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Negligence-Proof Of Causation, Walter Dean

Michigan Law Review

Decedent, a passenger on defendant's railroad was bound for X Terminal. The car doors were open and a trainman called out, "X Terminal, next," but the train stopped in the dark at point Y before reaching the announced destination to allow another train to pass. Decedent's body was found near point Y. Suit was brought by decedent's widow under the state "wrongful death" statutes. The lower court held that the plaintiff's failure to show that decedent left the train at point Y was a fatal gap in the causal chain, and gave judgment for the defendant notwithstanding the …

Torts-Right Of Infant To Recover For Pre-Natal Injuries, Melvin J. Spencer S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's mother, while pregnant with plaintiff, a viable child, was fatally injured in a fall from the steps of defendant's bus. Plaintiff was seriously injured by the fall and was born prematurely. On demurrer to plaintiff's petition, held, plaintiff had a remedy under the Constitution of Ohio for pre-natal injuries negligently inflicted. Williams v. The Marion Rapid Transit, Inc., 152 Ohio St. 114, 87 N.E. (2d) 334 (1949).

Trusts And Estates-Accumulations-Setting Aside Reserve For Depreciation On Trust Buildings, Hugh B. Muir

Michigan Law Review

Testator created a testamentary trust of several parcels of real property improved with apartment houses, authorizing the trustees to pay the net annual income therefrom to his sons in equal shares. The trust was to terminate when the youngest son attained the age of twenty-one, or, if he died before majority, when the second youngest son attained the age of thirty-seven, or sooner died. Remainder was to the testator's sons living at the termination date or their issue, per stirpes. Testator, while living, had maintained accounting records for the properties in such manner as to reflect an annual charge for …

Monthly Periodical Index, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This department lists the articles and comments which appear in leading law reviews. The index embraces material published since the last issue of this REVIEW.

Alternative Pleading: I, Roy W. Mcdonald

Michigan Law Review

The present series of articles seeks to test the extent to which the dictates of this common professional experience have influenced the statutes, rules, and precedents which govern our civil practice. As a background for a review of procedures typical of the code and federal practice within the United States, it will be useful initially to consider briefly the English practice during the past century and a half. The English procedures, as they existed at the end of the eighteenth century, though everywhere locally modified and simplified in some respects, formed authoritative guides for the practices of most of the …

A Critique Of The New British Monopoly Act, Gerald M. Meier

Michigan Law Review

In 1948 the British Parliament passed the Monopoly and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act. It is instructive to examine this Act against the background of the criticisms and suggestions for improvement which have emerged with sixty years of American anti-trust legislation. Section one of this paper presents some reasons why the measure has appeared at this time. The next section summarizes the Act's provisions. Section three contrasts the British technique of monopoly control with the American and considers whether the different approach is likely to avoid the debilities which have become evident in the American legislation.

Negotiable Instruments Under The Uniform Commercial Code, George E. Palmer

Michigan Law Review

The ambitious undertaking of the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to draft a "Uniform Commercial Code" includes a proposed revision of the Negotiable Instruments Law. This is not merely an attempt to patch up the present statute. It is virtually a complete rewriting. It includes many changes and additions in substance as well as a radical reorganization and rephrasing of language where no change in substance is designed. · It includes the much needed separation of the provisions relating to investment instruments such as corporate bonds from those relating to bills, checks, …

Constitutional Law--Freedom Of Speech--Permissible Extent Of Limitation, Clinton R. Ashford S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

At the present time this nation is greatly concerned over the state of its political health. Advocates of foreign ideologies are asserting their creeds with ever-increasing vigor. The doctrines they propound are generally conceded to be inconsistent with American ideals, and their activity has induced a feeling of alarm, sometimes attended by hostile reaction. There have been instances where this reaction has taken the form of demands that the proponents of these ideas be silenced. In these circumstances, it becomes important to examine the power of state and federal governments to restrict their activities, particularly with respect to the freedom …

Partnerships-Limited-Failure To Comply With Statutes As Basis For Unlimited Liability, Fred W. Freeman S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The recent decision of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Kistler v. Gingles, that a limited partner under the Arkansas Limited Partnership Act fails to avoid unlimited liability if the terms of the statute are not complied with, illustrates the inherent danger of the limited partnership. This statute, which is typical of the limited partnership statutes antedating the Uniform Limited Partnership Act, provides, in part, for an affidavit by one of the general partners stating that the sums which each limited partner proposes to contribute to the enterprise have actually and in good faith been paid into the …

Appeal And Error-Union Of Law And Equity-Appealability Of Order Denying Demand For Jury Trial, Earl R. Boonstra S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Defendant held an insurance policy written by plaintiff which by its terms covered a hangar against loss by fire. After the hangar had been destroyed by fire, plaintiff instituted this suit for reformation on the ground that the contract had been written as a fire policy through mutual mistake. Defendant denied the mistake, filed a counterclaim to recover on the policy as written, and demanded a jury trial. Plaintiff moved to strike the demand, and the motion was granted. The court of appeals dismissed the defendant's appeal. On certiorari, held, affirmed. Not being a final decision, the order denying …

