Law Commons^™

Criminal Law - Insane Persons - Influence Of Mental Illness On The Parole Return Process, David G. Davies S.Ed., John H. Hess M.D.

Michigan Law Review

Defendants in the criminal process are divided into rigidly exclusive categories of mental health. The competent to stand trial are first separated from the incompetent. Then the competent are divided on the basis of their mental state at the time of their acts between the "sane" and the "insane." As long as these rigid categories are administered in an adversary trial system, some misdirection of victims of serious mental illness into the penal system is almost inevitable. Even where mental illness might otherwise prevent conviction, those accused of non-capital felonies are not likely to raise the question, and few courts …

Criminal Law - Insane Persons - Competency To Stand Trial, John H. Hess M.D., Henry B. Pearsall S.Ed., Donald A. Slichter S.Ed., Herbert E. Thomas M.D.

Michigan Law Review

Mental unsoundness in a person accused of a crime raises two distinct legal questions. One is the question of the individual's responsibility for his behavior and the other is the question of the individual's competency to enter into the legal procedures of trial or punishment. In recent years considerable attention has been given to matters of responsibility, but relatively little attention has been paid to the problem of incompetency and especially to the consequences of incompetency proceedings. In order to analyze and evaluate the operations of the Michigan law in the area of incompetency to stand trial, two psychiatrists joined …

Bankruptcy - Tenancy By The Entireties - Creditors's Right Against Entry Property After Discharge Of Husband In Bankruptcy, E. Roger Frisch

Michigan Law Review

The United States as assignee sought a joint judgment on four unsecured promissory notes signed by the defendants, who are husband and wife. The husband had filed in bankruptcy before the assignment of the notes to plaintiff and was discharged from all debts filed in the bankruptcy proceeding schedules (including the instant debt) prior to any action on these notes. His estate by the entireties, however, was not used to satisfy any listed debts. Held, plaintiff is entitled to proceed to judgment. A discharge in bankruptcy limits only the sources available for satisfaction. United States v. Fetter and Fetter …

Labor Law - Lmra - Discrimination Discharge - Effect Of Legal Ground For Discharge Where Possible Dual Motivation Exists, Joy Tannian S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Respondent discharged an employee under the terms of a union contract which provided that employees could be discharged for failure to carry out the employer's orders. It was undisputed that the employee had failed to submit required reports on at least two occasions. A complaint alleging the commission of an unfair labor practice was filed. The National Labor Relations Board found that the employee had been discharged as a :reprisal for his union activities in violation of section 8 (a)(1) of the amended National Labor Relations Act. The Board ordered reinstatement under section 10 (c) of the act. In an …

Labor Law - Collective Bargaining- Compulsory Retirement As Discharge "Without Cause" Under Collective Bargaining Agreement, Douglas Peck S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff-employee was informed by the defendant, his employer, that his employment would be terminated because he had attained the age of sixty-five and it was the policy of the defendant to retire such employees. There was evidence indicating that this policy had been in practice uniformly for several years, but it was not incorporated in the collective bargaining agreement between defendant and plaintiff's union. Plaintiff sued for damages for violation of his rights under the collective agreement. Held, judgment for plaintiff. The legal and practical effect of compulsory retirement is the same as a discharge, and plaintiff's employment was …

Labor Law - Labor-Management Relations Act - Applicable Remedies When An Employer Transers To A New Location To Avoid Dealing With A Union, John F. Dodge, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

An interstate trucking concern with depots in numerous cities, was approached by a union seeking recognition as the bargaining representative of the office and clerical workers at one of the depots. The employer, after interrogating the employees involved as to their union affiliation, transferred the clerical work done at that depot to an office in a different city, but continued operating the trucking depot itself. The clerical employees were discharged but were offered reinstatement at the new location, together with reimbursement of the expenses of moving to the new location. Held, the employer violated sections 8(a)(1), 8(a)(3), and 8(a)(5) …

Corporations - The Fudiciary Duty Of Directors In The Issuance Of Stock Subject To Preemptive Rights, Howard M. Downs

Michigan Law Review

In Gord v. Iowana Farms Milk Co. , a stockholder protested the issue to the defendant of certain shares of stock in a closely held corporation. At the time of the sale, the plaintiff was a director and secretary-treasurer of the corporation with access to the corporate books and knowledge of the corporate assets. At the meeting at which the stock was issued, the plaintiff signed a statement saying "at the present time I do not elect to purchase any stock. . . ." The stock, sold for $15 a share, had a value variously estimated at $50 to $103.22. …

Hospitalization Of The Voluntary Mental Patient, Hugh A. Ross

Michigan Law Review

In 1949, the last year for which accurate statistics are available, 390,567 persons were admitted to mental hospitals in the United States. Total annual cost of mental illness, including loss of earnings, has been estimated to be over a billion dollars a year. Although the problems involved in admission of the mentally ill patient to a hospital are usually thought of in terms of formal involuntary commitment proceedings, there is an increasing awareness of the desirability of provision for voluntary procedures which would encourage prompt and effective medical care. Voluntary admission is not a form of commitment, although it may …

