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Full-Text Articles in Evidence

Torts And Innovation, Gideon Parchomovsky, Alex Stein Nov 2008

Torts And Innovation, Gideon Parchomovsky, Alex Stein

Michigan Law Review

This Essay exposes and analyzes a hitherto overlooked cost of tort law: its adverse effect on innovation. Tort liability for negligence, defective products, and medical malpractice is determined by reference to custom. We demonstrate that courts' reliance on custom and conventional technologies as the benchmark of liability chills innovation and distorts its path. Specifically, recourse to custom taxes innovators and subsidizes replicators of conventional technologies. We explore the causes and consequences of this phenomenon and propose two possible ways to modify tort law in order to make it more welcoming to innovation.


Conjunction And Aggregation, Saul Levmore Feb 2001

Conjunction And Aggregation, Saul Levmore

Michigan Law Review

This Article begins with the puzzle of why the law avoids the issue of conjunctive probability. Mathematically inclined observers might, for example, employ the "product rule," multiplying the probabilities associated with several events or requirements in order to assess a combined likelihood, but judges and lawyers seem otherwise inclined. Courts and statutes might be explicit about the manner in which multiple requirements should be combined, but they are not. Thus, it is often unclear whether a factfinder should assess if condition A was more likely than not to be present - and then go on to see whether condition B …


Dealing With Evidentiary Deficiency, Richard D. Friedman Jan 1997

Dealing With Evidentiary Deficiency, Richard D. Friedman

Articles

Lack of information distorts litigation. Claims or defenses that a party might prove easily, or that might even be undisputed, in a world of perfect information can be difficult or impossible to prove in the real world of imperfect information. Some information deficiencies are inevitable, at least in the sense that we could not eliminate them without incurring undue social costs. In some cases, however, a person's conduct may have caused the deficiency. More generally, the person may have had available a reasonable alternative course of conduct that would have eliminated, or at least mitigated, the deficiency. Ariel Porat and …


Probability Theory Meets Res Ipsa Loquitur, David Kaye Jun 1979

Probability Theory Meets Res Ipsa Loquitur, David Kaye

Michigan Law Review

This Article uses probability theory normatively in an effort to clarify one aspect of the famous tort doctrine known as res ipsa loquitur. It does not urge that jurors be instructed in probability theory or be equipped with microprocessors. Rather, it seeks an accurate statement of the res ipsa doctrine in ordinary language. In particular, this Article will show that the conventional formulation of the doctrine is misleading at best, and should be replaced with a more careful statement of the conditions warranting the res ipsa inference. To this end, Section I briefly surveys the legal doctrine, or, more precisely, …


Evidence - Presumptions - Statutory Presumption Of Due Care In Wrongful Death Action, Francis X. Beytagh Jr. Feb 1962

Evidence - Presumptions - Statutory Presumption Of Due Care In Wrongful Death Action, Francis X. Beytagh Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Consolidation of two actions arising from a multi-vehicle highway accident resulted in verdicts in both causes against appellants. One action was brought against appellants by the administratrix of a deceased driver under a wrongful death statute, and resulted in a verdict for the administratrix because of a statutory presumption of deceased's due care. The other action was a personal injury suit by a third party against appellants and the administratrix as co-defendants, and resulted in a verdict exonerating the deceased driver, despite circumstances raising an inference of his negligence. Appellants' motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and new trial were …


Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Doctine Applied Although Damage Causing Instrumentality Within The Exclusive Control Of Defendant At The Time Of The Damage, Kenneth Laing Jr. Nov 1960

Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Doctine Applied Although Damage Causing Instrumentality Within The Exclusive Control Of Defendant At The Time Of The Damage, Kenneth Laing Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Seven months after defendant had installed a washbowl in a bathroom in plaintiff's house, the house was damaged by water when one of the pipes became disconnected from a faucet. During the two weeks immediately prior to the damage the house was unoccupied, but inspections were made every two or three days by plaintiff's employee. Plaintiff sued defendant to recover for the damage caused by defendant's alleged negligence in connecting the water pipe to the washbowl. In a trial to the court, the evidence tended to eliminate other possible causes of the disconnection, such as rough use or manufacturing fault. …


Negligence - Last Clear Chance - Evidence Insufficient As A Matter Of Law, Theodore G. Koerner Jun 1958

Negligence - Last Clear Chance - Evidence Insufficient As A Matter Of Law, Theodore G. Koerner

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, having fallen asleep at night at the side of a narrow dirt road, was run over by defendant's automobile. He alleged that defendant was negligent in operating a vehicle at an excessive speed without proper lights. Defendant pleaded that plaintiff was contributorily negligent by being asleep in the road, and plaintiff then replied that defendant had the last clear chance to avoid the injury. On appeal from a judgment of involuntary nonsuit, held, affirmed, three justices dissenting. The plaintiff, by falling asleep at the side or in the middle of the road, was contributorily negligent as a matter …


