Law Commons^™

Municipal Tort Liability, Allan F. Smith

Michigan Law Review

Municipal government in the United States is big business. In 1946, the 397 cities having a population of 25,000 or more spent a total of nearly 3 billion dollars for general governmental expenditures. In 1947 the total increased by 17 per cent to $3,477,000,000. Of that amount, 2½ billion were actual operational expenses for such activities as public safety, public health, sanitation, hospitals, local street and highway maintenance, and schools. Since the figures do not include the amounts expended in connection with municipal water works or municipal street railways, they lend weight to the assertion that our municipal governments are …

Municipal Corporations-Zoning-Abrogation Of Private Restrictive Covenants By Zoning Regulations, Robert Dilts

Michigan Law Review

A recent New Jersey decision raises a question of current importance in view of the acute housing shortages in many metropolitan areas. Can a municipality, acting under its power to establish zoning regulations, authorize the construction of multiple-family dwellings in a particular area and simultaneously abrogate private covenants which restrict the area to single-family dwellings?

Bankruptcy-Limitation Of Actions By Trustee As Affected By Section Ll(E) Of The Federal Bankruptcy Act, David H. Armstrong S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Trustee in bankruptcy sued to recover a preference voidable under a state statute which also provided that an action to recover such a preference must be commenced within six months after application for a trustee. The present suit was commenced one year after the bankruptcy petition was filed. Defendant moved to dismiss for failure to comply with statutory limitations. Held, motion denied. Section II(e) of the Bankruptcy Act supersedes the state statute of limitations in this case. Engstrom v. De Vos, (D.C. Wash. 1949) 81 F. Supp. 854.

Labor Law-Constitutional Law-Due Process Of Law-State Power To Enjoin Peaceful Picketing, L. B. Lea S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was a wholesale ice distributor, selling ice to independent contractors. Defendants were members and officers of a union which represented many of the truck drivers employed by these peddlers. In carrying out a scheme to unionize all peddlers, defendants attempted to obtain plaintiff's agreement not to sell ice to non-union peddlers. Such an agreement would violate the state anti-trust law. On plaintiff's refusal, defendants peacefully picketed its plant. Plaintiff immediately suffered an 85% loss of business, and the state court granted it an injunction against the picketing. On appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, held, …

Constitutional Law-Commerce Clause-Validity Of New York Milk Licensing Law, William P. Sutter

Michigan Law Review

A New York statute required the licensing of all milk dealers in the state, and authorized the refusal of such a license upon a finding by the commissioner of agriculture that its issuance would "tend to a destructive competition in a market already adequately served." Petitioner, an out-of-state corporation, sought a license for an additional plant for the processing of milk to be purchased locally and to be distributed out of state, but was denied a license on the ground stated in the statute as quoted above. Denial of the license was sustained by the New York Court of Appeals. …

Conflict Of Laws-Domicile Of Child Living With Mother, Charles E. Becraft S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff and defendant, husband and wife, were domiciled in New York. Because of temporary unemployment, plaintiff took his wife and minor child to Connecticut. He later returned to New York and resided in the apartment the family had formerly occupied. The wife and child did not return to New York, and the court found that she had at all times intended to remain in Connecticut and establish a domicile there. Plaintiff at all times intended to make New York his permanent residence. When defendant would not return to New York, plaintiff brought action for separation in a New York court, …

Contracts - Municipal Corporations - Revocability Of Offer Submitted Under Statutory Competitive Bidding, Richard H. Conn

Michigan Law Review

In accordance with statutory provisions, the city commissioners of Atlantic City advertised for bids for certain public improvements. Plaintiff submitted a sealed bid accompanied by a deposit of $5,000, as required by the advertisement, to guarantee execution of the contract if it were the successful bidder. When the bids were opened, plaintiff was the lowest bidder by a considerable margin. Investigation disclosed that an appreciable error had been made in the calculation of its bid, however, and before any official action had been taken, plaintiff advised the city commission of the mistake and withdrew the bid. Nevertheless, the contract was …

