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Michigan Law Review

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Full-Text Articles in Law

Administrative Tribunals--Judicial Notice Apr 1931

Administrative Tribunals--Judicial Notice

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff corporation, a retail distributor of gas, contracted for its supply over a three-year period from a service company, and filed its rate schedule with the public utilities commission. The commission ordered a lower rate, its order being based on files of schedules of other distributing companies, which were found to show that the plaintiff's contract was excessive and that a lower rate could have been contracted for. These files were not introduced into evidence, but the commission took notice of them as a matter of public record. Plaintiff petitioned for an injunction against enforcement of the order. Held …


Adverse Possession-Possession By Church Corporation Apr 1931

Adverse Possession-Possession By Church Corporation

Michigan Law Review

This was an action in ejectment. The defendant, a church corporation, claimed title to the land in question, which adjoined the church, by virtue of adverse possession. Held, that the rule that a corporation can show possession only by proving formal corporate acts is inapplicable to a church organization, members of which constitute the corporation, and that the acts of the members of the church in using this property to park cars on, for social purposes, etc., were, in effect, corporate acts of the church so as to vest title in that organization. Davy v. Trustees of Protestant Episcopal …


Bills And Notes-Right To Indorsement After Transfer Apr 1931

Bills And Notes-Right To Indorsement After Transfer

Michigan Law Review

The payee assigned a note and mortgage to the plaintiff by separate paper. The plaintiff sued the payee under sec. 49, N. I. L. for indorsement and also for the balance due after foreclosing the mortgage. Held, the plaintiff was entitled to an unqualified indorsement and recovery in the absence of a contrary agreement. Parr v. Ft. Pierce Bank & Trust Co. (Fla. 1930) 130. So. 445.


Conflict Of Laws--Contracts--Excuses For Non-Performance Apr 1931

Conflict Of Laws--Contracts--Excuses For Non-Performance

Michigan Law Review

Libellant sought to recover on a contract made in Duluth for the shipment of grain by defendant from Duluth to Montreal. The grain was reshipped by defendant at Port Colbourne, Ontario, and was sunk in the St. Lawrence River. Canadian Water Carrier of Goods Act, sec. 6 (9-10 Edw. VII, c. 81), provides that if the owner of any ship carrying merchandise from any port in Canada exercises due diligence to make the ship in all respects seaworthy and properly manned, neither the ship, owner, agent, nor charterer shall be liable for faults in navigation. The court held defendant was …


Conflict Of Laws-Effects Usury Apr 1931

Conflict Of Laws-Effects Usury

Michigan Law Review

A Pennsylvania corporation entered into a contract in Maryland with the defendant credit company, a Delaware corporation, under which the defendant was to advance money upon the assignment to it of accounts, and furnish other services for which it was to receive certain definite fees and commissions. The parties stipulated in the contract that it should be governed as to its validity and interpretation by the laws of Delaware. The receivers of the Pennsylvania corporation brought this action to recover payments made to the defendant under the contract, claiming it to be usurious according to the law of Pennsylvania. Held …


Conflict Of Laws - Statute Of Limitations - Applicability Apr 1931

Conflict Of Laws - Statute Of Limitations - Applicability

Michigan Law Review

Goods, shipped from France on a vessel of the French line, were damaged by seawater. The bills of lading were issued in France, containing a clause that litigation or disputes arising from their interpretation or execution should be judged according to French law. When the holders of the bills libeled the French line, they were met with the defense that the French Code allowed suit on such claims only if within one year after the ship arrived, which period had passed. Section 433 of the French Commercial Code, to the effect that such claims were barred by a one-year prescription …


Contracts-Liability Of Assignee For Unfullfilled Duties Of His Assigned Apr 1931

Contracts-Liability Of Assignee For Unfullfilled Duties Of His Assigned

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff contracted for the sale of lands with H., title being reserved in the plaintiff. The contract purported to bind the assigns of both parties, and contained an acceleration provision in favor of the plaintiff on default of any payment. Under North Dakota law the parties were substantially in the position of vendor-mortgagee and vendee-mortgagor. H then assigned to the defendant who made payments to the plaintiff, and there was also testimony indicating that in the printed form of the assignment defend ant had promised the assignor to assume the duties under the original contract. Upon default and foreclosure sale …


