Digital Commons Network^™

Corporations--Doing Professional Service Through Others, Joseph N. Morency, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The question whether a corporation empowered to engage in any lawful business may furnish professional services to its members or customers through the use of licensed agents has been a real problem for the courts. It is generally agreed that a corporation cannot furnish professional services to the public generally through or by means of employing licensed members of a profession for whose services it makes charges that go into the funds of the corporation; but it is equally well-settled that a corporation can engage in any lawful business or trade .even though practitioners are required to be licensed, provided …

Bankruptcy - Chapter X Reorganization - Power Of The Trustee To Sue In A Foreign Jurisdiction, Shubrick T. Kothe S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, trustees appointed under Chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act, as amended, by the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, sued defendants in the District Court for the Southern District of New York to recover corporate assets, alleging a conspiracy to defraud the debtor corporation. Jurisdiction was rested, not upon diversity of citizenship, but upon sections 2 and 102 of the Bankruptcy Act, and certain sections of the Judicial Code, not pertinent here. The district court dismissed the action for want of jurisdiction. On appeal, held, reversed. The reorganization trustee under Chapter X may maintain an action …

Reformation Of Instruments-Mistake-Deed Of Married Woman, Eugene H. Lattin

Michigan Law Review

In 1887 one Evans deeded to Mattie Woodbridge a lot described in the deed as lot 31, believing that the lot described was lot 29. Mattie took possession of lot 29, and held it until October 7, 1913, when she deeded it by the same description as in the original deed to one Casto, an intermediary, who then deeded it to William, Mattie's husband. Husband and wife continued in possession of lot 29 until her death in 1919. Lot 31, the lot described in the deed of 1887, continued in the possession of Evans and his successors until 1905, when …

A Review Of The New Trade-Mark Manual, Lenore B. Stoughton

Michigan Law Review

The United States Trade-Mark Act of July 5, 1946, is a statute designed to be of far-reaching effect. The appraisal of the statute must be made in the light of that fact rather than in the light of the confusion and disputation which have arisen as to the proper interpretation of many of its provisions.

One might have supposed that an act which had been subjected to intensive study and extensive revision over so many years before its final enactment would emerge in complete clarity. Such has not proved to be the case; and it should not have been expected. …

Significant Developments In The Law Of Federal Taxation, 1941-1947: I, Paul G. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

A preliminary word on the scope of this review is in order. Since this was originally prepared as one of a series designed to acquaint returning veterans with legal developments during the war period, the year 1941 has been chosen as the starting point, and the review carried forward from that point through to date. The review covering this period is limited to significant developments in the area of federal taxation, with emphasis upon the estate, gift, and income taxes.

Federal Courts-Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure-Duty Of Court In Non-Jury Action On Motion To Dismiss Under Rule 41 (B), Merrill N. Johnson

Michigan Law Review

The federal government brought an action to restrain the United States Gypsum Company and thirteen other corporate and individual defendants from alleged violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Most of the government's evidence came from defendant's officers, employees, and documents with the result that evidence favorable to both the plaintiff and defendants was presented. The government's case required over five months to present and 10,000 pages to record. The defendants then moved to dismiss the complaint with prejudice under Rule 41 (b). In the hearing on this motion, the government contended that the sole question presented was one of law, …

Evidence-Documentary Proof Of Market Value Of Personal Property-Admissibility-Relationship To Oral Testimony Based Thereon, P. F. Westbrook, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Even the most casual observer of modern business practices will accede to the general proposition that the most accurate reflection of market value for many commodities can be found in documentary sources. This is particularly true of those commodities of an homogeneous character which are sold in well-organized markets characterized by price uniformity and free access to price information. Of them, it may well be said that no more satisfactory evidence of market value than the newspaper market reports can be found, barring the possibility of personal observation of "the board" at the market itself. However, the average businessman will …

Duress Through Civil Litigation: I, John P. Dawson

Michigan Law Review

Duress through the use of civil litigation provides a convenient starting point for an analysis of modern doctrines of economic duress. The propriety of this form of pressure, used alone or in conjunction with other means of coercion, may become an issue in a variety of situations in which relief for duress is asked. At the same time it is in this area that the extension of duress as a remedial principle has encountered the greatest resistance.

