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Full-Text Articles in Law

Constitutional Law--- Status Of Courts Of District Of Columbia Nov 1933

Constitutional Law--- Status Of Courts Of District Of Columbia

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, justices of District of Columbia courts, protested the application by the Comptroller-General of an Act of Congress reducing their salaries, alleging that they felt it their duty to have the status of these courts defined. The majority of the Court, answering questions certified by the Court of Claims; held that section l of Article III of the federal constitution applied to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia and to the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, and forbade a reduction of the compensation of the justices thereof during their continuance in office, on the theory …


Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Single Appeal From State Court Involving Consolidated Suits Nov 1933

Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Single Appeal From State Court Involving Consolidated Suits

Michigan Law Review

Three national banks brought separate suits in a state court against the same defendants to annul a tax assessment, claiming that the act authorizing such assessment violated a federal statute. The suits were consolidated for the trial of this main issue but a separate judgment was rendered in favor of each bank. The defendants took three separate appeals to the state supreme court, but only one transcript was sent up and the appeals were docketed and argued as one case. In a single opinion the court annulled the judgments appealed from. The plaintiffs took a single appeal to the Supreme …


Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Necessity For Findings Of Fact And Conclusions Of Law In Interlocutory Proceedings Nov 1933

Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Necessity For Findings Of Fact And Conclusions Of Law In Interlocutory Proceedings

Michigan Law Review

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin issued a temporary order reducing telephone rates, setting forth its reasons and the facts in an elaborate opinion. A temporary restraining order was issued by a federal district court, which was followed by an application for an interlocutory injunction. A hearing on this application was held before three judges who granted an injunction on the same day upon the giving of a bond. Meanwhile the temporary restraining order continued in force. No opinion was rendered other than a general statement in the decree that the Commission's order "would result in the confiscation of the …


Criminal Law And Procedure - Indictments - Resubmission To Grand Jury Jun 1933

Criminal Law And Procedure - Indictments - Resubmission To Grand Jury

Michigan Law Review

The defendant was charged with criminal homicide but the grand jury refused to find a true bill. Two more bills were sent to the grand jury, identical in terms with the first. The third was returned a true bill. Defendant claimed error in overruling his motion to quash the indictment. Held, the motion to quash the indictment should have been granted as the subsequent bills were improper. State v. Ledford, (N. C. 1932) 166 S. E. 917.


Equity- Contempts - Purgation By Sworn Answer - Doctrine Of Variance Jun 1933

Equity- Contempts - Purgation By Sworn Answer - Doctrine Of Variance

Michigan Law Review

At the suit of X Traction Company defendants had been enjoined from operating busses along streets upon which plaintiff operated its cars. The latter .filed an information in the name of the State charging the defendants with wilful violation of the restraining order, and moved for an attachment for contempt, and for the infliction of "such penalties as are or may be necessary to compel observance." Defendants filed motions to discharge, and also answers for the purpose of purging themselves of the alleged contempt. Upon trial, at which evidence was received, the court found defendants guilty, and levied fines. Defendants …


Wills And Administration - Jurisdiction Over The Probate Of Lost Or Destroyed Wills Jun 1933

Wills And Administration - Jurisdiction Over The Probate Of Lost Or Destroyed Wills

Michigan Law Review

Under Mich. Comp. Laws (1929), sec. 15547, a will lost, suppressed or destroyed may be admitted to probate upon its being established in a prescribed manner in the probate court. And under sec. 15543 no will is effectual to pass title to property unless probated as required by law. Plaintiff coal company, apparently under the direction of its manager, King, filed a bill of interpleader for a judicial determination as to whether it should pay rent as lessee of certain property to the administrator of the estate of the deceased lessor, or to King, who claimed as devisee of the …


Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Dismissal Of Counterclaim Because Of Improper Venue Appealable As Interlocutory Order Denying Injunction Jun 1933

Federal Practice - Appeal And Error - Dismissal Of Counterclaim Because Of Improper Venue Appealable As Interlocutory Order Denying Injunction

Michigan Law Review

To plaintiffs' suit for patent infringement defendants counterclaimed upon an unrelated patent asking for an injunction and an accounting. Plaintiffs' motion to dismiss on the ground of improper venue was sustained by the district court. Defendants appealed and plaintiffs moved to dismiss on the ground that dismissal of a counterclaim was not a refusal of an injunction and therefore not appealable under Sec. 129, Judicial Code. The circuit court of appeals allowed the appeal and this decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court. General Electric Co. et al. v. Marvel Rare Metals Co. et al., 287 U.S. 430, 53 …


Admiralty-Venue Of Action Brought In State Court Under Jones Act Jun 1933

Admiralty-Venue Of Action Brought In State Court Under Jones Act

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff brought suit in a county court of Pennsylvania to to recover damages for injuries sustained by her while a member of the steamship crew of the defendant. The action was based on the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 which provided: "Jurisdiction in such actions shall be under the court of the district in which the defendant employer resides or in which his principal office is located." Defendant corporation moved to dismiss the action on the ground that the court had no jurisdiction since defendant's principal office was in Baltimore. The motion was granted and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court …


Injunctions- By Foreign Court-Forum Non Conveniens In Minnesota May 1933

Injunctions- By Foreign Court-Forum Non Conveniens In Minnesota

Michigan Law Review

Alert Minnesota lawyers undertake to enlighten aggrieved persons in neighboring States in regard to the procedural advantages to be obtained in Minnesota. As a result of their efforts, a deluge of personal-injury litigation continues to flood the Minnesota courts. These tribunals are crowded with cases between non-residents on causes of action accruing abroad; Minnesota citizens are delayed in the trial of their own suits, and Minnesota citizens pay the bill for the added litigation. In addition, the non-resident defendant, required to appear in Minnesota, is deprived of evidence and is frequently put to useless expenditure; yet the Minnesota court, with …