Future Interests-Common Law Rule Against Perpetuities Not In Force In Idaho-Applicability Of Statute Against Suspension Of Power Of Alienation To Option Contract, Howard W. Haftel S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Seller contracted to give purchaser sixty days notice of his intention to sell certain real property, purchaser to have power, in that event, to buy the property for a stated price within the sixty days. If the purchaser failed to exercise the option, seller was then free to convey the property to anyone. Alleging that seller had conveyed the land to others without notice to him, purchaser sued to have this conveyance set aside and the option specifically enforced. The lower court sustained a general demurrer to the complaint. On appeal, held, reversed. The statutory rule against restraints on …

Labor Law-Relationship Of Federal And State Authority Over Labor Relations, Ralph E. Hunt S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In three recent cases, the United States Supreme Court has been required to determine the impact of federal labor relations legislation on certain state enactments in this area. The importance of these decisions, concerning a problem which has caused difficulty since enactment of the National Labor Relations Act in 1935, is increased by their consideration of the significance of the amendments contained in the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947.

(1.) The appellant La Crosse Co., which handled interstate telephone calls, had made a collective bargaining agreement with appellant A. F. of L. union, to continue from year to year. During …

Future Interests-Rule As To Remoteness Of Vesting In California, Howard W. Haftel S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

T devised the income of a trust to his unmarried daughter for life. If at her death there were living issue of the daughter, the income was to be distributed to such issue until 24 years after T's death. The trust was then to terminate, unless issue, who had been living at T's death, should survive the 24-year period, in which event the income was to continue to be distributed until the death of such issue. It was further provided, "if my said daughter survives me, but at the time of her death leaves no issue of hers …

Bankruptcy-Jurisdiction Of Bankruptcy Court To Determine Stockholders' Vote Necessary To Approve Proposed Sale Of Corporation's Assets To Debtor In Reorganization, Bernard Goldstone S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Lessee railroad, which had leased and operated property of lessor railroad for many years, entered reorganization under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act. Under the plan of reorganization promulgated by the Interstate Commerce Commission and approved by the bankruptcy court, lessor was given the alternative of selling its property to the reorganized railroad or having the lease disaffirmed by the debtor and its property returned. This proposal was submitted for acceptance by a majority vote of lessor's stockholders. Respondents, stockholders of lessor, sought an injunction in a state court of Georgia to restrain lessor's officers from certifying the acceptance in …

Corporations-Restrictions On Holding Real Estate-Lnterpretation Of Michigan's Constitutional Restriction, W. M. Myers

Michigan Law Review

While it is now well settled that a corporation has the power to acquire and hold real estate, this power may be limited by the charter creating the corporation, by legislative enactments of a general nature, or by specific constitutional provisions. When such a limitation is imposed by constitution, a problem of construction arises in interpreting it in a workable way after the social conditions motivating it have changed or disappeared.

Future Interests-Worthier Title Doctrine, David H. Armstrong S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff created an irrevocable trust of $75,000, reserving the income to himself for life and directing distribution of the corpus upon his death to his heirs according to the California laws of succession in existence at his death. Later he sued to terminate the trust on the theory that since the worthier title doctrine prevented creation of a remainder in his heirs, he was sole beneficiary. The intermediate California appellate court held that the worthier title doctrine was inapplicable because of a California statute changing the word "heirs" from one of limitation to one of purchase. Therefore, the outstanding remainder …

Real Property-Rights In Land-Construction Of Restrictive Covenants, Donald D. Davis

Michigan Law Review

Excepting a small area set aside for business purposes, the deeds conveying more than 1300 lots in the University Heights addition of the City of Albuquerque contained restrictive covenants, the part here involved providing "no building other than dwelling houses . . . to be erected . . . . [N]or shall any building erected on said lots be used . . . for any other purpose than as private dwelling places." Plaintiff, a lot owner in the addition who used his lot as a residence, sought to enjoin defendant's use of two of the restricted lots for parking automobiles …

Practice And Procedure-Joint Tortfeasors-Cross Claim Against Co-Party, James F. Gordy

