Digital Commons Network^™

The Conference On The Law Of The Sea: A Report, Charles Swan, James Ueberhorst

Michigan Law Review

From the viewpoint of the United States, far too much attention was given by many delegates to the political aspects of the articles and too little attention to the legal. Many of the new and the underdeveloped States adopted the position that rules established before they were able to influence their formulation should be changed as a matter of progress. They viewed some aspects of freedom of the high seas as a fiction invented by the maritime nations to rob them of their living resources off their coasts.

Conflict Of Laws - Estoppel - Extra-Territorial Effect Of Probate Decree, Thomas A. Hoya S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Testator, domiciled in California, by his will created a charitable trust of his residuary estate which included lands located in North Dakota. Under California law, the charitable bequest was valid to the extent of only one-third of the residuary estate. Upon distribution of the trust estate by the California court, the charity appeared and received its one-third of the entire residuary property. The trustee then filed with the North Dakota court, asking that the North Dakota land be distributed in accord with the California decree. Since there was no limitation on the validity of the charitable bequest in North Dakota, …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 56, Issue 7 of Michigan Law Review

Modification Of Consent Decrees: A Proposal To The Antitrust Division, Victor H. Kramer

Michigan Law Review

The genius of the Sherman Act has been said to lie in its generality and adaptability. Thus the act has been successfully applied for almost three-quarters of a century to an economy that has been more dynamic than during any comparable period in history.

In 1912, twenty-two years after passage of the act, consent decrees began to be frequently used as a means of settling, without trial, civil antitrust suits brought by the government. Their use became even more popular as a result of the passage in 1914 of section 5 of the Clayton Act. It permitted private plaintiffs seeking …

Torts In English And American Conflict Of Laws: The Role Of The Forum, S. I. Shuman, S. Prevezer

Michigan Law Review

''Private international law owes its existence to the fact that there are in the world a number of separate territorial systems of law that differ greatly from each other in the rules by which they regulate the various legal relations arising in daily life." Where the systems are those of member states of a federal union, there should be less difference in their laws than where they are those of sovereign nations divided by strong cultural, social and political barriers. Interstate conflicts and international conflicts are likely to give rise to somewhat different considerations and rules, and it is surely …

Constitutional Law - Citizenship - Power Of Congress To Effect Involuntary Expatriation, Robert J. Hoerner S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In four recent cases the United States Supreme Court has dealt with the power of Congress to effect the denationalization of native-born citizens without their consent. Three cases, Perez v. Brownell, Trop v. Dulles, and Mendoza-Martinez v. Mackey dealt with the constitutionality of sections 401(e), 401(g) and 401(j), respectively, of the Nationality Act of 1940. The fourth case, Nishikawa v. Dulles dealt only with the burden of proof when duress is alleged under section 401(c), but contained one opinion of constitutional significance. The purpose of this comment is to analyze and evaluate these decisions.

Wills - Devise To Executor For Further Distribution - Application Of Trust And Power Doctrines, William P. Wooden S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

This comment is designed to demonstrate the potential. anomalies which exist in traditional thinking in this area and to point up some possibilities for correlation of the hitherto unrelated concepts developed in the trust and power realms.

Bills And Notes - Indorsements - Liability Of Drawee Bank On Forged Indorsement, John P. Williams S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

H applied to the plaintiff credit corporation for a loan to finance a new auto dealership. In exchange for a note and contract purportedly signed by H and his wife W, plaintiff issued a check payable to H and W. The check, after being indorsed, was paid by defendant, the drawee bank. The proceeds of the loan were used as planned, but the business subsequently failed at which time it was discovered that H had forged W's signature on the note, the contract and the check. Plaintiff sued to compel restoration of the amount of the check …

Constitutional Law - Former Jeopardy - Retrial For Greater Offense After Conviction Of Lesser Included Offense Reversed On Appeal, Ralph E. Boches

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was indicted by the District of Columbia grand jury on counts charging both arson and murder in the first degree for a death caused by the arson. He was convicted of arson and second-degree murder, the jury returning no verdict on the first-degree murder charge. On appeal the conviction of second-degree murder was reversed because the evidence permitted only a conviction of first-degree murder or an acquittal. On remand defendant was retried on the original indictment for first-degree ·murder, convicted, and sentenced to death over his objection of former jeopardy. The court of appeals, sitting en banc, affirmed …

Criminal Law - Felony - Murder-Guilt Of Robber For The Justifiable Killing Of His Accomplice By A Policeman, Nick E. Yocca S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The defendant was convicted of murder in the first degree for the death of his co-felon resulting from a wound inflicted by a policeman while the felons were fleeing the scene of a robbery. On appeal to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, held, reversed, one judge dissenting. For conviction in felony-murder, the killing must be done by the defendant or by one acting in furtherance of the felonious undertaking. One cannot be convicted for the consequences of lawful conduct of another person. Commonwealth v. Redline, 391 Pa. 486, 137 A. (2d) 472 (1958).

