Criminal Law Commons^™

Territoriality In American Criminal Law, Emma Kaufman

Michigan Law Review

It is a bedrock principle of American criminal law that the authority to try and punish someone for a crime arises from the crime’s connection to a particular place. Thus, we assume that a person who commits a crime in some location— say, Philadelphia—can be arrested by Philadelphia police for conduct deemed criminal by the Pennsylvania legislature, prosecuted in a Philadelphia court, and punished in a Pennsylvania prison. The idea that criminal law is tied to geography in this way is called the territoriality principle. This idea is so familiar that it usually goes unstated.

This Article foregrounds and questions …

Extraterritorial Criminal Jurisdiction, Michael Farbiarz

Michigan Law Review

Over and over again during the past few decades, the federal government has launched ambitious international prosecutions in the service of U.S. national security goals. These extraterritorial prosecutions of terrorists, arms traffickers, and drug lords have forced courts to grapple with a question that has long been latent in the law: What outer boundaries does the Constitution place on criminal jurisdiction? Answering this question, the federal courts have crafted a new due process jurisprudence. This Article argues that this jurisprudence is fundamentally wrong. By implicitly constitutionalizing concerns for international comity, the new due process jurisprudence usurps the popular branches’ traditional …

The Market For Criminal Justice: Federalism, Crime Control, And Jurisdictional Competition, Doron Teichman

Michigan Law Review

Part I introduces the concepts of jurisdictional competition and crime displacement and argues that, as a positive matter, a decentralized criminal justice system may create a competitive process among the different units composing it, in which each such unit attempts to divert crime to neighboring communities. Part II then turns to evaluate the normative aspects of jurisdictional competition in the area of criminal justice. In this context I will show that competition can have both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, the forces of competition might drive jurisdictions to fight crime efficiently, since any jurisdiction that functions inefficiently will suffer …

Military Law--Military Jurisdiction Over Crimes Committed By Military Personnel Outside The United States: The Effect Of O'Callahan V. Parker, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Until recently, it had generally been considered that the minimum condition necessary to justify the invocation of military jurisdiction was the offender's "status" as "a person who can be regarded as falling within the term 'land and naval forces.' " In O' Callahan v. Parker, however, the United States Supreme Court determined that while military status is still requisite to the attachment of military jurisdiction, it is not a sufficient basis in and of itself to warrant trial by a military tribunal. In a five to three decision authored by Justice Douglas, the Court held that in order for military …

Contempt-Conduct Tending To Defeat The Effect Of Appeal Pending In Federal Circuit Court Held To Be Civil Contempt Even Though Not A Resistance To A Formal Court Order- Griffin V. County School Board, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Appellants applied for an injunction in a federal district court in Virginia to prevent the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors from paying out tuition grants to parents whose children attended private segregated schools. The district court refused to issue the injunction, and the appellants appealed. They asked to have their appeal accelerated, but, since the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit was not then in session, the Chief Judge requested the Clerk of Court to ask the Board of Supervisors to stipulate that no tuition grants would be paid pending the appeal. The Board refused to make the …

Extraterritorial Application Of Penal Legislation, B. J. George Jr.

Michigan Law Review

One of the most difficult words in the legal lexicon to delineate is the term "jurisdiction"; it is equally difficult to relate this term to the concept of "venue." The term "jurisdiction" is constantly invoked by courts in a variety of contexts, some relating to geography, some to governmental and judicial structure, some to legislative or judicial power, some to persons, and some to procedures. Thus, it is difficult to discern a common thread of meaning or a consistent pattern of application from the cases in which the word appears.

Crimes Against Humanity And The Principle Of Nonextradition Of Political Offenders, Manuel R. Garcia-Mora

Michigan Law Review

It is thus the purpose of this article to discuss the nature of crimes against humanity in an effort to determine whether they can be classified as political offenses. It is hoped that from the uncertainty and confusion which appear to underlie the practice of the State, some useful legal principles may be extracted.