Evidence - Dead Man's Statute - Interpretation Of "Transaction", Howard N. Nemerovski S.Ed. Jun 1957

Evidence - Dead Man's Statute - Interpretation Of "Transaction", Howard N. Nemerovski S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was a passenger in an automobile which collided with one driven by defendant's intestate. Both drivers were killed, and plaintiff sued defendant, administrator of intestate's estate, for personal injuries, alleging negligence. There were no other eye-witnesses to the collision, and the trial court, relying upon the Alabama dead man's statute, would not permit plaintiff to testify to any of the details or circumstances of the accident, or even to the fact that she had been involved in an accident with an automobile driven by the decedent. The jury found for defendant. On appeal, held, reversed. Plaintiff, passenger in …


Torts - Master And Servant - Payment Of Social Security Tax As Evidence Of Relationship, Irving L. Halpern S.Ed. Jan 1956

Torts - Master And Servant - Payment Of Social Security Tax As Evidence Of Relationship, Irving L. Halpern S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's decedent was killed when his tractor-truck collided with an automobile driven by defendant's salesman. In an action to recover damages for the death of decedent, the trial court submitted to the jury, as evidence bf a master-servant relationship, the payment of social security taxes by the defendant on behalf of the salesman. Judgment was rendered for the plaintiff. On appeal, held, the record of social security payments by defendant on behalf of its salesman was properly submitted to the jury as evidence of a master-servant relationship. Peetz v. Mazek Auto Supply Co., (Neb. 1955) 70 N.W. (2d) …


Negligence - Proving Inviter's Breach Of Duty By Circumstantial Evidence, Charles E. Oldfather S.Ed. Nov 1953

Negligence - Proving Inviter's Breach Of Duty By Circumstantial Evidence, Charles E. Oldfather S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought a negligence action for personal injuries suffered when she slipped on a spot of grease in the driveway of defendant's railroad station. The evidence showed that the spot was at least one foot square and was covered with dust and dirt so that it resembled in color and texture the rest of the pavement. The evidence also indicated that vehicles often drove through and parked in the drive, and that there were no marks on the spot other than a deep skid mark left by plaintiff's heel. The trial court allowed the jury to determine from this evidence …


Evidence-Presumptions-Plaintiff's Res Ipsa Loquitur Against Defendants Presumption Of Due Care, Bernard A. Petrie S.Ed. Dec 1952

Evidence-Presumptions-Plaintiff's Res Ipsa Loquitur Against Defendants Presumption Of Due Care, Bernard A. Petrie S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued for injuries resulting when an automobile which defendant was driving and in which plaintiff was sleeping left the highway. There was evidence that defendant suffered retrograde amnesia and could not recall the circumstances of the accident. The court, instructing on res ipsa loquitur for plaintiff, told the jury that it might infer negligence from the fact that the automobile inexplicably left the highway. The court also instructed that, if the jury believed that defendant suffered a loss of memory, defendant was presumed to have exercised due care. Verdict for defendant. Plaintiff contended that instruction on the presumption of …


Federal Courts-Detected Verdicts In Civil Actions, Zolman Cavitch May 1949

Federal Courts-Detected Verdicts In Civil Actions, Zolman Cavitch

Michigan Law Review

Juries must answer to questions of fact and judges to questions of law. This is the fundamental maxim acknowledged by the Constitution. When no fact question is present, no right to jury trial in a civil suit exists, and the constitutional guaranty is, therefore, not violated by the exercise of control by the court in keeping the jury to determination of questions of fact or in keeping it within the bounds of reason. One of the most important and often used methods of control is the directed verdict, whereby the court peremptorily instructs the jury to bring in a verdict …


Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer Apr 1946

Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer

Michigan Law Review

The abstracts consist merely of summaries of the facts and holdings of recent cases and are distinguished from the notes by the absence of discussion.


Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer Oct 1944

Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer

Michigan Law Review

The abstracts consist merely of summaries of the facts and holdings of recent cases and are distinguished from the notes by the absence of discussion.


Abstracts, Katherine Kempfer Oct 1943

Abstracts, Katherine Kempfer

Michigan Law Review

The abstracts consist merely of summaries of the facts and holdings of recent cases and are distinguished from the notes by the absence of discussion.


