Digital Commons Network^™

State Taxation Of Interstate Commerce--What Now?, Robert C. Brown

Michigan Law Review

Perennial indeed have been the problems of state taxation affecting interstate commerce and the problems of intergovernmental taxation as between state and federal governments. The two problems are quite similar except that the intergovernmental problem is mutual while the interstate problem affects only state taxing power. But both are alike in that the restrictions on the taxing power are entirely judicial, and that while some restrictions are desirable they must themselves be limited lest we have not regulation but destruction of taxing power.

The intergovernmental problem is virtually settled with the allowance of non-discriminatory taxation on both sides, except as …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 48, Issue 7 of Michigan Law Review

Restitution Under The Statute Of Frauds: What Constitutes An Unjust Retention, Lindsey R. Jeanblanc

Michigan Law Review

In order to recover in restitution the plaintiff must establish, first, that a legal benefit was conferred upon the defendant and, second, that the retention of that benefit was unjust. The problem of determining what constitutes a legal benefit in the cases of restitution under the statute of frauds is discussed in another article. The purpose of this article is to examine what does or does not constitute an unjust retention in such cases, including some of the grounds on which the defendant may successfully contend that his retention of a benefit is not unjust.

Constitutional Law-Corporations-Artificial "Persons" And The Fourteenth Amendment, Robert P. Griffin S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

That a corporation is a "person" for certain purposes within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment, and therefore entitled to invoke its protection, is considered by students of constitutional law to be well settled. For that reason the dissent of Justice Douglas in the recent case of Wheeling Steel Corporation v. Glander demands more than passing recognition. Therein he restates and adds his support to the view of Justice Black that the word "person" as used in the Fourteenth Amendment refers exclusively to human beings and affords no protection whatsoever to corporations against arbitrary state action.

Constitutional Law-Federal Courts-Diversity Jurisdiction- District Of Columbia Citizens, John D. Mcleod S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The Act of Congress of April 20, 1940, provided that district courts should exercise original jurisdiction over actions "between citizens of different States, or citizens of the District of Columbia, the Territory of Hawaii, or Alaska, and any State or Territory . . . . " The committee report and the title indicate the purpose to extend to citizens of the District of Columbia and the territories the right to sue in federal district courts on grounds solely of diversity of citizenship. Although the committee reports indicated no constitutional difficulties, the majority of the lower federal courts which considered the …

Municipal Corporations-Circumventing Municipal Debt Limitations, Joseph F. Gricar S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Since municipalities are frequently indebted to the permissible extent of the constitutional, statutory, and charter debt limitations, they are constantly seeking methods of finance which avoid the debt limits. Three devices have received judicial sanction. First: Where a separate and distinct. corporation such as a school or drain district has been created it may operate with a separate debt limit over the same territory as the governing municipality. Second: Where the project to be financed is income-producing, the financing bond issue, if made self-liquidating, will not Gome within the debt limitations. Although incorporated authorities have been extensively used to administer …

Eliminating The Battle Of Experts In Criminal Insanity Cases, Henry Weihofen

Michigan Law Review

It is the purpose of this article to discuss certain procedural devices which have been adopted in some jurisdictions, designed to eliminate the ''battle of experts" which still disgraces criminal procedure in most of our states, and to replace it with a more impartial, more scientific, type of investigation.

Bailment-Limitation Of Liability-Effect Of Posted Notice Or Stipulation On Receipt, Walter L. Dean

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff deposited a traveling bag in the parcel room at defendant's railroad station, paid a ten cent fee, and was issued in return a numbered check or receipt on which was printed, inter alia, a notice that defendant's liability would be limited to $25 unless an excess valuation were declared and paid for at the time of deposit. Plaintiff testified that he hadn't read the printing on the check and hadn't seen a posted sign which contained the same information. On demand the defendant was unable to redeliver the bag. In an action to recover the value of the bag …

Admiralty-Foreign Attachment-Jurisdiction Of Court Defeated By Fraudulent Transfer, Paul E. Anderson S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Respondent, a Colombian corporation, contracted with libelant to transport a cargo of rice in its vessel, the Cali. On January 17, 1948, the Cali was wrecked and most of the rice lost. During the month of February the corporation, Compania Colombiana del Caribe, was formed under Colombian law, and on February 25, 1948, respondent's only other vessel, the Alacran (renamed the Caribe) was transferred to it. On March 7, 1948, libelants brought a libel in personam against respondent in the Canal Zone district court and had the court issue a foreign attachment on the Caribe, then steaming …