Receivers - Consent Receivership Not Allowed In Michigan May 1933

Receivers - Consent Receivership Not Allowed In Michigan

Michigan Law Review

A general creditor filed a bill alleging that the defendant corporation's assets as shown by its books have a value in excess of its indebtedness but that it cannot meet its current obligations although its assets, when converted into money would be sufficient to meet them and continue its business; that several suits have been instituted by defendant's creditors and that if executions are issued and levies made, defendant will be compelled to cease operations and losses will be suffered by all of defendant's creditors, whereas, if a receiver is appointed to operate its business their claims may be paid …


Criminal Law And Procedure-Instructions To Jury May 1933

Criminal Law And Procedure-Instructions To Jury

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was indicted for unlawful possession of liquor. He offered no substantial defense, and the trial judge, in charging the jury, said that while they were sole judges of the facts, "that on the undisputed evidence this man is guilty, and it is your duty to convict him." On appeal, the circuit court held that the charge, while drastic, was not error, as there were no controverted facts, and hence nothing for the jury to do but convict. United States v. Notto, (C. C. A. 2d, 1932) 61 F. (2d) 781.


Criminal Law And Procedure-Jury As Judge Of Law In Criminal Cases Apr 1933

Criminal Law And Procedure-Jury As Judge Of Law In Criminal Cases

Michigan Law Review

The defendant was indicted under a criminal statute making it a misdemeanor for agents and officers to transact business for any foreign corporation which had failed to comply with certain statutory requirements for conducting business in Maryland. The trial judge instructed the jury that if they believed the evidence to he true he was of the opinion that the defendant was an agent within the meaning of the statute. He cautioned them, however, that they were by article 15, sec. 5, of the constitution made judges of the law as well as fact and that his opinion as to the …


Criminal Law And Procedure - Perjury As Contempt-Statutory Construction Apr 1933

Criminal Law And Procedure - Perjury As Contempt-Statutory Construction

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was summoned for jury duty in a celebrated mail fraud case. On voir dire examination she deliberately concealed the fact that at one time the defendants had been her employers, and falsely stated that her mind was free from bias. Accepted as a juror, she attempted to discredit the government's case to fellow jurors, refused to listen to their arguments, and after one week's deliberation in the jury room continued to cast the only vote for acquittal. Held, that this conduct was a contempt of court in that it was an obstruction of the processes of justice. Clark …


Jury-Evidence-Privilege Of Jury Deliberations Apr 1933

Jury-Evidence-Privilege Of Jury Deliberations

Michigan Law Review

The extent to which affidavits of jurors anent proceedings in the jury room can be used, when not aimed at impeaching their verdict, is a question upon which there is little affirmative authority. The law seems clear since Bushell's case that a juror cannot be punished for his finding of fact; what is more, his vote within the jury room as well as his debates seem to be privileged absolutely on grounds of policy.


Equity-Intervention Apr 1933

Equity-Intervention

Michigan Law Review

A Kansas statute forbids the operation of theatres on Sunday. Appellee obtained an interlocutory injunction restraining "the Attorney General of the State of Kansas, and his subordinates . . . and every other person acting or attempting to act for said defendants" from enforcing the statute. Following this temporary injunction the appellee continued to operate his theatres on Sunday, and when the municipal authorities of Winfield and Eldorado threatened to enforce municipal ordinances prohibiting Sunday shows, the appellee served them with copies of the preliminary order against the attorney general, and warned them that contempt proceedings would be instituted if …


Practice And Procedure - Declaratory Judgments In The Federal Courts Mar 1933

Practice And Procedure - Declaratory Judgments In The Federal Courts

Michigan Law Review

The declaratory judgment by that name is comparatively new in legal procedure in this country. But it is in reality simply an extension of an old process. The power to declare the rights of the parties is inherent in courts of equity and has been exercised since ancient times in action to quiet title, to declare marriages valid or void, to annul divorces, to declare legitimacy or illegitimacy or determine heirship, to construe wills and trusts, and in other actions. A suit for a declaratory judgment in no wise differs from other suits save in the single respect of the …


Practice And Procedure - Conditional Judgments At Law - Validity And Advantages Mar 1933

Practice And Procedure - Conditional Judgments At Law - Validity And Advantages

Michigan Law Review

Some modern courts have asserted and many lawyers have assumed that in common law actions a court can not render a judgment conditional in form. It is argued that the court is without jurisdiction so to decide a case, and that in any event the common law has never recognized such a form of judgment as valid. The first point is not so difficult to disprove, and the second, so far as actual decision is concerned, is clearly incorrect." In several early cases common law courts were willing not only to stay execution of judgments until conditions were performed, but …


Torts - Malicious Prosecution - Termination Of Previous Proceeding In Favor Of Plaintiff Jan 1933

Torts - Malicious Prosecution - Termination Of Previous Proceeding In Favor Of Plaintiff

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff gave a note with power of attorney to confess judgment, to X who assigned to defendant. Plaintiff paid the note before maturity. On maturity, defendant got a judgment by confession and levied on plaintiff's property. Thereupon plaintiff asked the court to set aside the judgment, and a hearing was granted for the purpose, but the evidence showed that instead of proceeding to a hearing the parties agreed that defendant should mark the judgment satisfied. This was done. Plaintiff later sued for malicious prosecution. Held, that since the prior suit did not terminate in his favor plaintiff could not …