Law Commons^™

Trial--Polling The Jury--Manner Of Conducting, E. Gaujot Bias

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Right To Comment On The Failure Of The Defendant To Testify, Andrew A. Bruce

Michigan Law Review

In 1931 the American Law Institute adopted a resolution to the effect that "The judge, the prosecuting attorney and counsel for the defense may comment upon the fact that the defendant did not testify."

In the same year the American Bar Association resolved: "That by law it should be permitted to the prosecution to comment to the jury on the fact that a defendant did not take the stand as a witness; and to the jury to draw the reasonable inferences."

Practice And Procedure - Substituted Service Of Process

Michigan Law Review

A statute provided for substituted service of process on a defendant "by leaving a copy thereof at his usual place of residence with some member of his family over fourteen years of age." Held, a maid with no definite term of employment is not a member of the family upon whom substituted service may be made under the provisions of the statute. Thompson v. Butler, (Iowa 1932) 243 N. W. 164.

Torts - Due Care By Rescuer

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a woman about sixty years of age, described as "considerably overweight for her size and age," and her companion were swimming in a club pool. The companion went beyond her depth, called for help, and plaintiff went to her rescue. The lifeguard, believing plaintiff to be in difficulty, went to her rescue and, in pulling her over the bank of the pool, injured her arm, side, and back. From an award in favor of the plaintiff for $7,500, defendant, the lifeguard's employer, appealed. Held, the lifeguard owed the patron the duty of exercising ordinary care; judgment for plaintiff …

Torts-Malicious Prosecution-Advice Of Counsel

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, a practicing lawyer, lodged a complaint charging plaintiff with larceny. A criminal warrant was issued; plaintiff was arrested, but the action was dismissed when the complaining witness failed to appear at the trial. Plaintiff then brought this action for malicious prosecution. One of the grounds of defense pleaded was that which is commonly called "advice of counsel," defendant pleading that, in his judgment, the plaintiff was guilty as charged. Held, in Mawhinney v. Morrissey, that, under the facts of this case, the defense fails because the attorney-defendant was not a disinterested party.

Pleading-How To Raise The Issue Of Payment

Michigan Law Review

On rehearing in an action on contract for money two questions were presented to the court, to wit: first, is an allegation of non-payment essential in order that this complaint might state a cause of action; and second, can the issue of payment be raised by the defendant's general denial? Held, in Hughes v. Wachter an allegation of non-payment is necessary in the complaint, and the defendant may prove payment under a general denial.

Injunctions--Airports--Nuisance, Jack C. Burdett

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Federal Injunction Against Proceedings In State Courts: The Life History Of A Statute, Edgar Noble Durfee, Robert L. Sloss

Michigan Law Review

The Judicial Code provides, in section 265, that "the writ of injunction shall not be granted by any court of the United States to stay proceedings in any court of a State," except where authorized by the Bankruptcy Act. This provision, minus the bankruptcy exception, first appeared in an act of 1793, amending the Judiciary Act of 1789. We know next to nothing of the parliamentary history of this statute. We do, however, know that the basic political issue in the framing of the Constitution was that of states' rights, the question how far the new government should be a …

Joinder Of Actions In Indiana (Concluded), Bernard C. Gavit

Indiana Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Joinder Of Actions In Indiana, Bernard C. Gavit

Indiana Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Federal Practice - Power Of United States Supreme Court To Entertain Writ Of Certiorari Where Appeal Has Been Erroneously Taken

Michigan Law Review

Judgment for the plaintiff in a law action was affirmed by the circuit court of appeals, first circuit, and defendant appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States and at the same time petitioned for a writ of certiorari. The appeal was dismissed for want of jurisdiction, and appellee contended that the petition for certiorari could not be entertained under par. (b) of sec. 240, Judicial Code, as amended by Act of February 13, 1925 (c. 229, 43 Stat. 936, 938, 939; U.S. C. A. tit. 28, sec. 347). Held, that the writ of certiorari could be granted, …

Federal Practise-Review Of Facts-Instance Of When Verdict Must Be Directed

Michigan Law Review

This was a case in which a motion for a directed verdict was denied by the trial court on the ground that there was sufficient evidence to justify a submission of the case to the jury. The circuit court of appeals affirmed this, but on appeal to the Supreme Court it was held error. Southern Ry. Co. v. Walters (U.S. 1931) 52 Sup. Ct. 58.

Patents - Right To Personal Service In Contempt Proceedings

Michigan Law Review

Complainant obtained in the district court of Massachusetts a final injunction against the manufacture and sale of a device by defendant, a Michigan corporation. In a subsequent term of court, complainant brought contempt proceedings for an alleged violation of the injunction. Copies of the petition, motion, and order to show cause were sent by registered mail to the defendant's place of business. Objection to the jurisdiction of the court was raised upon the ground that the term in which the injunction had issued had expired and the decree, as to compensation, had been satisfied; hence personal service as in a …

Trial Practice - Questioning On Voir Dire As To Relation To Insurance Company

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's counsel was permitted, over the objection of defendant's counsel, to ask on voir dire examination whether the jurors or the members of their families were stockholders in any insurance company. Held, proper under the circumstances, there being no showing of want of good faith, or persistent course or effort to impress on the jury that the defendant's liability was insured. Raines v. Wilson (Iowa, 1931) 239 N. W. 36.