Bankruptcy-Fradulent Transfers-Venue For Plenary Actions Under Section 70(E), Martin B. Dickinson Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff trustee in bankruptcy brought a plenary action under section 70(e) of the Bankruptcy Act in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for recovery of fraudulently transferred property located within the district. The defendants were citizens of Illinois, except the bankrupt's daughter, a California citizen. The district court granted the daughter's motion to dismiss for lack of venue. On appeal, held, reversed and remanded. Sections 23(b) and 70(e)(3) of the Bankruptcy Act exclude actions under section 70(e) from the requirements of the general venue provision of Title 28, U.S.C.; in all cases under section 70(e) …

Labor Law--Federal Pre-Emption--State Jurisdiction To Prosecute Labor Organizers For Criminal Trespass, John W. Galanis

Michigan Law Review

Defendants, non-employee union organizers, entered the parking lot of a retail department store without permission for the sole purpose of distributing union material to the store's employees. After continued refusal to comply with requests to leave, the defendants were arrested, tried, and convicted of criminal trespass. It was contended that the trial court lacked jurisdiction because the National Labor Relations Act had pre-empted state control of the labor activities involved. On appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, held, affirmed. State jurisdiction was justified not only by the state's interest in domestic peace and the protection of employer's property rights, …

International Law- Criminal Law- Jurisdiction Over Aliens For Crimes Committed Abroad, Frank G. Reeder S. Ed

Michigan Law Review

Six alien defendants were convicted under a federal statute for knowingly making false statements before United States consular officials abroad in order to procure nonquota immigrant visas. Their motion to dismiss this count on the ground that the district court lacked jurisdiction to indict and try aliens for crimes committed outside the territorial limits of the United States was denied. On appeal, held, affirmed. As a necessary incident to its sovereignty, the United States is competent to punish aliens apprehended within the United States for acts against its sovereignty committed outside the country. Rocha v. United States, 288 …

Snee & Pye: Status Of Forces Agreement: Criminal Jurisdiction, B. J. George Jr.

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Status of Forces Agreement: Criminal Jurisdiction: Criminal Jurisdiction. By Joseph M. Snee, S.J. and Kenneth A. Pye

Federal Jurisdiction - Securities And Exchange Commission - Application Of Rule X - 10b-5 To Transactions Involving Non-Securities, Richard Singer

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought an action for damages and the cancellation of certain instruments under section 10 (b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and rule X-10B-5 promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission. She proved a series of interrelated acts which took place over a period of months by which the defendants fraudulently deprived her of both securities and other property. The defendants objected to the jurisdiction of the district court on the ground that rule X-10B-5 was not applicable to transactions involving non-securities. The district court retained jurisdiction on the theory that all of the acts complained of …

Constitutional Law - Courts-Martial - Power Of Congress To Provide For Military Jurisdiction Over Civilians, Whitmore Gray S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

During the past term the Supreme Court decided three cases involving the constitutionality of court-martial jurisdiction over certain groups of civilians. In United States ex rel. Toth v. Quarles the Court held that Congress could not constitutionally provide for military trial of a discharged serviceman for offenses committed during his term of service. In two subsequent cases the Court rejected the contention that the Toth decision announced a principle applicable to any exercise of jurisdiction over civilians by the military courts in upholding the provisions of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for military jurisdiction over civilian dependents accompanying American …

Criminal Procedure - Venue - Federal Offenses Committed Outside The Jurisdiction Of Any State Or District, Richard R. Dailey

Michigan Law Review

The defendant, an army staff sergeant, was under custody at Fort Meade, Maryland, awaiting disposition of charges of sodomy lodged against him under the Articles of War. After a delay of four months, the charges were dropped and he was shipped by the Army to Fort Jay, New York, where he was separated from the service. Immediately upon his release, he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under a commissioner's warrant charging him with treason committed in Japan during a prior enlistment in the army. At the trial in the District Court for the Southern District of New …