Federal Practice - Venue - Applicability Of General Venue Satute To Defendant Brought Into A Case After Removal From The State Court, Nick E. Yocca S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, citizens of Missouri, originally brought suit in an Alabama state court against D1, a citizen of Virginia, and D2, a citizen of Minnesota, to recover for injuries sustained in an automobile accident which occurred in Alabama. After defendants had removed to the federal district court, plaintiffs amended their complaint to include D3, a citizen of Florida, service of process having been made in accordance with the Alabama nonresident motorist statute. By special appearance, D3 moved for dismissal because of improper venue. Held, motion granted and cause dismissed as to D3. While the original action was removed from the …

Constitutional Law - Intergovernmental Tax Immunities - Erosion Of Distinction Between Taxation Of Property And Of Privilege, Barry L. Kroll S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff Murray Corporation, a manufacturer of airplane parts for the federal government, was assessed a tax by the city of Detroit under the General Property Tax Act of Michigan, based in part on the value of materials. which the corporation had in its possession. Legal title to these materials was in the federal government. The corporation paid the taxes under protest and sued for a refund, contending that the taxes infringed the federal government's immunity from state taxation to the extent the taxes were based on the value of government property. The district court entered judgment for Murray and the …

Labor Law - Lmra - Injunctive Relief For Breach Of No-Strike Agreement, Mark Shaevsky

Michigan Law Review

The collective bargaining agreement between the employer and union contained a no-strike provision. While the contract remained in effect, the union sought wage renegotiations. The discussions were unsuccessful and the union called a strike. Claiming a breach of the no-strike clause, the employer requested an injunction against continuance of the peaceful strike. The district court held that under section 301 of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947, which provides that "Suits for violation of contracts between an employer and a labor organization . . . may be brought in any district court ... ," it had authority to enjoin the …

Recent Books, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A List of Books Received by Michigan Law Review

Trumbull: Materials On The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility, Glenn R. Winters

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Materials on the Lawyer's Professional Responsibility. By William M. Trumbull.

Regulation Of Business - Sherman Act - Expansion Of Per Se Doctrine Over Tying Agreements, Max H. Bergman S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Through congressional grant defendant's predecessor acquired approximately forty million acres of land, consisting of every alternate section in a twenty to forty mile wide belt on each side of its railroad track from Lake Superior to Puget Sound. Defendant sold about thirty-seven million acres of its holdings and leased the balance. Many of the sales contracts and most of the leases, together covering several million acres of land, contained "preferential routing" clauses which compelled the grantee or lessee to ship all commodities produced or manufactured on the land over defendant's lines, unless competitors' rates were lower or, in some instances, …

Liability Insurance - Cooperation Clause - Failure Of Cooperation Absent A Finding Of Prejudice, Edward B. Stulberg S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff insurance company sought a declaratory judgment absolving it from obligation on an automobile liability insurance policy on the ground that there had been a breach of the cooperation clause. Johnston, the insured, was the driver of a car involved in an accident in Crawford County, Kansas, giving rise to substantial claims by defendant Elliott. At the request of Elliott's attorney, Johnston traveled from his home in Kansas to submit to service of process in Missouri. When plaintiff questioned this behavior, Johnston lied, denying that collusion had prompted his appearance in Missouri. On appeal from summary judgment for plaintiff company, …

Taxation - Federal Income Tax - Right Of Donee To Deduct Expense Of Contesting Gift Tax Asserted Against Donor, William J. Wise S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

ln 1948 taxpayer's mother gave him 410 shares of stock in the family enterprise. She filed a gift tax return, but the government, in auditing it, disagreed with her valuation of the stock. Donor had no desire to contest the government's valuation, but since his mother and father still held substantial stock in the business which would eventually go to him, donee desired a lower valuation for estate tax evidentiary purposes. Allegedly fearing personal liability for any deficiency assessed against his mother as well as a lien against the corpus of the gift for any unpaid tax, he decided to …

Descent And Distribution - Joint Ownership - Imposition Of Constructive Trust On Murderer Of Co-Tenant, John B. Schwemm S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

A husband, owning land with his wife as tenants by the entireties, killed her and immediately thereafter committed suicide. In an action to determine ownership of the realty, both the probate and appellate courts declared that since a relevant disinheritance statute was inapplicable, full title vested in the husband and, upon his death, descended to his heirs. On appeal, held, reversed. Despite the common law nature of such tenancies, equity will impose on the husband a constructive trust in one-half the property for the benefit of the victim's estate. National City Bank of Evansville v. Bledsoe, (Ind. 1957) …

Municipal Corporations - Police Power - Sundy Closing Ordinances, David A. Nelson

Michigan Law Review

The City of Chattanooga passed an ordinance making in unlawful "for any person, firm, corporation, or association operating a general merchandise store, department store, hardware, jewelry, furniture, grocery store, super market, meat market, or other similar establishments in the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to open such place of business on Sunday; or to sell or offer for sale, give away, or deliver any merchandise, groceries, hardware, jewelry, furniture, meat, produce, or other similar commodities or articles, on Sunday." Plaintiffs brought this action for a declaratory judgment that the ordinance was unconstitutional and for other relief. In the lower court the …