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was driving his team on the highway, closely followed by the auto of defendant Wood, which was in turn followed by that of defendant Perry. Perry, driving at a high rate of speed, collided with the rear of Wood's auto, causing it to collide with plaintiff's wagon. Plaintiff sued both defendants to recover for damage to himself and his wagon, alleging negligence in the conduct of each. Defendants answered, each denying his own negligence. Wood interposed a cross claim against Perry, alleging Perry's negligence to be the sole cause of the collision, and demanded judgment for damage to his …

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-Miscegenation Statute Declared Unconstitutional, Donald D. Davis

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners, a female white and a male Negro, applied to respondent, county clerk of Los Angeles County, for a marriage license. Respondent refused to issue the license, relying on sections 60 and 69 of the California Code. Petitioners brought a mandamus proceeding to compel respondent to issue the license, contending that the statutes relied on by respondent were unconstitutional in that they prohibited the free exercise of their religion. Held, in a four to three decision, the statute is unconstitutional. Three justices of the majority found that the statute violated the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution …

Corporations-Blue Sky Laws-Liability Of Officers And Directors Of Corporation For Violation, L. W. Larson, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued a corporation and its president to recover money paid for purchase of stock sold in violation of the ''blue sky" laws of Michigan. The president, through correspondence, had induced plaintiff to complete the purchase. Plaintiff had judgment below against both defendants. The president alone appealed, contending among other things that he was not an "agent" within the meaning of the statute. Held, affirmed. The word "agent" in the Michigan statute1 includes officers and directors of the corporation whether they are authorized "agents" or are holding themselves out as "agents" of the corporation. Cleland v. Smart, 321 …

Negligence-Guest Statutes-Applicability To Operation Of Automobile On Host's Premises, Janice Richardson

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff accompanied a friend to defendant's garage to park the friend's automobile and later returned alone, without a claim check, to obtain a package she had left in the automobile. An attendant, who was about to park another automobile, invited her to ride to the second Hoor to secure the package herself. Plaintiff was injured when the attendant negligently drove the automobile against an elevator. Held, judgment for defendant affirmed. Plaintiff was a guest within the meaning of the Ohio guest statute and could not recover for injuries unless caused by willful or wanton misconduct. Kilgore v. U-Drive-It Co. …

Competitive Operation Of Municipally And Privately Owned Utilities, Charles M. Kneier

Michigan Law Review

Public utility services for cities are usually provided on the principle of regulated monopoly. It has been found that by the very nature of the utility business, better service can be had and at cheaper rates by the use of one supplier rather than by the use of competing plants: This one plant having a monopoly of the business may be either privately or municipally owned. If the service is furnished by a privately owned utility, regulation is usually by a state commission, but in a few states regulation is still largely by the city in which the company operates. …

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Federal Right To Counsel In Non-Capital Cases In State Courts, J. D. Mcleod

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner was convicted in Illinois on pleas of guilty to two indictments charging him with a non-capital offense. On writ of error to the Supreme Court of Illinois, petitioner alleged that the trial court had not inquired into his desire or ability to have counsel and that he had been convicted without having had assistance of counsel. His contention that the circumstances alleged constituted a violation of the State and Federal Constitutions was overruled, and the judgments of the lower court affirmed. On certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, held affirmed. The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment …

Right Of Privacy-Status Of The Law In Michigan-Liability For Commercial Use Of Photograph, Thomas L. Waterbury

Michigan Law Review

Defendant published plaintiff's photograph in connection with a cosmetics advertisement in a Detroit newspaper. Plaintiff sought damages, alleging that she neither knew of nor assented to the publication of the photograph, that the publication constituted an invasion of her right to be free from offensive publicity, and that she had suffered consequential damages. The trial court sustained defendant's motion to dismiss on the ground that the complaint stated no cause of action. On appeal, held, reversed and remanded. Plaintiff stated a cause of action for invasion of her right of privacy. Pallas v. Crowley, Milner & Co., 322 …

