Law Commons^™

Contracts-Rescission For Substantial Breach-Lien For Improvements Given Vendee

Michigan Law Review

For statement of facts see preceding note in this issue, Younger v. Caroselli, 251 Mich. 533, 232 N.W. 378.

According to the majority view in the United States, a builder, whose substantial breach of contract (the instant case can hardly be considered one of substantial performance) is merely negligent and in good faith, can recover the value of his labor and materials less the damage caused the promisee.

Parent And Child-Education As A Necessary

Michigan Law Review

Defendant owned a farm where he and his family lived. He owned a car, paid his bills, and lived as comfortably as the average farmer. He provided piano lessons for his twelve-year old daughter, who showed an aptitude for music and was the pianist, of the neighborhood. For tuning a piano at the request of defendant's wife and daughter, plaintiff recovered a judgment of five dollars, based on a verdict that tuning the piano was a necessary for which defendant was liable. Held, that the amount being easily within the means of the father and the service necessary if …

Contracts-Right Of A Third Party Beneficiary

Michigan Law Review

Husband and wife agreed with each other to make mutual wills which would leave one-third of the estate of the survivor in equal portions to seven relatives, four of whom were the mother and three sisters of the husband and the remaining three, a niece and two sisters of the wife. After the husband's death the wife made another will, revoking the former one and providing for a different distribution of her property. After her death the mother and three sisters of the deceased husband filed a bill for the specific performance of the contract to make mutual wills. Held …

Quasi-Contracts--Improvements On Land Of Another By Mistake

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs filed a bill in chancery seeking compensation for a house built on the defendants' lot due to an error on the part of the plaintiffs. The lower court granted a decree offering the defendants the election of taking the improvements at a fair value found by the court or of releasing the lot to the plaintiffs on the plaintiffs' paying its fair value. On appeal, held, this relief was proper. Hardy et al. v. Burroughs et al. (Mich. 1930) 232 N.W. 200.

Witnesses-Refreshing Memory-Past Recollection

Michigan Law Review

Action on a claimed oral renewal of a burglary insurance policy. Nearly six months after the alleged renewal W made an affidavit stating that she heard defendant's agent tell plaintiff that plaintiff's policy had been renewed. This affidavit was drawn up by plaintiff's attorney. On the trial eight years later W was unable to recall any such conversation and the affidavit did not refresh her memory. The court over objection admitted the affidavit itself in evidence. Held, since the affidavit was not made at or near the time of the event recorded, and was drawn up by one of …

Reformation-Trusts-Stranger To The Instrument

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was an agent with authority to purchase land for his principal, the plaintiff, and to take options in his own name. Instead, he took contract title in his own name. Plaintiff furnished the entire consideration. In a suit in which the vendor was joined as plaintiff, held, that the land contract be reformed by inserting the name of the plaintiff as purchaser. Goss v. McKinney (Mich. 1930) 229 N.W. 450.

Conflict Of Laws-Which Law Governs The Essential Validity Of A Warrant Of Attorney To Confess Judgment Contained In Another Instrument

Michigan Law Review

Defendant executed a promissory note in Michigan which contained a warrant of attorney authorizing the confessing of judgment by an attorney of any court of record. By statute in Michigan, such a power must be in a separate instrument before a pro confesso judgment can be entered. Plaintiff, an indorsee of the note, got a judgment rendered on the note in Illinois by virtue of such authorization. He then brought suit in Michigan upon this Illinois judgment. Held, the validity of the power is governed by the law of the place of contracting and so a judgment rendered under …

Mortgages - Equity Jurisdiction - Personal Decrees Against The Mortgagor

Michigan Law Review

The Michigan supreme court recently held that the jurisdiction of equity in proceedings for the foreclosure of mortgages is governed by statute, and that equity can only render a personal decree against the mortgagor where the statute expressly permits it. This view, if correct, must be recognized as an exception to the well settled doctrine that a court of equity which has obtained jurisdiction of a controversy on any ground or for any purpose, may retain such jurisdiction for the purpose of administering complete relief. Michigan has repeatedly affirmed this general doctrine.

Landlord And Tenant-Covenant Not To Assign Without Lessor's Consent

Michigan Law Review

The growing practice of leasing important business property, especially for long terms, rather than of conveying the entire fee simple, has made increasingly important the devices inserted in such leases for the protection of the respective parties. One of the oldest and most common of these, for the protection of the lessor, is the covenant by the lessee that he will not assign the term without the consent of the lessor.

When The Importer Is A State University, May The Government Collect A Duty?, Sweinbjorn Johnson

Michigan Law Review

The Tariff Act of 1922 has raised a question which may turn out to be one of great importance as well as one of unusual interest. It appears that in previous acts exemptions were granted, more or less general, in favor of schools, libraries and educational institutions with the result that on imports for their use no duties were levied or collected. In the law of 1922, however, no such exemptions appear, and the customs officers throughout the country have required state universities to pay a duty when the title passed abroad and the articles imported by them were intended …

Fidelity Bonds-Does It Pay To Renew Them?