Bills And Notes--Indorsement "For Deposit Only"--Effect On Negotiability, Stephen A. Bryant S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, in payment for goods purchased, drew two checks payable to W which W indorsed "pay to order of plaintiff bank for deposit only" and deposited with plaintiff. Plaintiff credited W's account with the amount of the checks, which sum was immediately withdrawn. Defendant then stopped payment of the checks as W failed to deliver the goods purchased; and, since W was bankrupt, plaintiff sought to recover the amount of the checks from defendant. Defendant sought to assert a defense which was good against W, on the theory that plaintiff, as restrictive indorsee, was merely a trustee for …

Criminal Law-Confessions Obtained Prior To Commitment-What Constitutes Unreasonable Delay, B. J. George, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Defendants were arrested on suspicion of murder and questioned by police. Defendants confessed after being held incommunicado for some hours during the night, but were not arraigned until the following morning. The confessions were admitted in evidence and defendants found guilty. On appeal, held, affirmed. There had not been an unreasonable delay in producing defendants before a commissioner, because the length of time in hours was not unreasonable and because committing magistrates are not available late at night. Garner v. United States, (App. D.C., 1949) 174 F. (2d) 499.

Criminal Law-Indictment And Information-Variance Between Allegation And Proof, Daniel A. Isaacson S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In a Texas prosecution for drunken driving, the complaint and information charged that the defendant " . . . on or about the 11th day of April, A.D. 1948 . . . did then and there unlawfully while intoxicated and while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, drive a motor vehicle . . . upon a public highway within said county, to-wit: U.S. Highway #108 about two miles north of the City of Stephenville, Texas .... " Upon conviction, defendant appealed, one ground being that the State had introduced evidence to the effect that he drove his automobile on Highway …

Federal Courts-Civil Procedure-Availability To Plaintiff Of Change Of Venue Under Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(A), Richard B. Gushée S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiffs filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in order to obtain service on the defendant. The plaintiff then filed a motion for an order to transfer the cause to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania under Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(a) on the grounds that all the plaintiffs and witnesses resided in Pennsylvania, that it would be inconvenient and expensive to transport these witnesses to Ohio, and that the cause of action arose in Pennsylvania. Held, motion denied. Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(a) is not available …

Negligence-Imputed Negligence-Action Between Joint Enterprisers, Nancy J. Ringland

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff and his wife were driving from Michigan to Iowa to visit a certain church to which plaintiff, a minister, was considering a call. Defendant desired to visit a college in Illinois, with the intention of enrolling as a student. It was agreed that defendant should ride in plaintiff's automobile to Illinois, where plaintiff was to help defendant gain admission to the college; later defendant was to return with the plaintiff to Michigan. The parties alternated in driving the automobile on the trip. At a certain stage in the journey, defendant negligently operated the automobile and caused it to become …

Specific Performance-Oral Promise To Devise In Consideration Of Personal Services, C. J. Rice

Michigan Law Review

Decedent orally agreed that if plaintiff would render services as housekeeper, practical muse and general business associate, he would devise and bequeath one-half of his estate to her. Decedent died without having made a will, and plaintiff sought specific performance of the agreement. Held, performance of these services did not take the oral contract out of the operation of the statute of frauds because the services were capable of measurement in money, and recovery on a quantum meriut basis was adequate. Snyder v. Warde, 151 Ohio St. 426, 86 N.E. (2d) 489 (1949).

Personal Property-United States Savings Bonds--Effect Of Registration In Co-Ownership Or Beneficiary Form As A Transfer Of A Property Interest Therein, Walter L. Dean

Michigan Law Review

In two recent cases, decedents purchased United States Savings Bonds registered in the name of the purchaser and another person which were never delivered to the named co-owner but remained in the possession of the purchaser until his death. In the first case, on appeal from an order of the district court refusing to impose an inheritance tax on the bonds after the death of the purchaser, held, reversed. Mere purchase of the bonds and their registration in the names of the co-owners without delivery transferred no interest to the co-owners during the life of the purchaser and is …