Contracts-Liability Of Purchaser At Forclosure Sale For Obligations Of Forclosed Railroad Apr 1931

Contracts-Liability Of Purchaser At Forclosure Sale For Obligations Of Forclosed Railroad

Michigan Law Review

The BN Company executed a mortgage on certain railroad properties as security for a bond issue of the Company. Thereafter the Lehigh Company leased the mortgaged property for a term of 999 years. The lease stipulated that "all its covenants are to apply to the parties hereto, and to the several successors and assigns * * * of the parties or their properties." The lessee covenanted therein to indorse a guaranty of payment on the bonds of the BN Company. and did so indorse. Subsequently a mortgage executed by Lehigh prior to the lease with the BN Company, but which …


Corporations--Cumulative Preferred Stock-Effect Of By-Laws Apr 1931

Corporations--Cumulative Preferred Stock-Effect Of By-Laws

Michigan Law Review

An action was brought by preferred stockholders, during voluntary liquidation of a corporation, for payment of dividends, alleged to be cumulative, which had been passed on account of deficits during the two preceding years. The statutory provision giving the power to issue stock required the articles of incorporation to indicate, when any of the stock was preferred, whether or not the dividends should be cumulative. The articles stipulated that the preferred stock should be entitled to a six per cent dividend out of the net yearly income before any dividend should be paid on the common stock. A by-law, adopted …


Crimes-Right Of Jury To Recommend Mercy Apr 1931

Crimes-Right Of Jury To Recommend Mercy

Michigan Law Review

In a trial for murder, under a statute which provided that if the jury found the accused guilty of murder they might recommend him or her to the mercy of the court, thus reducing the punishment from death to life imprisonment, the court instructed the jury, ''You cannot of your own free will recommend or not recommend [mercy] because you are opposed to capital punishment." Exception was taken on the grounds that this circumscribed the statutory privilege of the jury to recommend mercy. Held, the instruction was erroneous and constituted grounds for new trial. State v. Blakely (S. C. …


Equity - Conditional Rescission For Unilateral Mistakes Apr 1931

Equity - Conditional Rescission For Unilateral Mistakes

Michigan Law Review

Lessee submitted a lease containing an option for renewal to the attorney of the lessor. Being informed by 'the lessor's attorney that the lessor probably would not accept the lease with the option for renewal, the lessee submitted another without this feature. The lessor by mistake signed the lease containing the option and mailed it to the lessee. Lessor sued for rescission. Held, rescission granted on condition that the lessor give the lessee a privilege of taking the lease the lessor intended to sign. Miller v. Stanich (Wis. 1930) 233 N.W. 753.


Evidence-Admission By Party Litigant-Substantive Proof Or Impeachment Apr 1931

Evidence-Admission By Party Litigant-Substantive Proof Or Impeachment

Michigan Law Review

ln an action against an employer for personal injuries, after the plaintiff had testified as to negligence of a fellow servant, his signed statement detailing a contrary account of the injury was introduced. The trial judge charged that the statement was admissible only for the purpose of contradicting the plaintiff's testimony. Held, it was admissible as a declaration against interest with probative value, as well as to impeach the plaintiff's testimony. Pub. Utilities Corp. v. Carden (Ark. 1930) 32 S.W.(2d) 1058.


Estates-Tenancy By Entireties--Ability Of Judgment Creditor To Reach Tenant's Interest Apr 1931

Estates-Tenancy By Entireties--Ability Of Judgment Creditor To Reach Tenant's Interest

Michigan Law Review

Shortly after the plaintiff's judgment had been docketted and a fruitless attempt made to have it satisfied, the defendant and his wife became devisees of some land, holding it as tenants by entireties. Knowing his wife to be in poor health and fearing he might survive her, the defendant persuaded her to join in a conveyance to their granddaughter for only a nominal consideration. Both women were unaware of the defendant's real motive, but the defendant himself understood the effect of what he was doing and was anxious to place the land beyond the plaintiff's reach. Held, that the …