Process--Substituted Service On Nonresident Motorists, David S. De Witt

Michigan Law Review

While in Missouri, defendant, a nonresident, lent his automobile to two minors who were later involved in a collision in which plaintiff was injured. Although defendant was not present at the accident, the act of lending the vehicle to the minors was alleged by plaintiff to be negligent. Jurisdiction over defendant was sought by service upon the Secretary of State of Missouri in reliance on statute. In a motion to quash service, defendant claimed that his use of the vehicle did not result in plaintiff's injury, and that the operator was not his agent at the time of the injury. …

Physicians And Surgeons-Status Of Osteopaths-Limitations On Practice, Daniel W. Reddin, Iii S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Until recently, the osteopath has generally been given a limited license. The present status of the osteopath is best understood by a comparison with that of the unlimited practitioner. Though most of the statutes have been examined, this comment is based primarily upon those of Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, California, Massachusetts and Indiana, which are fairly typical of the rest. These statutes vary widely in their provisions, but for the purposes of discussion, they have been treated in three arbitrary categories: (1) statutes in which the scope of the osteopath's license is considerably narrower than that of the …

Labor Law - Impact Of Labor-Management Relations Act On State Regulation Of Union Shop Contracts, W. J. Schrenk, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The petitioning labor union made a contract with defendant employer, who was engaged solely in interstate commerce, providing that all employees were to be furnished by the union. If members could not be supplied, non-members might be hired but were required to join the union within two weeks from the date of employment. The defendant labor commissioner of the State of New Hampshire threatened to prosecute petitioner under a state statute, known as the Willey Act, which prohibited union security contracts except when ratified by two-thirds of the employees affected. Petitioner sought a declaratory judgment that the provisions of the …

Coigne: Statute Making, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of STATUTE MAKING. By Armand B. Coigne.

Murphy: Conservation Of Oil And Gas, A Legal History-1948, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Review of CONSERVATION OF OIL AND GAS, A LEGAL HISTORY-1948. Edited by Blakely M. Murphy.

Constitutional Law--Anti-Lynching Legislation, William B. Harvey S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Despite progress in recent years toward the elimination of lynching, the demand for adequate federal legislation to cope with the problem is unabated. For almost three decades Congress has considered a succession of anti-lynching bills, most of which have been favorably reported by committees. None has become law. Legislators and others opposing the enactment of a federal anti-lynching act have placed primary reliance on an asserted lack of constitutionality. It is argued that lynching is merely local crime within the scope of the power and responsibility of the states to enforce their own criminal law. The purpose of this comment …

Domestic Relations - Statutory Abolition Of Certain Causes Of Action, George A. Rinker S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

ln response to widespread and vigorous criticism of the abuses practiced through the use of the action at law for breach of promise to marry, and to a lesser extent, the actions for alienation of affections, criminal conversation, and seduction, several states enacted legislation designed to eliminate the evils complained of by abolishing some or all of those causes of action. The purpose of the present discussion is to analyze and compare the various statutes, and to indicate how they have fared in the courts; in short, to survey the whole reform program as it stands twelve years after the …

Constitutional Law-Equal Protection-State Restrictions In Nominations Of Candidates, David H. Armstrong S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The Progressive Party, unable to qualify as a political party for purposes of the Illinois primary election, sought to nominate candidates for state and national offices by petition. The Illinois Election Code provides that such nominating petitions shall include the signatures of at least 200 qualified voters from each of at least 50 counties in the state. Of the state's registered voters, 87 per cent reside in the 49 most populous counties. The State Officers Electoral Board found that the petitions were insufficient, and the Illinois Supreme Court denied a motion for leave to file a petition of mandamus to …

Wills-Validity Of Attestation On Separate Sheet Of Paper Not Physically Attached To Will, Myron J. Nadler

Michigan Law Review

Testatrix drew an instrument consisting of a single sheet of paper, intending it as her will. In the presence of a notary public, three witnesses observed the instrument with testatrix' signature thereon and her acknowledgment of it as her will, but did not sign it. The document was then placed in an envelope. A separate instrument of attestation which referred to the will was prepared by the notary and signed by the testatrix and the attesting witnesses. This instrument and the envelope containing the will were both placed in another folder which was then deposited with the proper officials. Probate …