Sunday Laws-Illegality Of Sunday Contracts, Robert O. Hancox S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The concept of the Sabbath, the setting apart of one day in seven as a day of rest, was derived from the Mosaic code, the Fourth Commandment directs abstention from labor on the seventh day of the week, and although there is nothing in the New Testament relating to Sunday, the Christian world adopted the first day of the week as a day of rest. Constantine, by an edict in 321 A.D., ordered the suspension on Sunday of all business in the courts of law, except the manumission of slaves, and all other- business except agricultural labor.

Bailment-Unknown Chattels Contained In Object Bailed, B. E. Heath

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's automobile was stolen from defendant's parking lot. Plaintiff had previously disclosed to defendant's agent that certain things were in the car, but had failed to mention other items also present. In an action to recover the value of all the items, held, recovery allowed only for those things that defendant knew were in the automobile, he being a bailee of those things only. Palotto v. Hanna Parking Garage Co., (Ohio 1946) 68 N.E. (2d) 170.

De Minimis Non Curat Lex, Max L. Veech, Charles R. Moon

Michigan Law Review

An age-old maxim often applied but infrequently rationalized is that of de minimus non curat lex. In the recent case of Steve Anderson v. Mt. Clemens Pottery Company, the United States Supreme Court focused attention upon the doctrine by ruling that it should be applied in determining whether "walking time" and other "preliminary activities" constitute "work" for which employees are entitled to compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The so-called "portal-to-portal" problems which have arisen as a result of the last mentioned ruling make timely a discussion of the origin, meaning, function and application of …

The Conflict Of Laws: A Comparative Study. Volume Two. Foreign Corporations: Torts: Contracts In General, Ernst Rabel

Michigan Legal Studies Series

Full application of comparative methods to the law of conflicts requires a working plan of some magnitude. We ought to take stock of the conflicts rules existing in the different countries of the world, state their similarities or dissimilarities, and investigate their purposes and effects. The solutions thus ascertained should moreover be subjected to an estimation of their usefulness, by the standards appropriate to their natural objective. Conflicts rules have to place private life and business relations upon the legal background suitable to satisfactory intercourse among states and nations. They are valuable to the extent that their practical functioning, rather …

Soviet Law Of Inheritance: I, Vladimir Gsovski

Michigan Law Review

The Soviet law of inheritance has suffered several drastic changes. Not only were the statutory provisions changed, but the attitude of soviet jurists to the very institution of devolution of property on death has presented a constantly changing picture.

Model Probate Code And Monographs On Probate Law: A Review, Russell Denison Niles

Michigan Law Review

The current volume in the Michigan Legal Studies, Problems in Probate Law: Model Probate Code, is an outstanding example of what can be achieved by the cooperation of a professional association and a well-financed and forward-looking law school. The Probate Division of the Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law of the American Bar Association initiated the project of preparing a model probate code and sponsored the project through to completion. The code is the Probate Division's proudest achievement. But the code would not have been possible without the Herculean labors of Professor Lewis M. Simes, Director of …

Future Interests-Rule Against Perpetuities-Contingent Remainders In The Alternative-Rule Of Loddington V. Kime-Power Of Appointment, Shubrick T. Kothe S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Prior to her marriage, settlor created a trust, reserving to herself a life estate, with general testamentary power of appointment over the corpus. The trust deed provided further that in default of appointment, "or as to any part of said estate as to which the appointment may for any reason fail to take effect," the property was to remain in trust to pay one-half the income to her fiancé for life, if he should survive her, the other half to her children who survived or the issue of deceased children, and to pay over the principal when the youngest taker …