Practice And Procedure-Cross Claim For Wrongful Death In An Action Against Decedent's Estate, C. J. Rice

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's truck, driven by an agent, was involved in a collision with an automobile driven by defendants' intestate. The driver of the automobile was killed and plaintiff brought a damage action against his administrators. The trial court disallowed a cross claim brought by the administrators for the benefit of statutory beneficiaries. This cross claim was prosecuted under the wrongful death act and under a statute which permitted a defendant in a tort action to file a cross claim for damages arising out of the same transaction. Plaintiff objected to the cross claim on the ground that it was prosecuted by …

Statutory Construction--Extra-Territorial Application Of Federal Statutes--Application Of Federal Tort Claims Act To Claims Arising In Foreign Areas Leased To The United States, Thomas L. Waterbury S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Decedent, an airlines employee, was killed in a plane crash at Harmon Field, Newfoundland, a base leased to the United States by Great Britain for ninety-nine years. The plaintiff, decedent's administratrix, brought suit in a district court against the United States, relying on the Federal Tort Claims Act as a waiver of federal immunity from suit. Judgment for the United States was reversed by the Court of Appeals. On certiorari to the Supreme Court, held, reversed. The claim arose in a foreign country and the FTCA specifically retains federal immunity from suit on such claims. United States v. Spelar …

Levi: An Introduction To Legal Reasoning, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of AN INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL REASONING. By Edward H. Levi.

Wills-Interference With Revocation-Constructive Trust, John S. Yates

Michigan Law Review

The complaint alleged that testatrix who had executed a will leaving her whole estate to defendants attempted to make a new will containing legacies to plaintiffs, but that by means of misrepresentations, undue influence, force, and murder, testatrix was prevented by defendants from signing the new will. On appeal from dismissal of the complaint for insufficiency, held, reversed. If the allegations of the complaint be taken as true, plaintiffs are entitled to a judicial declaration that defendants hold the property under a constructive trust for plaintiffs. Latham v. Father Divine, 299 N.Y. 22, 85 N.E. (2d) 168 (1949).

Evatt: The Task Of Nations, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of THE TASK OF NATIONS. By Herbert V. Evatt.

Notes, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The information given in the notes is derived from inspection of the books, publishers' literature, and the ordinary library sources.

Cahn: The Sense Of Injustice, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of THE SENSE OF INJUSTICE. By Edmond N. Cahn.

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.

Notes, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The information given in the notes is derived from inspection of the books, publishers' literature, and the ordinary library sources.

Restitution-Improvements-Recovery Under Occupying Claimants Act, John L. Naylor, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sought recovery for value of improvements claimed to have been made as an "occupying claimant" as defined by statute. He had dumped dirt and debris into the Missouri River for many years. This dirt and debris came both from his own excavations in the city and from excavations of other contractors who hired him to haul it away. The result was "made land" which plaintiff occupied for several years prior to ejectment by the defendant city. Verdict was directed for defendant, plaintiff appealing. Held, affirmed. "Made land" did not constitute valuable improvements within the meaning of the statute. …

Wendell: Relations Between The Federal And State Courts, Glenn R. Winters

Michigan Law Review

A Review of RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS. By Mitchell Wendell.

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 48, Issue 6 of Michigan Law Review

Mr. Justice Murphy -Alumnus Of The Universi1y Of Michigan, E. Blythe Stason

Michigan Law Review

It is fitting that the Michigan Law Review should dedicate this issue to the memory of Mr. Justice Murphy. From the day of his matriculation in 1908, the relationship between Frank Murphy and the University of Michigan, and particularly the Law School, was a warm and intimate one. While he was on the campus, his deep idealism and attractive personal qualities not only made him widely known but brought him the affection and regard of his fellow students, members of the faculty, and officers of the University. Graduation (LL.B. 1914) did not terminate or substantially alter this relationship. Throughout his …

Mr. Justice Murphy, Fred M. Vinson

Michigan Law Review

I count it a rare privilege to have known Frank Murphy. Gentle, kindly, and amiable of temperament, yet he had a strength of character and tenacity of purpose that enabled him to uphold the right, as God gave him to see the right, no matter what the pressures and constraints. His untimely death deeply touched the hearts of all who knew him, while the poor, the underprivileged, the accused, and minorities of many different shades of belief mourned the passing of one who had been their protagonist.