Michigan Law Review

The question is raised by a recent Michigan case, in which the facts are apparently illustrative of a normal practice in modern business. The employer purchases a fidelity bond to indemnify him against loss arising from the financial misconduct of one of his employees. The premium pays for protection, for the year 1928, to the amount of $5,000. A year later payment of a premium of the same amount results in his receiving a "renewal" or "continuation certificate." 'What is the legal, and what the practical, effect of the renewal?

Boundaries On Great Lakes-Accretion And Reliction-Effect Of Meander Line

Michigan Law Review

Kavanaugh filed a bill against The Director of Conservation of the State of Michigan to quiet title to a strip of land several hundred feet in width between the meander line and the present waters of Saginaw Bay, a part of Lake Huron. Complainant claims title to this land by reason of the fact that it was added to his abutting property by accretion and reliction. The State defends on the ground that the meander line conclusively for all time determines the boundary line of abutters on the Great Lakes, and that consequently the doctrine of accretion and reliction is …

The Law Institute And The Teacher Of Law, Herbert F. Goodrich

Michigan Law Review

The American Law Institute will soon be five years old. It is not necessary here to describe its aims and purposes; every law teacher knows of the state of our law that brought the Institute into being, and of the high hopes which are entertained of its influence and accomplishments. Beginnings have been made in Trusts and Property. Substantial progress has been shown in Agency, Contracts, Conflict of Laws, and Torts, as well as the code of criminal procedure. We have by this time an appreciable amount of the product of the body which is restating our law. How can …

Constitutional Law-Statutory Prohibition Of Possession Of Liquor

Michigan Law Review

The Michigan court has recently declared the state statute prohibiting the mere possession of liquor to be constitutional. People v. Burt, 236 Mich. 62, 210 N. W. 97. The court does not enter into any: discussion as to the constitutionality, but relies on a previous decision, People v. Stambosva, 210 Mich. 436, 178 N. W. 226. This phase of the case is stressed, however, in a vigorous dissent by Chief Justice Bird, who denies that the Stambosva case is controlling. That case held the statutory provision in question to be valid, as not violative of due process, but …

The Right To Fish In Fresh-Water Streams

Michigan Law Review

Nearly three centuries ago Lord Hale wrote the "Fresh rivers, of what kind soever, do, of common right, belong to the owners of the soils adjacent and, if a man be the owner of the land on both sides, in common presumption, he . hath the right of fishing according to the extent of his land in length." This doctrine of the common law, to the extent that it concerns riparian ownership, has long been accepted in Michigan. In this state the owner of the riparian lands owns the submerged lands connected therewith to the thread of the stream. Quite …

Issuance Of Negotiable Instruments As Giving Of Value

Michigan Law Review

Authorities are unanimous that the issuance of negotiable instruments as consideration in the purchase of notes constitutes sufficient value to enable the purchaser to sue as a holder in due course, when the instruments issued have found their way into the hands of a due course holder, or have been paid, before the purchaser acquires knowledge of any defenses. But when, at the time the purchaser is notified of defenses, his notes are still in the possession of the payee, the decisions are not in accord as to his standing. The Wyoming court, in a recent opinion, held a bank …

Crimes-Charge To Jury

Michigan Law Review

Defendant was indicted for murder and manslaughter under sections 15224-5, 3 Compiled Laws of Michigan 1915. The judge gave charges for first and second degree murder and for manslaughter. There was no evidence of murder. A manslaughter verdict was returned. The case was reversed because the murder charge was unsupported by any evidence, and because the defendant was hampered in cross examination. People v. Stahl, 234 Mich. 569, 208 N. W. 685.

Acceptance Of Deeds

Michigan Law Review

In discussions of delivery of deeds consideration is commonly given to the element of acceptance, as if that were a part of delivery. In the ordinary case of delivery there is an acceptance by the grantee, but, it is submitted, when delivery is properly analyzed it will be found that acceptance is no proper part thereof, whatever may be said as to the necessity for assent in effectuating a change in ownership.

Corporations-Default In Filing Annual Report

Michigan Law Review

Several thousand corporations, domestic and foreign, organized for profit, doing business in Michigan, were startled by the decision of the supreme court of the state handed down in October, in the case of Mishke v. Eddy Realty Co. (not yet reported).

Restraints On Alienation-Restrictive Covenants-Racial Discrimination

Michigan Law Review

Three cases decided in 1925 in three widely separated parts of the United States, namely, California, Michigan, and the District of Columbia, raise the question: How far may one give legal effect to his racial prejudices through the medium of covenants and conditions inserted in wills and inter vivos conveyances? An attempt was made in each of these cases to restrict the use or sale of the property involved to white persons or to deny it to colored persons. Two of the cases upheld the restriction; one declared it invalid.