Criminal Law - Delay In Imposition Of Sentence As Destroying Jurisdiction Of Trial Court, M. Fred Mallender, Ii S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was tried for burglary in April 1952. Before judgment was rendered, a petition for his commitment to the Indiana Village for Epileptics was granted, and the trial court entered judgment in July 1952 that it continue the matter under advisement so long as defendant remained in the Epileptic Village and complied with the rules and regulations. In September 1952 defendant escaped from the Epileptic Village and was later apprehended. He was brought to trial in April 1953. The court found that he had not complied with the judgment of July 1952, found him guilty as charged, and sentenced him …

Criminal Jurisdiction And The Territorial Principle, Wendell Berge

Michigan Law Review

The authority of legislatures and courts in criminal matters is supposed to be circumscribed by the territorial boundaries of the state. That as a general proposition the criminal law of a state has no extraterritorial operation, few lawyers would question. But an uncritical acceptance of the proposition is not warranted. Merely to assert that the authority of a state over crime ends at its territorial boundaries is of no help in settling jurisdictional questions in complicated crime situations in which the constituent acts of the crime occur in different states. Modern criminals have little concern for political boundaries except as …

Crimes - Venue- Non-Support, Abandonment, And Desertion

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was divorced by his wife in A county in 1926. In 1929, defendant was indicted for non-support of his children, in B county, where his former wife and the children had maintained their home since the divorce. An objection to the venue was raised by the defense, on the ground that, if a crime was committed, it was consummated in A county, where defendant had been living during the time he was charged with non-support. Held, that "the venue of non-support is where that support should be rendered." State v. Anderson (Or. 1930) 290 Pac. 1904

Crimes-Former Jeopardy-Prosecution In Two Counties For A Continuous Act

Michigan Law Review

Defendants transported liquor by a single, uninterrupted act from A county to B county in the same state. Having been convicted and fined in B county for the transportation within its boundaries, they were later indicted in A county for that part of the transportation which took place in that territory. A plea of former jeopardy was sustained by the trial judge, and on appeal this holding was affirmed by a divided court, which held, the act constituted a single offense, punishable in either county, but not in both. State v. Shimman et al. (Ohio, 1930) 172 N.E. 367.

International Law-Extraterritorial Criminal Jurisdiction

Michigan Law Review

The importance of assertions of the right to punish extraterritorial crime is directly related to the advance of international commercial and social intercourse. The earliest serious attempts to assert such a jurisdiction date only from the eighteenth century. Now, practically every state exercises some degree of jurisdiction over offenses committed abroad. But the extent of the power claimed by the different nations varies so as to cause doubt as to what is the international rule on the subject.

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

No abstract provided.

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Assignments- Assignment of an Expectancy - Joseph and James were two of six children. A contract witnessed "that Joseph Snyder has sold to James Snyder one undivided sixth of the real estate owned by the mother, Susan Snyder; to secure said interest to James after her death, the mother unites in the conveyance of said interest The said Joseph warrants and defends the interest from all claims." The contract was signed by Joseph and by the mother. Held, Joseph had no estate which he could convey, and the contract, though made with the consent of the mother, was unenforceable either …

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adverse Possession--Hostile Character--Possession Under Executory Contract for Sale; Bills and Notes--Bona Fide Purchase--Effect of Taking After Maturity; Bills and Notes--Bona Fide Purchase--Payment of Forged Check--Recovery of Payment; Bills and Notes--Invalidity of Note--Recovery Upon Original Consideration; Constitutional law--Due Process of Law--Situs of Ship for Purposes of Taxation; contracts--Sufficiency of Typewritten Signature; Copyright--Moving Pictures as Dramatization of Book; Corporations--Stockholder's Meetings--Effect of Withdrawal of Stockholders; Courts--The New Commerce Court--Jurisdiction--First Decision; Covenants Running with the Land--Building Restrictions; Damages--Excessiveness--Personal Injuries--Remittitur; Dead Bodies--Burial Determination of Place; Easements--Merger--Use by Owner of Servient Estate--Adverse Possession; Homicide--Burden of Proof When Insanity is a Defense; Intoxicating Liquors--Illegal Sale--"Dispensing"; Judgment--Collateral Attack--Defective …

