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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.

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 55, Issue 1 of Michigan Law Review

Dispositions Of Property To Unincorporated Non-Profit Associations, Harold A.J. Ford

Michigan Law Review

The aim of this article is to examine the ways in which courts in common law countries have given this assistance and the problems they have encountered in regard to property transactions.

Transfers Of Joint Property In Contemplation Of Death: A Call For Immediate Statutory Revision, L. Hart Wright

Michigan Law Review

For years the Tax Court sided with the government and the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in asserting that the contemplation-of-death provision of the estate tax act was sufficiently elastic to include the tax concept of ownership reflected in the joint-property provision of the same act. The alliance between those tribunals on this point was recently broken, however, when the Tax Court shifted to the competing view supported by taxpayers and the appellate court for the Ninth Circuit. It now believes that the two provisions mentioned above are complete strangers even though at one time these two were …

Constitutional Law - Courts-Martial - Power Of Congress To Provide For Military Jurisdiction Over Civilians, Whitmore Gray S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

During the past term the Supreme Court decided three cases involving the constitutionality of court-martial jurisdiction over certain groups of civilians. In United States ex rel. Toth v. Quarles the Court held that Congress could not constitutionally provide for military trial of a discharged serviceman for offenses committed during his term of service. In two subsequent cases the Court rejected the contention that the Toth decision announced a principle applicable to any exercise of jurisdiction over civilians by the military courts in upholding the provisions of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for military jurisdiction over civilian dependents accompanying American …

Corporations - Dividends - New Jersey Dividend Credit For Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, John A. Beach S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, a New Jersey corporation, paid no dividends on its non-cumulative preferred stock after 1933, although it had annual earnings exceeding the total amount of the preference in each of the years 1941 through 1948, and again in 1951 and 1952. In 1955 defendant had earned surplus exceeding $12,000,000. Plaintiffs, holders of non-cumulative preferred shares, brought this action asking for a declaratory judgment as to the nature of their preference rights over the common holders. On appeal from a summary judgment for defendant, held, affirmed. In the absence of any impending or threatened declaration of dividends to common shareholders, …

Regulation Of Business - Sherman Act - Administration And Enforcement - A Re-Analysis Of Consent Decrees, Paul R. Haerle S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

This comment will deal with a review of the history, nature, and use of the consent decree, an analysis of some of the more recent and important decrees, and a discussion of the crucial problem, raised especially by the Report of the Attorney General's National Committee to Study the Antitrust Laws, of the constitutional and statutory bases (or lack thereof) for the relief granted by consent decrees.

Bankruptcy - Limitations On Availability To Corporations Of Arrangement Proceedings, Hazen V. Hatch S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

General Stores Corporation filed a chapter XI petition for an arrangement of its unsecured debts, none of which were publicly held debentures, as allowed by section 322 of the Bankruptcy Act. The debtor corporation's capital account consisted of over two million outstanding shares of common stock. held by 7,000 stockholders and traded on the American Stock. Exchange. A shareholder and the SEC moved under section 328 that the petition be dismissed unless amended to comply with chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act, calling for reorganization. The district court granted the motions, and its action was affirmed by the court of …

Corporations - Statutes Providing For Both Cumulative Voting And Classified Boards, David W. Swanson S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The shareholders of the Winous Company amended the articles of incorporation to provide for staggered elections whereby one of the three directors would be elected each year to serve a three-year term. The Ohio Code provides for classified boards, and contains a guarantee of the right to vote cumulatively which is not to be restricted by the articles of incorporation. The county court of appeals reversed the court of common pleas and held the amendment invalid because it nullified the right to vote cumulatively. They interpreted the cumulative voting provision as specific and therefore a limitation on the more general …

Corporations - Employee Stock Option Plans - Nature Of Consideration Required For Valid Plan, Richard E. Day

Michigan Law Review

Restricted stock option plans, approved by a majority of the stockholders, were adopted by the defendant corporation in 1951 and 1952 pursuant to, and in compliance with, section 218 of the Revenue Act of 1950, for the purpose of" ... providing an incentive to participating key executive employees in the form of an opportunity to acquire a greater proprietary interest in the corporation and thus stimulate their efforts in the corporate welfare .... " The options were effective and exercisable anytime from the date of issuance to the end of a five-year period, with provision for termination three months after …

Constitutional Law - Criminal Law - Power Of Federal Government To Commit Mentally Incompetent Persons Charged With Federal Crimes, William C. Becker S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner was indicted for robbery from a United States Post Office. After a series of hearings and examinations, the district court found petitioner so mentally incompetent that he could not stand trial, and that, if released, he would probably endanger the safety of the officers, property, or other interests of the United States. The district court ordered petitioner committed to the custody of the Attorney General for confinement in a mental institution. This order was affirmed by the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, one judge dissenting. On certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States, held, …

Constitutional Law - Freedom Of Religion - Fluoridation Of City Water, John M. Webb S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In its proprietary capacity the City of Bend maintains and operates a water system with the exclusive right to supply water to its inhabitants. In February 1952 the mayor and city commissioners adopted an ordinance providing for the introduction of fluorine into the water supply to reduce dental caries in the teeth of young children. The plaintiff as a resident and taxpayer brought suit to enjoin such action. A demurrer to his complaint was sustained. On appeal, held, affirmed. A city, in the exercise of its police power, may enact reasonable regulations for the protection of the public health, …

Morris & Leach: The Rule Against Perpetuities, William F. Fratcher

Michigan Law Review

A Review of The Rule Against Perpetuities By J. H. C. Morris and W. Barton Leach.

