Digital Commons Network^™

Banks And Banking - Right To Recover For Benefits Conferred Under An Illegal Contract

Michigan Law Review

The Rowena State Bank, a corporation organized under the laws of South Dakota, borrowed a sum of money from the plaintiff who was the president of the bank. A state statute provided : "In all cases where money is borrowed, a bank shall issue its 'Bills Payable' and shall show the true amount of borrowed money on its books." The bank failed to comply with this statute. A short time later the defendant as superintendent of banks took charge of this bank. The plaintiff brought an action to recover upon a quantum meruit for the money loaned. Held, that …

Contracts - Champerty

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff leased her lands to defendant under a void oil and gas lease. One Johnston induced plaintiff to enter into a contract with him whereby Johnston agreed to pay the costs of a bill to cancel the lease in return for a new lease to himself should the bill be successful. Accordingly, this suit was brought to cancel the lease. The court, agreeing that the existing lease was void, nevertheless dismissed the bill on the ground that the contract between Johnston and plaintiff was void as against public policy, and that plaintiff had no standing in equity. Of the eight …

Criminal Law And Procedure-Jury

Michigan Law Review

In examining a prospective juror in a homicide case, the court asked him whether he had formed and expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the prisoner at the bar from having seen the crime committed or having heard any of the evidence delivered on oath. The venireman "shook his head and said no," but added that he had heard the case discussed a good deal and would rather not serve. Held, that he was not disqualified. Smallwood v. State, (Ga. App. 1932) 165 S. E. 476.

Duress -Threats Of Prosecution - Illegality

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff filed a bill for cancellation, on the ground of duress or illegality, of a mortgage given by her to the defendant. The mortgage was induced by a promise of the defendant's attorney to use his influence to procure the release from jail of the mortgagor's husband and the dismissal of criminal proceedings originally brought against him by the defendant. Held, there was no duress, and no fraud or deceit was practiced upon the court or court officials, so relief must be denied. Wilhelm v. King Auto Finance Co., (Mich. 1932) 244 N. W. 130.

Equity - Supplemental Decrees

Michigan Law Review

Appellant sold a trade name to the appellee which the latter was to use on "crayons, pastels, oil and water color paints, pens and erasers." Appellee used the name on other commodities and the appellant obtained an injunction forbidding the use of the name on any articles not mentioned in the contract. A year later, and in another term of court, the appellant moved for a supplemental decree, representing that the appellee was violating the spirit of the injunction by drafting advertising so that through association of the commodities upon which the name could be used with those upon which …

The Contracts Restatement, Grover C. Grismore

Michigan Law Review

A book review of OF THE LAW OF CONTRACTS. By the American Law Institute.

Book Notes And Notices

Michigan Law Review

This department undertakes to list and, when possible, describe briefly current books on law.

Banks And Banking - Deposit Of Trust Funds In Individual Account Of Trustee - Liability Of Depositary

Michigan Law Review

Committee for an incompetent was directed, by the court order appointing him, to deposit in X bank all funds which might come into his possession. In violation of this order he deposited checks payable to himself as committee in his individual account in the defendant bank. Plaintiff, as substituted committee, sued the depositary for alleged diversions by the original committee, on the theory that the defendant aided the diversions by accepting the deposit of trust funds in the individual account of the committee. Held, under the rule of Bischoff v. Yorkville Bank defendant bank is not liable for the …

Limitation Of Actions And The Conflict Of Laws, Edgar H. Ailes

Michigan Law Review

All civilized States, in the interest of an efficient administration of justice, have felt compelled to fix time limits beyond which access to their courts would be denied to aggrieved parties. Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium. This was true even of Roman law in which actions were normally perpetual. Since the limitations enacted by various legislatures differ widely, and since debts are transitory, permitting suit wherever the creditor can find the debtor (at least in countries where the Common Law prevails), it is of the first practical importance that definite rules of Conflict of Laws be evolved to …

Carriers - State Regulation Of Interstate Motor Carriers

Michigan Law Review

Chapter 236, Laws of Kansas, 1931, requires private motor carriers for hire in interstate commerce to secure a license from the public service commission, to secure a liability insurance policy, to keep daily records as prescribed by the commission, to pay a tax of five-tenths of a mill per gross ton for highway maintenance, and to be subjected to the supervision of the commission. Various regulations for making the highways safer are included. Plaintiff operated as a private motor carrier for hire in interstate commerce and sued to enjoin the enforcement of the act which it claimed was unconstitutional, for …