Note And Comment, Harry B. Hutchins, Stephen W. Downey, Francis B. Keeney, Clyde A. Dewitt

Michigan Law Review

Suits Against Trustee; Bills and Notes--Nonnegotiable Notes--Liability of Indorser; Bonds--Joint Stock Association--Negotiability; Carriers--Free Transportation as a Penalty; Carriers--Waiver of Stipulations as to Suits; Constitutional Law--Due Process of Law--Indeterminate Sentence Law; Constitutional Law--Corporations--Foreign Corporations--Exclusion For Removal of Cause to Federal Courts; Constitutional Law--Powers of Constitutional Convention; Criminal Law--Capital Offense--Bail--When Granted; Criminal Law--Murder--Elements of Murder; Damages--Action by Husband for Loss of Wife's Services; Damages--Failure to Deliver Telegram--Mental Suffering--Near Relative; Deeds--Joinder of Infant Husband; Divorce--Temporary Alimony and Counsel Fees--Appeal--Decisions Reviewable; Equity--Sworn Answers as Evidence--Proof to Overcome; Evidence--Opinion Evidence in Action for Libel; Evidence--The Best Evidence Rule; Fraudulent Conveyances--Delivery and Change of Possession of …

Note And Comment

Michigan Law Review

The Case of Bigelow v. Calumet and Hecla Mining Company et al., Involving the Question of the Control by One Corporation of a Competing Corporation; The right of the Federal or a State government to Maintain an Action for the Recovery of Taxes; Liability of a Life Insurance Company When the Insured is Executed for the Commission of a Crime; Jurisdiction of a Court of Equity to Restrain the Commission of Criminal Acts; Municipal Contracts for Patented or Proprietary Paving

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adoption--Defect in Proceedings--Effect; Bankruptcy--Equitable Rights under Unrecorded Mortgage--Agreement to Insure--Equitable Lien on Insurance Money; Bankruptcy--Insolvent Firm--Individual Estate of Unadjudicated Solvent Partner Not Subject to Administration; Bills and Notes--Liability of Indorser of Non-Negotiable Note; Bills and Notes--Liability of Irregular Indorser; Carriers--Wrongful Treatment of Passengers--Damages for Mental Suffering; Constitutional Law--Imprisonment for Debt--Peonage; Constitutional Law--Interstate Commerce--Shipments Within a State; Corporations--Foreign Corporations--Effect of Withdrawal From State--Validity of Service; Courts--Jurisdiction--Action Under the Laws of Another State; Covenants--Running with the Land; Damages--Destruction of Growing Grass; Evidence--Admissibility of a Deed as an Ancient Document; Evident--Admissions in Pleading; Garnishment--Nonresident Defendant--Jurisdiction; Jury--Right to Trial by Twelve Jurors--Waiver of Jury; …

Note And Comment, Henry M. Bates, Robert M. See, Horace Lafayette Wilgus, Clyde A. Dewitt

Michigan Law Review

Courts--Jurisdiction of Circuit Court--Enjoining Writ of Error; Criminal Law--Arraignment--Waiver; Damages--Personal Injuries--Expense of Nursing; Deeds--Boundaries--Navigable Waters; Deeds--Variance Between Granting Clause and Habendum--Construction; Eminent Domain--Use of Urban Street Car Lines by Interurban Cars; Evidence--Admissibility of Statement of One Partner to a Commercial Agency as to Asset and Liabilities; Evidence--Admission of a Carbon Copy of a Contract as a Duplicate Original; Federal Courts--jurisdiction--Action Against State Officers; Foreign Corporations--Liability to be Sued; Homicide--Self-Defense--Provoking Difficulty; Insurance--Certificate Silent as to Suicide; Joint Stock Associations--have they at Common law Powers and Privileges of a Corporation not Possessed by Individuals or Partnerships?; Municipal corporations--Protecting Against Fraud by Ordinance--Sale …