Wu: Fountain Of Justice, Thomas E. Davitt S.J.

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Fountain of Justice. By John C.H. Wu.

Restitution - Waiver Of Tort And Suit In Assumpsit - Amount Of Recovery Where There Has Been A Sale, Charles B. Renfrew S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In a prior action one of the defendants obtained a judgment against the plaintiff. The present action for conversion was brought because of an allegedly irregular execution sale of plaintiff's business property under that judgment. The trial court granted defendants' motion to dismiss on the ground that the action was barred by the statute of limitations. On appeal, held, affirmed. The applicable statute of limitations was not tolled by fraudulent concealment and plaintiff, having elected his remedy in tort, was not entitled to a trial in an action of assumpsit on the theory of a contract implied by law. …

Negligence - Duty Of Care - Duration Of Status Of "Driver" For Puropses Of Guest Statute, George Kircos

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs were guests riding in defendant's automobile. Defendant stepped out of the vehicle leaving the motor running, the hand brake unset, and the automatic shift in neutral position. A departing passenger brushed against the gear lever and started the vehicle which struck a wall causing injuries to the plaintiffs. On appeal from judgment adverse to the plaintiffs, held, reversed. Defendant may be held liable for ordinary negligence. California's "guest" statute limiting guests to recovery for injuries sustained by the driver's willful misconduct does not apply in this case, since the defendant ceased to be a driver the moment he …

Torts - Libel And Slander - Calling A Person A Communist As Slader Per Se, Ross Kipka S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In an action for slander, plaintiff alleged that on three separate occasions defendant had orally called or referred to plaintiff as a communist. The court rendered judgment against the defendant, holding that calling a person a communist is slander per se. On appeal, held, affirmed. Since membership in the Communist Party is a felony under Pennsylvania statute, falsely referring to a person as being a communist is slander per se. Solosko v. Paxton, (Pa. 1956) 119 A. (2d) 230.

Recent Books, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A List of Books Received by Michigan Law Review

Recent Books, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A List of Books Received by Michigan Law Review

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 54, issue 8 of Michigan Law Review

The Fourteenth Amendment Reconsidered, The Segregation Question, Alfred H. Kelly

Michigan Law Review

Some sixty years ago in Plessy v. Ferguson the Supreme Court of the United States adopted the now celebrated "separate but equal" doctrine as a constitutional guidepost for state segregation statutes. Justice Brown's opinion declared that state statutes imposing racial segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, provided only that the statute in question guaranteed equal facilities for the two races. Brown's argument rested on a historical theory of the intent, although he offered no evidence to support it. "The object of the amendment," he said, "was undoubtedly to enforce the absolute equality of the two races before the law, …

The Martial Deduction And Equalization Under The Federal Estate And Gift Taxes Between Common Law And Community Property States, Paul E. Anderson

Michigan Law Review

In 1948, as the culmination of much dissatisfaction with the treatment of community property under the federal estate and gift tax laws, Congress adopted a new formula for the treatment of gifts and bequests between spouses; this formula was known as the marital deduction. It has remained practically unchanged since its adoption and still stands as an integral part of our federal estate and gift tax structure.

The basic purpose of the deduction was to provide equalization in estate and gift tax treatment between spouses residing in community property states and those residing in common law property states. The plan …

The Law School - 1955-1956, E. Blythe Stason

Michigan Law Review

Another law school year has become a part of the record of history, and in the belief that some of the pertinent historical facts are of interest to readers of the Law Review, I take advantage of these pages to report some of the principal items of interest arising in connection with the work of the year. The facts and figures herein set forth are derived in large part from the annual report being submitted from the Law School to the President and Board of Regents of the University.

Constitutional Law - Equal Protection - Legality Of Plans For Maintaining School Segregation, John B. Huck

Michigan Law Review

On May 19, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that segregation in public schools was a denial of equal protection of the law. Since that date many and varied plans have been proposed to maintain segregated education by avoiding the impact of the decision. The legality of three of these proposed avoidance devices will be analyzed in this comment.

Rodell: Nine Men: A Political History Of The Supreme Court Of The United States From 1790 To 1955, Robert L. Howard

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Rodell: Nine Men: A Political History of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1790 to 1955. By Fred Rodell.

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.

Municipal Corporations - Tort Liability - Duty To Protect Police Informer, Cyril Moscow

Michigan Law Review

Decedent furnished information leading to the arrest of the notorious "Willie the Actor" Sutton. The police, after being notified of anonymous threats to decedent's person, furnished protection, which was later withdrawn. Soon afterwards, decedent was murdered by unknown assailants. Decedent's administrator brought this action to recover damages for his death, claiming that there was a failure to provide adequate police protection. The trial court dismissed the action. On appeal, held, affirmed per curiam, one justice dissenting. As a member of the general public, no duty of special protection was owed the decedent. Even assuming such a duty existed, it …

Recent Books, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A List of Books Received by Michigan Law Review

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 54, Issue 7 of ,em>Michigan Law Review

Comparative Legal Research, Some Remarks On "Looking Out Of The Cave", Hessel E. Yntema

Michigan Law Review

Despite this risk and without limiting discussion of comparative legal research to a Platonic theory of knowledge-to which I for one would not accede-the text prompts first the inquiry, unavoidable in a constructive discussion of the matter, whether contemporary legal study in the United States is concerned with shadows in an intellectual cave-or in other words, whether it is true, as I was told years ago, partly perhaps in jest, by a late distinguished member of the Supreme Court, then Attorney General, when, encountering me on a visit to the Department of Justice, he kindly asked what I was looking …