Certain Problems Confronting Creditors When A Revocable Trust Accomplishes Testamentary Succession, Ray Leslie Alexander

Michigan Law Review

Under the overwhelming weight of authority the reservation by the settlor of the income from trust property, or of other benefits, during his lifetime, and of the power to revoke the trust and so recover all or any part of the principal does not invalidate the trust; nor does the trust fail because the trust instrument is not executed in accordance with the Statute of Wills. Upon the death of the settlor the corpus of such a trust is distributable by the trustee in accordance with the terms of the trust instrument and does not pass to the executor or …

Publicly Owned Utilities And The Problem Of Municipal Debt Limits, Lawrence L. Durisch

Michigan Law Review

The far-reaching contest being waged between the advocates of municipal ownership of public utilities and the private ownership group, between those who "want the government to get out of business" and those who desire to see an increase in its proprietary functions, has produced a number of sharp legal controversies. One of the most interesting of these, recently litigated in a number of state courts, is whether an obligation incurred for the purchase or repair of a municipally-owned utility is a "municipal debt" within the meaning of constitutional or statutory debt limits. Because of the wide-spread interest in, and the …

The Value Of Sociology To Law, Robert C. Angell

Michigan Law Review

There has been a good deal said about a sociological approach to law and, as time goes by, more and more attempts are being made to turn words into action. There is a definite trend toward the tise of the sociologist, his research methods, his findings, or his body of principles by those concerned with the law. It may not be amiss, therefore, for a sociologist to inquire what the possibilities of this trend really are. Though, in certain respects, he may be less well equipped for this task than the student of law, he at least has the advantage …

Contracts -Anticipatory Breach - Recovery Of The Present Worth Of Unmatured Installments Of A Debt

Michigan Law Review

It is generally agreed that recovery may be had in one suit not only of the damages suffered up to the date of the writ but also of prospective damages for the non-performance of that which is not yet due, whenever a defendant has committed a partial material breach of an executory bilateral contract or of a unilateral contract to do something other than to pay a sum of money. The same conclusion is reached whenever a defendant has repudiated his promise after the time for beginning performance has arrived. These propositions are accepted even in those jurisdictions which do …

Constitutional Law -Validity Of Restrictions On House-To-House Selling

Michigan Law Review

Although data of an accurate nature are not available there seems no doubt that the use of house-to-house selling as a means of distribution has received a considerable impetus during the past few years. So extensive, in fact, has the practice become that many communities are seeking relief from whatever undesirable features may be felt. The problem has already been the subject of litigation in Fuller Brush Co. v. Town of Green River. That other controversies will inevitably follow justifies consideration of the legal aspects involved.

International Law Problems In The Extradition Of Samuel Insull

Michigan Law Review

Considerable interest was aroused by the press announcement of October 4, 1932, that Samuel Insull, former utilities magnate, had been indicted by an Illinois grand jury on charges of embezzlement and larceny and that his extradition from France, where he was then sojourning, would be requested. The seventy-four year old fugitive displayed unusual vigor in surreptitiously leaving Paris by train for Italy, where he boarded an airplane for Greece. He arrived in Athens on October 9, 1932, just one day after the request for his extradition reached Paris. On the following day he was arrested by the Greek authorities on …

Criminal Law And Procedure - Indictment And Information - Sufficiency Of Allegation

Michigan Law Review

An indictment under section 215 of the Criminal Code of the United States charged the appellant with devising a scheme to defraud and to obtain money under false pretences from certain named persons ( the scheme is fully set out and certain representations alleged) and with causing, for the purpose of executing said scheme, "a certain letter" to a named individual to be delivered by United States mail. The defendant promptly filed a motion to quash the indictment on the ground that it was not sufficiently informative of the offense. Held, without discussion, that the indictment was sufficient. Johnson …

Criminal Law And Procedure - Searches And Seizures - Sufficiency Of Description In Warrant

Michigan Law Review

Prosecuted for unlawful possession of liquor, defendant moved to suppress the evidence on the ground that the following description in the warrant, under authority of which the liquor was seized, fails sufficiently to describe the premises searched: " . . . on the northwest cor. in Block 'A,' Robinson Addition in the City or Town of Elk City (Cor. 9th and Oliver Sts. Beckham County, State of Oklahoma)." Block A was originally not subdivided and was without streets. It was later subdivided and 9th and Oliver Streets crossed near the center of the block. The house searched was on Lot …

Insurance - Murder Of Insured By Beneficiary - Liability Of Insurer To Estate Of Deceased Where Both Beneficiary And Insured Are Covered By One Joint Policy

Michigan Law Review

The deceased and her husband took out with the defendant company a joint policy payable to the survivor of diem. After the murder of the deceased by her husband, her administratrix brought an action to recover the proceeds of the insurance. The court held that since the parties had contracted for the survivor to take all, there could be no recovery in favor of the deceased's estate. Merrity v. Prudential Insurance Company, (N. J. 1932) 161 Atl. 681.