Constitutional Law-Compelling Witness Duty From Absent Nationals

Michigan Law Review

In proceedings taken under the so-called Walsh Act the petitioner, Blackmer, a United States citizen residing in France, was found guilty of contempt for failure to respond to subpoenas issued out of a federal court and served on him in France by a United States consul requiring him to appear as a witness in that court. See 30 MICH. L. REV. 137 (1931) for a more detailed statement of the facts. By a unanimous decision (Mr. Justice Roberts not participating) the United States Supreme Court recently held that the contempt decree be affirmed, thus sustaining the constitutionality of the Walsh …

Federal Practice - Statute Of Limitations - An Amendment As Stating A New Cause Of Action

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought his action to recover taxes paid under protest September 21, 1920. The tax was levied under the Revenue Act of 1918 on certain whiskey belonging to the plaintiff and stored in a government warehouse, which it was claimed had been withdrawn for beverage purposes. In his first petition, filed July 26, 1924, the plaintiff alleged that no tax was due because the liquor, while in exclusive control of the government and without fault of the plaintiff, was destroyed by fire. Two amended petitions were filed, one on February 28, 1927, and the other on September 22, 1928, in …

Torts - Negligence - Recent Acquisition Of Driver's License

Michigan Law Review

In a suit for damages for injuries allegedly negligently inflicted upon the occupant of an automobile, plaintiff testified that defendant was driving at a high rate of speed when his car began to zigzag and finally overturned, injuring plaintiff. Defendant testified that he was driving moderately when, upon their sudden application, the brakes locked, causing the car to zigzag and overturn. There was evidence to the effect that "defendant was an inexperienced driver, having just obtained his driver's license." Defendant's motions for a nonsuit and a directed verdict were refused. Held, that the question of defendant's negligence was for …

Civil Pleading In Scotland, Robert Wyness Millar

Michigan Law Review

It might be expected that, after the lodging of the answers and pleas in law on the part of the defender, a brief period would now be allowed the pursuer to put in a reply to any affirmative allegations contained in the defender's pleading. But this is not the case, at least in the sense of his lodging a separate pleading. He is given opportunity to reply, but by way of revising his condescendence. Basically, the principle is the same as that obtaining in our classic chancery practice, whereby the complainant amended his bill in order to include any special …

Civil Pleading In Scotland, Robert Wyness Millar

Michigan Law Review

Said Lord Chancellor Loreburn, in his answers to the questions addressed to him by Mr. Justice Lurton, preparatory to the drafting of the Federal Equity Rules of 1912: "It may be worth while for Mr. Justice Lurton and his coadjutors to consider the Scottish method of pleading which, in my opinion, is the best." This can only mean that the Lord Chancellor regarded the method in question as superior to that obtaining under the English Rules - certainly a high testimonial coming from such a quarter. Whether the opinion is justified or not is a question which may be left …

Federal Practice - Class Suits - Community Of Interest Under Federal Equity Rule 38

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff filed suit in a federal court, sitting in equity, in behalf of himself and others, to enjoin the collection of an illegal tax imposed by North Carolina upon peddlers of foreign fruit within that state. He alleged that 400 others were similarly situated and that over 100 of them had contributed to the expense of the litigation. Held, the individual legal remedy available under state statute was inadequate in view of the multiplicity of suits it necessitated, and the plaintiff was entitled under Federal Equity Rule 38 (post) to bring a class suit to enjoin the collection of …

Pleading--Motion For Judgement--Quasi-Contracts, Donald M. Hutton

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Harmless Error

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff in error was convicted of illegally transporting intoxicating liquor. Federal officers were permitted to testify over defendant's objection: (1) that they found intoxicating liquor in defendant's automobile parked in his farm-yard; (2) that the radiator of the car was heated as if it had been recently used; (3) that they had followed defendant's car on the highway and into his farm-yard; (4) and that the defendant had admitted to them that he had driven the car. Defendant admitted on the witness stand that he owned both the liquor and the automobile, but denied that the automobile had been used …

Federal Practice - Jury - Motion To Quash Panel - Summons Accompanied By Questionnaire

Michigan Law Review

Gideon was convicted in the district court of conspiracy to violate the National Prohibition Act. Along with the summons to the prospective jurors, the clerk sent out a questionnaire calling for information as to business or occupation, period of residence, age, whether married or single, number of children, religious faith, views on prohibition, and prior jury service. It purported to be for jury records but was not authorized by statute. Held, a failure to sustain the motion to quash the panel was reversible error. Gideon v. United States (C. C. A. 8th, 1931) 52 F.(2d) 427.

Discovery Before Trial, George Ragland Jr.

Michigan Legal Studies Series

The purpose of this volume is to present in a convenient and usable form a comparative study of the expedients which are being employed in various American and English jurisdictions for the purpose of facilitating pre-trial practice, to describe the practical operation of the different devices, and to show their effect upon the general administration of justice. An analysis of the statutory and case law has been combined with data which shows the practical operation of the procedure in the everyday work of the lawyer and judge. Field studies were made by the author in different cities of the following …

Practice And Procedure - Demurrer To Evidence - Directing Verdict In Favor Of Party Having Burden Of Proof

Michigan Law Review

P purchased potatoes in Michigan. He instructed the defendant railroad to deliver the potatoes to the warehouse of B when they should arrive in Richmond. Instead, some were sent to another warehouse. Before P discovered the mistake, the potatoes spoiled. P made claim of loss six months and twenty days after the shipment left Michigan. The bill of lading provided that claims for loss or damage must be made in writing within six months after a reasonable time for delivery has elapsed. The testimony of Neiss, freight clerk, who was called by the defendant, was to the effect that eight …

Jurisdiction Of The Subject Matter And Res Judicata, Bernard C. Gavit

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.