Process--Privilige Of Nonresident Attorney Apr 1931

Process--Privilige Of Nonresident Attorney

Michigan Law Review

The defendant, an attorney at law and resident of Minnesota, came into Wisconsin to take depositions to be used in suits pending in Minnesota. Upon arrival he and the witnesses were served with an injunction restraining the taking of the depositions. While awaiting a hearing upon the injunction, in which he intended to appear in his own behalf and as attorney for the witnesses, personal service of a Wisconsin summons in the instant action was made upon him, naming as defendants himself and the law firm of which he was a member. A motion to set aside the service of …


Prohibition-Against Enforcement Of Order To Produce Documents-Availability Of Other Appellate Relief Apr 1931

Prohibition-Against Enforcement Of Order To Produce Documents-Availability Of Other Appellate Relief

Michigan Law Review

Application was made to the circuit court of appeals for a writ of prohibition against a district judge to restrain him from compelling petitioner to allow an inspection of his ledger. Held, that although in the opinion of the court the order had been entered improperly, the circuit court of appeals had no jurisdiction to issue a writ of prohibition against enforcement of the order. Keaton v. Kennamer (C. C. A. 10th, 1930) 42 F.(2d) 814.


Sales-Absolute Warranty Of Purity Of Food--"Liability Without Fault" Apr 1931

Sales-Absolute Warranty Of Purity Of Food--"Liability Without Fault"

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff bought a bottle of Coca-Cola from a retailer; it was opened in his presence and he drank it at once. The bottle contained decomposed parts of a mouse or rat, and the plaintiff became violently ill after drinking the Coca-Cola. In an action against the manufacturer, held, that there was an absolute warranty of fitness for human consumption, and that the manufacturer was liable for the results of any impurities, regardless of whether or not he was negligent. Coca-Cola Bottling Works v. Simpson (Miss. 1930) 130 So. 479.


Sales-Rescission For Breach Of Warranty-Use Or Payment After Knowledge Of Defects Apr 1931

Sales-Rescission For Breach Of Warranty-Use Or Payment After Knowledge Of Defects

Michigan Law Review

In February, plaintiff sold defendant a cement mixer with, as defendant claimed, an express warranty. It did not work properly, and attempts were made by both parties to put it in order. Plaintiff refused to aid further, but defendant claimed that plaintiff earnestly requested him to make a further trial. In June, defendant made a payment. In September, he gave up attempts to make the machine work and notified plaintiff to take it back. Plaintiff sued for the balance of the price. Held, by defendant's version of the facts he had at one time a right to rescind. It …


Taxation-Excise Measured By Income From Copyrights Apr 1931

Taxation-Excise Measured By Income From Copyrights

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a New York corporation, brought a bill to enjoin the Attorney-General of New York and others from collecting under a New York statute a tax levied "for the privilege of exercising its franchise in this state in a corporate or organized capacity," and measured by "income from any source," which had been interpreted to include income derived from copyrights, on the ground that the statute, as applied, infringed the federal Constitution. Held, three judges dissenting, that the tax was an excise tax levied for the privilege of doing business in a corporate capacity and that a constitutionally permissible …


Trusts--Exercise Of A Power With Consent Of Trustee-Retroactive Federal Inheritance Tax Apr 1931

Trusts--Exercise Of A Power With Consent Of Trustee-Retroactive Federal Inheritance Tax

Michigan Law Review

A trust, established in 1908, reserved a power to the settlor to alter or amend the provisions of the trust, conditioned on the assent of the trustee. 26 U. S. C. A. sec. 1094 (d), Rev. Act (1926) sec. 302 (d), which applied to trusts subject at the date of death to any change through the exercise of a power either by the decedent alone or in conjunction with any person, to alter, amend or revoke, was made retroactive by clause (h) of the same section. Held, since the transfer was complete before the death of the settler, section …


Trusts-Resulting-Conveyance To Voluntary Grantee To Defraud Creditors Apr 1931

Trusts-Resulting-Conveyance To Voluntary Grantee To Defraud Creditors

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff and the defendant, husband and wife, were tenants by the entireties in certain real estate. Fearing an action by a supposed creditor against the husband, they conveyed without consideration to a third person who subsequently conveyed to the wife. This was done on the advice of counsel. There was an oral understanding between the plaintiff and the defendant at the time of this conveyance that the husband's interest should be reconveyed in the same roundabout manner after any danger of suit had passed. Due to wise investments on the part of the wife this property became very valuable. …


Review: International Law, H. Arthur Steiner Apr 1931

Review: International Law, H. Arthur Steiner

Michigan Law Review

A Review of : INTERNATIONAL LAW By Ellery C. Stowell.