Discovery-Attorney-Client Privilege-Statements By Client To Insurer Before Attorney Employed, Colvin A. Peterson, Jr. S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, suing for personal injuries suffered in an automobile collision, sought discovery of statements made by defendant to his insurer, both before and after an attorney had been employed by the insurer pursuant to its contract with defendant. Defendant contended that such statements were within the attorney-client privilege. On appeal from an order denying discovery, held, affirmed. The statements were intended as a communication by defendant to the attorney ultimately to be retained for him by his insurer, and the insurer was the agent of defendant to transmit the statements to the attorney when selected. Hollien v. Kaye, …

Rights Of Finders, Ralph W. Aigler

Michigan Law Review

Because the deeply important jurisprudential concept of possession is involved, cases dealing with the problem of finders assume an importance far beyond their practical significance. The recent decision by the Oregon Supreme Court in Jackson v. Steinburg suggests further discussion of the problem, with particular reference to the cases in that state.

Habeas Corpus-Inadequacy Of State Remedy, Joseph Gricar

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner had pleaded guilty to a criminal indictment and was sentenced to prison by an Illinois circuit court. His petition for a writ of habeas corpus, based upon an alleged denial of due process at trial, was denied without hearing. The Illinois Supreme Court in People v. Loftus, decided in 1949, seems squarely to have held that habeas corpus is a proper post-trial proceeding for hearing charges of denial of due process. Since the Illinois Supreme Court does not review habeas corpus proceedings in the circuit court, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari. Held, remanded to the …

Constitutional Law-Commerce Clause-State Taxation Of Interstate Commerce, Charles Myneder

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff corporation owned and operated oil pipe lines lying wholly within the state of Mississippi. Oil transported through these lines was later pumped into railroad tank cars and shipped out of state. The Mississippi State Tax Commission levied a tax against plaintiff measured by its gross receipts for transporting oil through the pipe lines. The state supreme court sustained the tax, ruling that the operation of the pipe lines was intrastate rather than interstate commerce and that the tax was "merely on the privilege of operating a pipe line wholly within this state as a local activity." On appeal to …

Negligence-Joint Enterprise Between Husband And Wife As Basis For Imputation Of Negligence, Theodore Sachs

Michigan Law Review

H's car, driven by H with W as passenger, collided with D's car as H and W were traveling from their California home to visit relatives in Florida. Both intended to seek employment in Florida and, if successful, to take up residence there. Each had been employed since marriage, their salaries going into a common fund. From this fund the car was purchased and the trip financed. In suit by W and H against D, held, recovery of W denied. Because there was a joint enterprise between W and H, H's contributory negligence was …

Procedure-Contempt As Sanction To Enforce Delivery In Replevin, John A. Nordberg

Michigan Law Review

In a replevin action in a common pleas court the plaintiff, after filing a $200 bond for property later valued at $900, obtained possession of some household goods of the defendant under a fatally defective writ. On motion of the defendant the court dismissed the action and ordered the property returned. On appeal, plaintiff's action was again dismissed and he was directed to return defendant's goods. He ignored the order and was adjudged guilty of contempt. On appeal in the nature of certiorari from this conviction, held, reversed without prejudice. The order was void since the court had lost …

Reel: The Case Of General Yamashita, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of THE CASE OF GENERAL YAMASHITA By A. Frank Reel.

Monthly Periodical Index, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This department lists the articles and comments which appear in leading law reviews. The index embraces material published since the last issue of this REVIEW.

Torts-Family Relationship-Child's Right To Recover For Enticement Of Parent From Home, William H. Lowery

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a six year old girl, sued to recover damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of defendant's enticing her mother from the family home. Plaintiff contended that as a child and member of the family she had a legally protected right to maintenance of the family relationship. Defendant answered that no tort had been committed, since no right in the plaintiff was recognized at common law and that to recognize such a right would amount to judicial legislation. From a judgment in favor of plaintiff, defendant appealed. Held, affirmed. Allowing a child a right of action …

Accrual Problems In Tax Accounting, Alfred E. Holland

Michigan Law Review

Quite frequently at the end of a taxable year some uncertainty qualifies the eventual payment or receipt of an obligation. An obligor may refuse to pay the debt for any number of reasons. There may be disagreement as to the amount which is due; the obligation may not appear collectible; or there may be some other contingency which makes eventual receipt or payment appear uncertain at the time. This uncertainty presents a problem to the taxpayer when he closes his books at the end of the year. Should such an uncertain item be entered on the books as income for …

The Law School 1949-50, E. Blythe Stason

Michigan Law Review

Notwithstanding the fact that the peak of postwar veterans' enrollment is supposed to have subsided, the 1949-50 enrollment in the Law School remains substantially the same as it has been during the past several years. Last year we recorded a total of 1057 students; this year the figure is 1030. The beginning class of 409 students, together with 273 second-year and 328 third-year students, to which must be added 20 graduate students, all add up to the total, 1030. Thirty-three of the total are women, the largest women's enrollment ever recorded in the School. The group of 20 graduate students …

Contributory Infringement And The Combination Patent, Samuel Ewer Eastman

Michigan Law Review

The right of action for contributory infringement of a patent was forged by judicial legislation, and, as limited and subjected to opposing rules of law, has been tempered by that same process. The history is exemplary of the control over society exercisable by the courts according to their own individual economic outlook.