Public Utilities - Certificate Of Convenience And Necessity - Court Review Of Orders Of Commission

Michigan Law Review

A telephone company petitioned the railroad commission for a certificate of convenience and necessity and for authority to extend its lines into territory already served by another company. The application was denied by the commission, but upon appeal the circuit court set aside the order. The supreme court held that the orders or determinations of the commission in such matters will not be disturbed by the courts unless unreasonable in the sense that reasonable men might not well differ with respect to their correctness. Union Co-operative Telephone Company v. Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, 206 Wis. 160, 239 N. …

Book Notes And Notices

Michigan Law Review

This department undertakes to list and, when possible, describe briefly current books on law.

Reports For The Law School For The Academic Year, 1932-37, University Of Michigan Law School

Miscellaneous Law School History & Publications

Reports to the President of the University from the Dean of the Law School.

Years included are 1932-33, 1934-35, 1935-36, and 1936-37.

Directory Of The University Of Michigan Law Class Of 1933

Yearbooks & Class Year Publications

Directory of the Law Class of 1933. Published 1938.

The Contribution Of Thomas M. Cooley To Bryce's "American Commonwealth", Everett S. Brown

Michigan Law Review

In the preface to The American Commonwealth, James Bryce acknowledged his indebtedness to numerous friends who, in one way or other, aided him in the writing of his book. First on this list is the name of Thomas M. Cooley. An examination of the text and footnotes of The American Commonwealth shows that Bryce was well acquainted with Cooley's published works, especially his Constitutional Limitations and his General Principles of Constitutional Law, which he quoted frequently with approval and respect. Also one finds six references to letters from Judge Cooley or to observations made directly by him to Bryce. But …

The Fifteen Mill Tax Amendment And Its Effect, E. Blythe Stason

Michigan Law Review

This article, dealing with problems arising under the Michigan Tax Limitation Amendment, should be of general interest. The movement to reduce taxes on property is nation-wide, as Mr. Stason says. One form which the movement has taken has been to limit, by constitutional provision, the amount of tax which may be levied on property. Seventeen States already have such limitations and others may be expected to give consideration to like measures

Commencement Week Exercises Program, University Of Michigan Law School

Commencement and Honors Materials

Program for the June 16 to June 19, 1933 University of Michigan Law School commencement week exercises.

Housing Legislation And Housing Policy In The United States, Ernest M. Fisher

Michigan Law Review

Passage by Congress of the "Emergency Relief and Construction Act of 1932" just prior to adjournment in July has served to arouse widespread hope for a revival of the construction industry as a whole, and especially those activities of the industry that are bent upon producing new housing facilities. One of the provisions of the Act authorized the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to "make loans to corporations, formed wholly for the purpose of providing housing for families of low incomes, or for reconstruction of slum areas, which are regulated by state or municipal law as to rents, charges, capital structure, rate …

Book Notes And Notices

Michigan Law Review

This department undertakes to list and, when possible, describe briefly current books on law.

Torts -Trespassers - Statutory Non-Liability Of Railroads

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, five years of age, was leaning over the edge of defendant's bridge, looking into a canal, when a train was backed into standing cars without warning, and plaintiff was injured. Children were accustomed to play on the bridge, despite the presence of "Danger - No Trespassing" signs. Plaintiff recovered judgment in the trial court, and the judgment was affirmed by the circuit court of appeals, but the Supreme Court of the United States held that the New Jersey statute section 55 of the Railroad Act, "negatived the attractive nuisance and implied invitation doctrines," and reiterated the so-called "Massachusetts Rule" …

Torts -Attractive Nuisance

Michigan Law Review

Dynamite caps were left on the banks of a slush pit near defendant's gas well. Cultivated fields immediately around the pit were under lease to a Mr. Bradshaw whose small boy, trespassing upon defendant's pit, found the dynamite caps and showed them to his father who permitted the boy to play with them, thinking that the caps had been exploded. Later the Bradshaw boy gave them to plaintiff, aged five, who drove a nail into a cap which exploded and injured him. Evidence showed that there was a path near the slush pit, and that children frequently crossed the field …