Application Of Federal Income, Estate And Gift Tax Laws To Community Property, Willard S. Pedersen

Michigan Law Review

The ganancial or community concept of property ownership, by which husband and wife have equal, vested, undivided, one-half interests in property held by them as tenants in community, has been a thorn in the side of federal tax laws ever since some tax-conscious community income earner decided to report as taxable only one-half of the community income, leaving the other half to be reported by and taxed to his wife upon her separate return. Such procedure first became authorized in community property jurisdictions recognizing the wife's interest as "vested" in 1920. Not long thereafter the realization began to dawn upon …

Taxation-Federal Gift Tax-Life Insurance Policies, John W. Riehm S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

On December 19, 1930 the petitioner created two trusts, placing in the first five $100,000 life insurance policies on the life of her husband, and in the second, securities, the income from which was to pay premiums on the policies, excess if any to be paid to the petitioner; after the death of her husband the whole of the income from the securities was to be paid to her for life. On death of the husband the proceeds of the life insurance policies were to be used to provide life estates for four named beneficiaries followed by remainders over; and …

Taxation-Administrative Law-Judicial Review Of Determinations Of United States Tax Court-The Rule Of The Dobson Case, Rosemary Scott S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In the field of administrative tax law there is no more intriguing subject for speculation than the scope of judicial review of decisions of the United States Tax Court as sought to be delineated in Dobson v. Commissioner three years ago. The case was a valiant attempt to limit the scope of review of appellate courts by defining the area in which the findings of the Tax Court would be conclusive. The task was an impossible one at the outset because of the lack of standard definition, except at the core, of the flexible and fluid concepts of "findings of …

Mandamus To Review State Administrative Action, Foster H. Sherwood

Michigan Law Review

The appearance of a substantial body of administrative law in the United States preceded its recognition as such by a good many years. In the intervening period, the courts made every effort to fit the new and unfamiliar jurisprudence into old and familiar forms, particularly those of the common law. This was a natural development, both because it accorded with common law traditions of adjustment, and because there was no legislative recognition of the view for action. The recognition that the problems of administrative law cannot invariably be solved within the framework of traditional legal concepts has paralleled the growing …

Labor Law-Kickback Act-Application To Union Officials, James R. Bliss

Michigan Law Review

Defendants were officials of Local 39 of International Hod Carriers Building and Common Labor Union of America, which procured a closed shop agreement with certain contractors on a federal building project. Defendants were indicted for violation of the federal Kickback Act, the indictment charging that defendants had (1) collected five dollars weekly from nonunion employees on the project by threatening them with dismissal, (2) given receipts for payments collected and accepted employees as union members on presentation of receipts totalling the union initiation fee, (3) but had not kept a record of collection nor accounted to Local 39, as required …

Corporations-The Fair And Equitable Test In Recapitalizations, Robert O. Hancox

Michigan Law Review

Changes in capital structures of corporations which modify rights of security holders generally occur under one of two circumstances: (1) reorganization of insolvent corporations which affects the rights of creditors as well as shareholders and necessitates judicial supervision; and (2) recapitalization of solvent corporations involving only the relative rights of the different classes of shareholders. It is the author's present purpose to focus attention on the effect of the latter type of modification on the most zealously guarded right of the preferred shareholder--the right to accrued dividends on cumulative preferred stock.

Trade Marks--Assignability In Gross, Joseph N. Morency, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

After using the name "Mother Parker" in connection with a biscuit mix manufactured in Brooklyn, plaintiff, Heloise Parker Broeg, in 1934 opened a bakery in Boston under the name "Mother Parker's Cupboard." She operated this store and another in the same area until 1939, selling a line of bakery goods including bread, doughnuts, cakes, and cookies. In 1936 the trade mark "Mother Parker's" was registered in the United States Patent Office. Plaintiff and her husband opened an experimental laboratory and retail bakery in Peterboro, New Hampshire, in 1940 under the name "Mother Parker's Cupboard" in which they manufactured a complete …

The Duration Of Certifications By The National Labor Relations Board And The Doctrine Of Administrative Stability, Bernard Cushman

Michigan Law Review

The National Labor Relations Act has recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. A decade is a short time in the life of a statute and the process of interpretation of an act which marked a new approach to labor relations problems is far from ended . In fashioning the mosaic of statute and decision which constitutes the basic law for our varied industrial communities, the National Labor Relations Board has had to deal with difficult and diverse problems. Not the least important of these questions comprise those involving the duration of the validity of its certifications.