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adoption--Who is a "Child"; Agency--Ratification--Act Must Have Been Done as Agent--Trusts--Pretended Agent as Constructive Trustee; Bankruptcy--Assets--Commissions of Agent on Policies Written Prior to Adjudication; Bankruptcy--Property Held Under conditional Sale--Right to Reclaim; Banks and Banking--Usury Laws--Notes Purchased in Good Raith--Power of Congress to Regulate National Banks; Bills and Notes--Execution in Blank--Statutory Provisions; Constitutional Law--Inheritance Tax--due Process of Law; Contracts--Abandonment--Recovery;

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy--Assigned Claim for Wages--Preference; Bankruptcy--time of Filing Claims; Banks and Banking--Liability of Stockholders--Unregistered Transfer; Banks and Banking--What is a Bank?; Bills and Notes--Indorsement Before Issue--Liabilities; Bills and Notes--usury--Evidence--Burden of Proof; Carriers--Freight Elevators as Carriers of Passengers; Carriers of Passengers--Servants--Communication of Disease; Constitutional Law--Delegation of Power; Constitutional Law--Police Power to Restrict Hours of Labor; Contracts--Mutuality; Courts--Criminal Law--Instructions to Jury; Covenants--Warranty--claims "By, Through or Under" Grantor--Eminent Domain; Criminal Law--Exclusion of Public From Trial; Criminal Law--Trial--conduct of Jury--comments on Defendant's Failure to Testify; Divorce--Custody of Minor Children--Duty to Support Father's Misconduct; Ejectment--When Maintainable--Easements; Estate by Entirety--Effect of Murder of Wife by Husband; Evidence--Wife …

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy--"Mining" includes Quarrying; Bankruptcy--Persons Entitled to Oppose Discharge; Banks and Banking--Right of Drawer of Check to Stop its Payment; Bills and Notes--Trustees for Benefit of Creditors as Holders in Due course--Pre-Existing Debt Constitutes Value; Building Contracts--Provisions for Extra Work--Powers of Architect; Common Carriers--Delay Co-Operating with Act of God; Contracts--When a Breach on the Part of One party to a Contract Entitles the Other to Rescind; Criminal Law--Former Jeopardy; Damages--Recovery for Gratuitous Services; Deeds--Estate Granted--Conflict Between the Habendum and the Granting Clauses; Equity--Wills--Precatory Trust; Foreign Corporations--Statute Revoking License on Removal of a Cause to Federal Court; Husband and Wife--Purchase by Wife …

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Reivew

Michigan Law Review

Agency--Ratification--Action by Principal Based on His Own Ratification; Bailments--Negligence of Bailor and Bailee; Bills and Notes--Designation of Amount--Marginal Figures; Bills and Notes--Sufficiency of Plaintiff's Title; Bills and Notes--Rights of an Accommodation Maker; Carriers--Liability of Steamship Company for Loss of Passenger's Baggage; Common Carrers--Limitation of Liability by Special Contract--Exemption Includes Limitation; Constitutional Law--Game Laws; Constitutional Law--Habeas Corpus--Former Jeopardy; Contract for Sale of Realty--Rescission--Bringing Action not Sufficient Notice of Recission; Corporations--Foreign Corporations--Doing Business in the State--State Control--Taxation of Intra-State Business; Corporations--Illegal Payment of Dividends--Statuatory Liability of Directors--Discretion of Directors; Corporations--Ultra Vires Contract--Powers of Railroad Company--Estoppel; Criminal Law--Homicide--Threats by Deceased; Damages--Nursing by Husband …