Trusts-When Agent May Purchase Or Lease For Himself

Michigan Law Review

A recent Michigan case has suggested the question: When and under what circumstances may an agent or other fiduciary purchase or lease property for himself, and when will he be decreed a trustee thereof? In this case A owned real estate in Detroit. P and his partners, subtenants, made an offer for a long term lease through D, who appears to have been a special agent with the sole duty of presenting the offer. It was rejected, finally and absolutely, without fraud or collusion on the part of D. Almost immediately D made an offer on his own behalf which …

Sterilization Of Mental Defectives, Burke Shartel

Michigan Law Review

In 1923 the legislature of Michigan passed an act "to authorize the sterilization of mentally defective persons". This act has recently been sustained in its main provisions by the Michigan supreme court in a case brought to test its constitutionality. Probably the United States Supreme Court will also have an opportunity to pass upon the validity of this law, but the Michigan decision, although not final on the question whether the sterilization of defectives is violative of the "due process clause" of the Fourteenth Amendment, is nevertheless very significant. It is the first instance so far as the writer can …

The Effect Of Martial Law Upon The Soldier's Liability To The Citizen

Michigan Law Review

The recent case of Bishop v. Vandercook, 228 Mich. 299, raises a group of problems of grave importance, seldom discussed in the courts. Can martial law ever exist under our constitutional form of government, so that a soldier becomes privileged, for the time being, to invade the interests of private citizens in a way which the ordinary police powers would not warrant? When may such extraordinary law and extraordinary privilege exist? Is a soldier ever justified in acting under orders given by his superior under supposed martial law when martial law for some reason is not in force?

Trust Company In Michigan, Ralph Stone

Michigan Law Review

A trust company in Michigan is a financial and business institution. It came into being, in this state -as elsewhere, in response to the need for an efficient and business-like organization to administer estates and trusts of all kinds as a relief to the individual executor, administrator and trustee. The ever -increasing complications of business and finance placed a burden upon the individual- the relative, the friend, or the business associate-which he found he could not carry without considerable sacrifice either to his own interests or to those of the trust. Those who create trusts either by will, or private …

History Of Michigan Constitutional Provision Prohibiting A General Revision Of The Laws, W L. Jenks

Michigan Law Review

Alone among the states of the Union, Michigan has, since i85o, pr6hibited any general revision of the laws and permits only a compilation of laws in force without alteration. As practically all the neighboring states, as well as New York, from which much of the early legislatiorf of Michigan was derived, have continued to revise their statutes from time to time, it may be interesting to see why Michigan alone has thought it desirable not only to stop the practice which it followed until I85o, but to prevent effectually its legislature from ever attempting it in the future.

Judicial System Of Michigan Under Governor And Judges, W L. Jenks

Michigan Law Review

When the Territory of Michigan came into existence July i, 1805, it found a system of jurisprudence in operation which had been adopted by the Governor and Judges of the Northwest Territory from the laws of Pennsylvania, due no doubt, to the fact that Gov. Arthur St. Clair had lived some years in that State, had been a member of its Board of Censors, a magistrate, and was familiar with its judicial system which provided a-Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace in each county composed of Justices of the Peace, a Court of Common Pleas in each County, …

Note And Comment, Ralph W. Aigler, Charles L. Kaufman, Edwin D. Dickinson, Lester S. Hecht, Leon L. Greenbaum

Michigan Law Review

Judicial Reform in Michigan - The legislature which has been in regular session this year has enacted a measure enlarging the scope of judicial action in a way likely to add very greatly to the iusefulness of the courts. This law authorizes courts of record to make binding declarations of the rights of parties prior to the commission of a wrongful act

Note And Comment, Edson R. Sunderland, Horace Lafayette Wilgus, John B. Waite, Ralph W. Aigler, Joseph H. Drake

Michigan Law Review

Repeals by Implication - Prohibition in Michigan - At the November election of. 1916 the people of the state of Michigan ratified the following amendment to the constitution of that state: "The manufacture, sale, giving away, bartering or furnishing of any vinous, malt, brewed, fermented, spiritous or intoxicating liquors, except for medicinal, mechanical, chemical, scientific or sacramental purposes shall be after April thirty, nineteen hundred eighteen, prohibited in the State forever. The Legislature shall by law provide regulations for the sale of such liquors for medicinal, mechanica, cheinical, scientific and sacramental purposes."

Logic V Common Sense In Pleading, Nathan Isaacs

Michigan Law Review

Michigan's experiment in pleading--or the suppression of pleading-is being carefully watched throughout the country. Not that it is likely that many other states will go to the extreme, for it is an extreme, of substituting notice-pleading for essential-fact-pleading: but it is a fact that even the code states are experiencing a reaction in that general direction. It will probably lead to a multiplication of their "short forms," rather than to a sweeping provision that

Michigan's Adoption Of Uniform State Legislation, George W. Bates

Michigan Law Review

The commissioners on Uniform State Laws have just filed their fourth Biennial Report to the Legislature of Michigan. This Conference is a body composed of representatives of each State, Territory and Federal possession, who meet in annual conference under a permanent organization commonly designated the Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. The twenty-sixth annual meeting was held in Chicago last August. The commissioners consist very largely of lawyers and judges of standing and experience and of law teachers from some of the principal law schools. There are usually three representatives from each State or Territory, appointed for terms of three to …