Evidence -Witnesses - Privileged Communications Between Physician And Patient--Statutory Effect Of Asserting Privilege In Actions On Insurance Contracts, William H. Buchanan S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, beneficiary of an insurance policy (but not the personal representative of the deceased insured), sued to recover the amount of the policy from the insurance company. As a defense the defendant claimed that the policy never became effective because the insured had made material misrepresentations in the application as to his state of health. To show that there had been such misrepresentations, the defendant proved that the insured had been treated by physicians during the five years preceding the issuance of the policy. Upon objectionμ by plaintiff the court excluded the testimony of the doctors as to the nature …

Optional Terms (Jus Dispositivum) And Required Terms (Jus Cogens) In The Law Of Contracts, Arthur Lenhoff

Michigan Law Review

In speaking of statutory law in the common law courts, lawyers have ascribed to it a limiting office, namely, that of interference with the parties' freedom to act and transact at their pleasure. A closer consideration shows them that the function of statutory law varies not only with the legal system to which it belongs, but also with the structural changes within a single legal system.

Implied Warranties Of Non-Infringement, Louis Robertson

Michigan Law Review

When a manufacturer or dealer sells a product, is there an implied warranty that the product does not infringe adversely-owned patents? In other words, does the purchaser who is successfully sued for infringement have the right, without an indemnity clause, to be indemnified by the seller?

Many lawyers, especially patent lawyers, who are accustomed to advising the insertion of express patent warranties in sales contracts to take care of the matter, have answered this question instantly and positively in the negative, and it is quite possible that according to fundamental principles of implied warranties they are right, and yet all …

Recent Developments In Patent Law, Arthur M. Smith

Michigan Law Review

The framers of the Federal Constitution shared with Thomas Jefferson his "wish to see new inventions encouraged, and old ones brought again info useful notice." Their concern for the public welfare caused many, including Jefferson, to question the wisdom of using a limited monopoly to encourage such inventions.

Precedent In Past And Present Legal Systems, C. Sumner Lobingier

Michigan Law Review

The prevailing notion that stare decisis is peculiar to the Anglican Legal System is quite provincial and far from correct. On the contrary, the principle is inherent in every legal system, at least in its primitive stage; for the earliest form of law is custom, and the "core of custom" is precedent, not necessarily judicial, but something quite as authoritative.

Administrative Law-Exhaustion Of Administrative Remedies As A Prerequisite To Judicial Review-Discretionary Treatment By Federal Courts, James E. Dunlap S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The recent Supreme Court decision in Levers v. Anderson held that the rule that one must exhaust his administrative remedies before he is entitled to judicial review does not operate automatically so as to preclude judicial relief when such relief has been expressly permitted by statute. Stated in this way, it is difficult to see how one could reach a different conclusion. Nevertheless, it is believed that this decision, which resulted in a reversal of a circuit court's judgment, did much to remove certain confusion in this field.

Domestic Relations-Recent Developments (A Service For Returning Veterans), John S. Bradway

Michigan Law Review

During the past five years family life in America has been subjected to unusual strains. The repercussions of the war, as well as the usual peacetime factors, affecting the domestic circle have received attention of sociologists and lay writers. The legal implications have not made such prompt appearance in published form.

Information as to that part of the impact of family dislocation caused by war is available in many places, none the least important being the records in the offices of legal assistance officers in the armed forces, of the Committees on War Work set up by the American and …