minor Child Caused By Negligent Act Jan 1932

Damages - Death Of Minor Child Caused By Negligent Act

Michigan Law Review

The defendant's negligence, resulting in the death of a child four years and nine months old, caused the jury to assess damages at $4,500 in an action brought for the benefit of the parents pursuant to the terms of the Death Act, (2 N. J. Comp. Stat. 1907, 1908 (1910)) which provides that "in every such action the jury may give such damages as they shall deem fair and just with reference to the pecuniary injury resulting from such death . . . . " On appeal, the supreme court held the damages excessive, and reduced the amount of recovery …