Torts - Evidence - Res Ipsa Loquitur Doctrine - Application In Pennsylvania, Robert A. Solomon Feb 1940

Torts - Evidence - Res Ipsa Loquitur Doctrine - Application In Pennsylvania, Robert A. Solomon

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff sued defendant power company for damages resulting from the destruction of his building by fire. The electricity furnished by defendant, after being reduced by a transformer, passed from its main line through an auxiliary line to a point a few inches from plaintiff's building where it was connected with the wiring system of the building which had been installed, and at the time of the accident was controlled, by plaintiff. Failing to show by direct proof that the transformer was defective and the proximate cause of the loss, plaintiff's claim for negligent destruction of his building was predicated …


Witnesses - Contradiction Of Party's Own Testimony By Other Witnesses Called By Him, Michigan Law Review Feb 1938

Witnesses - Contradiction Of Party's Own Testimony By Other Witnesses Called By Him, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In an automobile guest action for injuries received when defendant drove his auto against the center pier of a viaduct on a city street, wherein the only defense was plaintiff's contributory negligence in remaining in the auto with knowledge that defendant was intoxicated, defendant testified that he was not under the influence of liquor. Held, defendant could not thereafter offer testimony of other witnesses to prove he was intoxicated at a time shortly after the accident, since his own testimony was in regard to facts peculiarly within his own knowledge and given apparently in good faith. Vondrashek v. Dignan …


Evidence - Burden Of Proof - Compliance With Stipulation In Bill Of Lading As To Time For Claim Of Loss Jan 1932

Evidence - Burden Of Proof - Compliance With Stipulation In Bill Of Lading As To Time For Claim Of Loss

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 had spoiled. P made claim of loss six months and twenty days after the shipment left Michigan. The bill of lading provided: "Sec. 2 (b). 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 …


Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Circumstantial Evidence Jan 1932

Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitur - Circumstantial Evidence

Michigan Law Review

Defendant company owned, and was in possession of, a wall, from the top of which a loose piece of concrete fell and injured the plaintiff who was at work on land adjoining. In affirming a judgment for plaintiff, the court held that, while the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur did not apply, there was "evidence from which the jury could legitimately infer that the defendant was negligent in permitting loose pieces of concrete to remain on the wall." Pope v. Rending Co., (Pa. 1931) 156 Atl. 106.


Negligence-Res Ipsa Loquitur-Presumption Of Management From Ownership-Unattended Automobile Dec 1930

Negligence-Res Ipsa Loquitur-Presumption Of Management From Ownership-Unattended Automobile

Michigan Law Review

After the sound of a crash, the defendant's motortruck was found on the plaintiff's porch. Held, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur was applicable.


Recent Important Decisions Feb 1929

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Jun 1922

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

No abstract provided.


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Apr 1922

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Admiralty - Workmen's Compensation - Is a Hydroplane a Vessel? - Claimant was employed in the care and management of a hydroplane which was moored in navigable waters. The hydroplane began to drag anchor and drift toward the beach, where it was in danger of being wrecked. Claimant waded into the water and was struck by the propeller. Held, claimant is not entitled to compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Law, since a hydroplane while on navigable waters is a vessel, and therefore the jurisdiction of the admiralty excludes that of the State Industrial Commission. Reinhardt v. Newport Flying Service Corp. …


Note And Comment, Walter F. Whitman, William C. Mullendore, Myron Mclaren, Harry B. Sutter, Renville Wheat Mar 1916

Note And Comment, Walter F. Whitman, William C. Mullendore, Myron Mclaren, Harry B. Sutter, Renville Wheat

Michigan Law Review

Attempt, Assault, and Assault with Intent - The case of State v. Lewis, decided in October, 1915, by the Supreme Court of Iowa, has an interesting bearing upon the law of assault and of criminal attempts. Two men, Tropp and Cox, observed a third, Dunlevy, asleep on a cot with a pocketbook under his pillow. Tropp armed himself with a leather sap and a loaded revolver and moved quietly to the head of the cot, when Dunlevy, feeling the presence of some one in the room, sprang to his feet. Tropp fled from the room with Dunlevy after him, but …


Recent Important Decisions Dec 1915

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Note And Comment, Gordon Stoner, Edgar N. Durfee, Werner W. Schroeder, Albert J. Mickelson, Maurice Weinberger Dec 1915

Note And Comment, Gordon Stoner, Edgar N. Durfee, Werner W. Schroeder, Albert J. Mickelson, Maurice Weinberger

Michigan Law Review

The Form of the Summons Under the Recent Michigan Judicature Act - It would be rather remarkable if in revising such a large portion of the statutes as was undertaken by the Commission on Revision and Consolidation of Statutes of the State of Michigan, appointed in 1913, which reported to the legislature the recently enacted Judicature Act (Public Acts of Michigan, 915, § 314), some ambiguity or uncertainty were not to appear in the revision. The Judicature Act is no exception to the general rule, as the lawyer who attempts to begin suit by summons under it will discover at …


Recent Important Decisions Nov 1915

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions May 1915

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions Mar 1915

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Note And Comment, Hollis Harshman Feb 1915

Note And Comment, Hollis Harshman

Michigan Law Review

Breach of Landlord's Covenant as Defense to Action for Rent - It is undoubtedly well settled that if the agreement to pay rent is dependent upon the performance by the landlord of some undertaking on his part, the failure by the landlord so to perform is a good defense to an action for the rent. It is equally well settled that if the agreements are independent such failure by the landlord is no defense. The difficulty arises in determining whether the agreements are dependent or independent. That question is one of construction, and it cannot be expected that all the …