In tracing this history, buying agreements, price-fixing, agreements not to deal in the goods of a competitor, conspiracies to restrain trade through licensing, and other business arrangements subject to scrutiny under the anti-trust laws will be dealt with only incidentally. It is not possible to deal only with …

Corporations-Applicability Of General Corporate Dissolution Procedure To Associations Organized Under Building And Loan Act, Howard W. Haftel S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Building and loan associations are organizations designed for the general purpose of accumulating by gradual payments of their members a fund to be invested primarily in loans on real estate. At present these organizations almost invariably are corporations for profit. Because of their economic importance these associations have long been regarded as affected with a public interest and therefore subject to a higher degree of regulation than would be sustained in the case of ordinary profit-making corporations. Special legislation is necessary because building and loan associations differ widely from other corporations in financial structure and operation.

Libel And Slander-Testamentary Libel, Charles Hansen S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Although the right to recover for injury from admittedly defamatory matter would seem to be clear, the law imposes a series of obstacles when the offending statements are embodied in a will. Of the few cases which have arisen in this area, a recent decision, Carver v. Morrow, serves to illustrate the general problem. In this case, plaintiff claimed that portions of testatrix' will defamed him. After the will was probated, he brought an action against testatrix' executors on the ground that publication had been effected by probate, and that therefore a cause of action in libel existed against …

Constitutional Law-Eminent Domain-Elements Of Fair Value, Hugh B. Muir

Michigan Law Review

Respondent bought the tug MacArthur from the Coast Guard in March, 1942. Exclusive of his own labor, his outlay for purchase and repair of the tug totaled $8,574.78. In October, 1942, the War Shipping Administration, acting under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, requisitioned the tug and awarded compensation of $9,000. Respondent contested the award, and the Court of Claims found that the fair market value at the time of taking was $15,500. This determination was made without deduction for enhancement of value due to the government's need of vessels, or previous taking of vessels of similar type. The Court …

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Foreign Corporations-Discriminatory Intangibles Tax, Robert P. Griffin S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

An Ohio statute required foreign corporations doing business within the state to pay an ad valorem tax on accounts receivable which arose through outstate sales of goods shipped from warehouses within the state, even though the sales were consummated by an agent maintaining his office without the state. Such intangibles were declared by the Ohio statutory formula to have a situs within the state. At the same time, the accounts receivable of Ohio residents and domestic corporations which were derived from outstate sales by agents having their offices without the state were exempt, even though the goods were shipped from …

Constitutional Law-Privilege Against Self-Incrimination-Waiver Under Compulsory Testimony Act, John A. Nordberg

Michigan Law Review

Smith, sole owner and officer of a clothing corporation, appeared before an OPA examiner in response to a subpoena to produce the corporate books. Under the Emergency Price Control Act these records were required to be kept and preserved. Smith said that the records were "destroyed, lost, or misplaced.'' Then, on claiming privilege against self-incrimination, he testified as to activities of the corporation and contents of the absent records. During the interrogation Smith made a long statement in partial summation of his testimony. When he finished, he was asked, ''This is a voluntary statement. You do not claim immunity with …

International Law-Accidents In International Air Transportation-Limitation Of Liability, William C. Gordon S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, known professionally as Jane Froman, sought damages of one million dollars for injuries received when defendant's transatlantic plane crashed at Lisbon, Portugal. Before the flight, defendant prepared tickets for plaintiff and other passengers scheduled to entertain troops overseas and delivered them to a USO Camp Shows' employee in charge of arranging transportation for the group. Plaintiff had not expressly authorized the USO employee to receive the ticket in her behalf. She was unaware of the plane's exact destination. Held, a ticket invoking the liability limitations of the Warsaw Convention was delivered as a matter of law. Ross v. …

Trusts-Addition To Corpus By Will-Nature Of Bequest, Robert H. Frick

Michigan Law Review

Testator created an amendable inter vivos trust which he amended in 1938, 1940, and 1942. By a codicil to his will, executed in 1945, he left his residuary estate to the trustees of the inter vivos trust to be held according to the terms of that trust as amended. On certification from the probate court, held, the bequest to the trustees was valid, and it was not necessary for the trustees to give bond and account to the probate court as required of trustees of testamentary trusts by statute. In re York's Estate, (N. H. 1949) 65 A. …

Wills-An Exception To The Pennsylvania Mortmain Statute, Robert H. Frick

Michigan Law Review

Testatrix and her husband entered into an agreement that the survivor should devise property owned by them as tenants by the entireties to charities of the Catholic Church. Ten years later, testatrix, who had survived her husband, executed a will in accordance with the agreement, and died within thirty days thereafter. The lower court held that the bequest was not invalid under the Pennsylvania statute voiding religious or charitable bequests made within thirty days of death. On appeal, held, affirmed. Where a valid contract to make a will antedates the testator's death by more than the statutory period, the …