Torts - Prima Facie Tort - Liability For Instigation Of Police Investigation Or Prosecution, John H. Jackson

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff organized a corporation for the purpose of collecting funds from the public to aid cancer victims. Defendant, well-known columnist engaged in soliciting money for a rival cancer fund, was alleged, inter alia, to have instigated state and federal government investigations and prosecutions that resulted in plaintiff being criminally convicted and subsequently acquitted on a new trial after appeal. As a consequence of these actions, public confidence had been destroyed in plaintiff's cancer fund corporation and it had ceased to function. Plaintiff complained that defendant's actions were done with the intention of harming plaintiff and had resulted in plaintiff's loss …

Constitutional Law - Civil Rights - Recent New York City Ordinance Bans Discrimination In Certain Private Housing Facilities, W. Stanley Walch

Michigan Law Review

A recent New York City ordinance is the first anti-discrimination legislation affecting the sale and rental of privately-owned housing to minority groups. The ordinance contains three principal provisions: It (1) forbids racial or religious discrimination by private owners in the selection of tenants or buyers for any "housing accommodation which is located in a multiple dwelling," (2) bans discrimination in the selection of purchasers by a seller of ten or more contiguous housing units, and (3) prohibits the owner or lessor of housing accommodations covered by the ordinance from discriminating because of race or religion in setting the terms of …

Periodical Index, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This index includes articles, comments and some of the longer notes which have appeared in leading law reviews since the publication of the last issue of this Review.

Bills And Notes - Indorsements - Effect Of Contemporaneous Agreement On The Indorsement Contract, W. Stanley Walch

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, payee of a promissory note, indorsed and negotiated the note to the defendant bank. Attached to the note was a separate agreement of assignment and warranty in which the plaintiff assigned the note and a conditional sales contract to defendant, and further agreed to repurchase the note if any of the warranties in the contemporaneous agreement were breached. The maker of the note defaulted and defendant, after due presentment and notice, debited plaintiff's account for the face amount of the note. Plaintiff brought suit to recover the money from defendant on the theory that the contemporaneous agreement had qualified …

Labor Law - National Labor Relations Act - Power Of Nlrb To Order Employer To Withhold Recognition From Assisted Union Until Union Is Certified, John H. Jackson

Michigan Law Review

The National Labor Relations Board found on complaint of a rival union that Bowman Transportation, Inc. had committed an unfair labor practice under section 8(a)(2) of the National Labor Relations Act as amended, by assisting District 50 of the United Mine Workers (UMW). The Board thereupon ordered Bowman to cease recognizing District 50 until such time as District 50 had been certified by NLRB as the employees' bargaining representative, and to post notices accordingly. District 50 had not complied with the filing requirements of section 9(f, g and h) of the act, and consequently under the provisions of those sections …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 56, Issue 6 of Michigan Law Review

Fiduciary Administration - Nominee Statutes - Transfer Of Securities Held For The Benefit Of Another, Joseph T. De Nicola

Michigan Law Review

Michigan is the forty-second jurisdiction to enact a nominee statute. Nominee statutes authorize a fiduciary to nominate a third person to hold stock or securities in the third person's name without giving notice on the stock certificate or on the transfer books of the corporation of his qualified ownership. For the most part it has been assumed that these statutes would facilitate a more rapid transfer of securities. It is the purpose of this comment to compare and analyze these statutes and to determine whether they are the most effective means of accomplishing the end they are intended to serve.

A New Deal For Fiduciaries' Stock Transfers, Alfred F. Conard

Michigan Law Review

For nearly one hundred years, executors and administrators have been struggling with the excessive documentation which corporations demand as a condition of recording stock transfers. For almost as long, legislatures have been passing laws in the hope-generally vain-of alleviating the burden.

In 1957, at least three states (and possibly four) opened a door through which estate representatives can emerge from their long bondage. For the first time, identical acts were passed in different states, and interstate recognition of simplification measures began. For the first time acts were passed which get to the root of the transfer agent's problem.

Jury - Pre-Trial Selection - Suggested Improvements, Edward B. Stulberg

Michigan Law Review

Over the course of the past twenty years, the desirability of trial by jury has been a subject of constant debate. In contrast, the matter of jury selection has been given little direct attention. Yet it is obvious that if consideration is given to improvements in selection procedure aimed primarily at raising the calibre of the jury panel, disappointment in the judicial process due to the general ineptness of jurors can be decreased. It is true that the fate of a litigant often is entirely within the discretion of the jury. This is not necessarily a reason for the abandonment …

Should The Rule Against Perpetuities Discard Its Vest?, Daniel M. Schuyler

Michigan Law Review

From what has preceded it is apparent that none of those who would reform the rule against perpetuities, excepting Professor Simes, has suggested that the rule's application to remoteness of vesting alone requires investigation. Yet there is little doubt that this aspect of the rule has caused as much if not more litigation than those which have been so harshly condemned. Proof of this assertion will not be undertaken, for every property lawyer knows how frequently courts are called upon to determine whether for purposes of the rule an interest is "vested" or "contingent." Professor Simes put it well when …