Constitutional Law - Self-Incrimination - Relation To Loyalty Discharge From Government Service, George E. Ewing

Michigan Law Review

A doctor, drafted into the Army as a private by authority of the Doctors Draft Law, exercised his constitutional privilege against self-incrimination in refusing to complete a loyalty certificate required for a military commission. The Army refused to grant the commission. In a prior habeas corpus proceeding, he had been ordered discharged unless granted the commission. Since the Army intended to grant the discharge under conditions other than honorable, the doctor sought an injunction to compel prompt honorable discharge. Held, injunction granted. Exercise of the constitutional privilege in refusing to complete a loyalty certificate could not be considered a …

The Seaman As Ward Of The Admiralty, Martin J. Norris

Michigan Law Review

The seaman has a peculiar status in American law. He is in most instances a mature individual, sui juris, and therefore capable of entering into his own contracts but nonetheless his contractual dealings with shipmasters and owners are as carefully watched by our admiralty courts as though he were a minor or a young heir. He is in contemplation of the maritime law a ward of the admiralty courts.

The seaman's position in a legal and economic sense is unique. Singled out by the Congress of the United States as one of a class of workers requiring special consideration …

Labor Law-Legality Of Employer's Use Of Lockout, Norman M. Spindelman S.Ed., William K. Davenport S.Ed

Michigan Law Review

One of the employer's traditional weapons against the economic power of unions is the lockout. Since the central economic element involved in strikebreaking is that the operation of the plant and equipment is as important to labor as labor is to the operation of the plant and equipment, the lockout is one of the simplest methods of strikebreaking or of resisting union demands. This is so because in the endurance contest which ensues the economic resources of the employer are likely to be greater than those of the employee. Just as there are restrictions on union use of the strike, …

Torts--Inducing Breach Of Contract--Attorney-Client Contingent Fee Contract, Richard W. Pogue

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a practicing attorney, undertook on a contingent fee basis to represent a husband and wife in separate claims for damages alleged to have been suffered by them through the negligence of the driver of a motor vehicle. The driver was insured under a policy issued by defendant. Defendant had notice of the contract. After plaintiff had started suit on the damage claim and as the case was about to be tried, defendant's adjusters, without knowledge on the plaintiff's part, allegedly induced the clients to discharge the plaintiff (and "thereby break their contingent fee contract with him") and subsequently to …

Attorneys At Law-Substitution Of Attorneys-Protection Of The Attorney's Right To Compensation, G. B. Myers S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff employed an attorney on a contingent fee basis. After the suit had been begun, but before trial, plaintiff moved to dismiss and to substitute attorneys so that he might bring the action in another state. The attorney objected, claiming that the court should secure him in his right to one-third of the recovery. Plaintiff contended that the attorney was only entitled to the reasonable value of his services. On argument to the court, held, for plaintiff. When the employment is upon a contingent fee basis the attorney discharged without cause has a right only to the reasonable value …

Some Aspects Of Military Service, Philip Marcus

Michigan Law Review

Men find themselves in uniform either by volition or conscription. This paper discusses some of the legal and factual elements involved in creating military forces by volunteer and draft methods.

Bankruptcy -Test Of Insolvency - Fair Valuation Of Debtor's Assets, William F. Hood

Michigan Law Review

An objecting creditor seeking to preserve his judgment lien appealed from an order adjudicating B a bankrupt. The alleged act of bankruptcy was that B, while insolvent, permitted the objecting creditor to obtain a lien on his property by judicial proceedings and failed to discharge it within thirty days. B's principal asset was his interest in a spendthrift trust fund, valued at more than a million dollars, set up in favor of B and his brother. Under the terms of the trust each beneficiary was to receive one-half the approximately $44,000 a year income until he reached the …

Bills And Notes - Liability Of Drawer Of Bank Draft - Statute Of Limitations, John P. Cofrin

Michigan Law Review

On April 1, 1918, defendant bank's predecessor issued a draft. The draft was negotiated by the payee to the plaintiff on August 10, 1937; presentment, refusal of payment, protest, notice of protest and dishonor all took place on that day. Defendant suffered no loss by reason of the delayed presentment. In a suit to enforce its liability as drawer, the defendant demurred on the ground that the complaint showed the action was barred by the statute of limitations. Held, the cause of action does not accrue in the sense that word is used in the statute until presentment, dishonor, …

Trusts - Tentative Trusts - Right Of Settlor To Set-Off Against Insolvent Bank, Ralph Winkler

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought this bill in equity to compel the receiver of an insolvent bank to set off a deposit against the plaintiff's liability as an indorser on a note, the maker of which was unable to discharge the debt. The account was opened by the plaintiff as "trustee" for his minor son. He had exercised complete control over the account and had made numerous withdrawals for his own purposes. Held, set-off denied. The deposit created a tentative trust; and until revocation the son was the equitable owner thereof. Since the right of set-off is determined by the state of …