Review: International Adjudications, Edwin D. Dickinson Apr 1931

Review: International Adjudications, Edwin D. Dickinson

Michigan Law Review

A Review of : INTERNATIONAL ADJUDICATIONS Edited by John Bassett Moore.


Review: Cases On Constitutional Law, Thomas C. Lavery Apr 1931

Review: Cases On Constitutional Law, Thomas C. Lavery

Michigan Law Review

A Review of: CASES ON CONSTITUTIONAL LAW By Dudley O. McGovney.


Book Reviews Apr 1931

Book Reviews

Michigan Law Review

Six brief book reviews of various law topics.


Landlord And Tenant-Interference With Possession Of Tenant As Basis For Suit By Landlord-Injunction Apr 1931

Landlord And Tenant-Interference With Possession Of Tenant As Basis For Suit By Landlord-Injunction

Michigan Law Review

In the recent case of Petty v. Langan the South Dakota court granted to a landlord an injunction restraining a third party who claimed the right to a lease, "from going upon the land or interfering witμ the right of plaintiff and his tenant to the possession thereof." No authority was cited by the court for the position it took, and the result is hard to square with orthodox views, but the holding appears sound on principle and desirable.


Mortgages - Exchange For Deed With Option To Repurchase Or Sell To A Third Person And Take The Excess Of Purchase Money Apr 1931

Mortgages - Exchange For Deed With Option To Repurchase Or Sell To A Third Person And Take The Excess Of Purchase Money

Michigan Law Review

There is no principle more firmly established in equity than the one that the right of redemption constitutes an integral part of every mortgage. Neither by a stipulation in the mortgage itself, nor by any separate contemporaneous agreement, nor by giving a deed intended as a mortgage is it possible for the mortgagor to waive his equitable right to redeem. The application of this principle makes ineffectual the delivery of a deed in escrow at the time the note and mortgage are given, on condition that if the mortgagor does not pay his debt promptly the deed shall be delivered …


Administative Tribunals-Judicial Review Of Legislative Functions Apr 1931

Administative Tribunals-Judicial Review Of Legislative Functions

Michigan Law Review

On refusal of the Federal Radio Commission to renew its license for a broadcasting station with the existing terms, on the ground that public convenience and necessity did not require it, the applicant company availed itself of a statutory appeal to the court of appeals of the District of Columbia which reversed the finding as to public convenience and necessity. The commission applied to the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari. Held, writ dismissed on the theory that the court had no jurisdiction to review the exercise pf an administrative or legislative power, and that the …


Bills And Notes-Payee As Holder In Due Course Apr 1931

Bills And Notes-Payee As Holder In Due Course

Michigan Law Review

In an action by the payee against the insane accommodation maker of a promissory note, the court held that the payee is presumed to be a holder in due course. F. S. Royster Guano Co. v. Sherman (N. J. 1930) 151 Atl. 382.


Carriers-Liability For Loss Of Goods-Connecting Carriers In Foreign Commerce Apr 1931

Carriers-Liability For Loss Of Goods-Connecting Carriers In Foreign Commerce

Michigan Law Review

A box of furs, shipped from London, England, to New York City, U. S. A., over the line of the defendant navigation company, was delivered to the defendant trucking company at the order of the United States because the duties had not been paid. The trucking company delivered it to the defendant warehouse where it remained a week before being moved by the same trucking company to the United States Appraisal Stores. Here it was discovered that some of the furs had been stolen from the box. Held, the defendant navigation company was not liable as initial carrier under …


Contracts - Rescission Of Contract To Rescind Apr 1931

Contracts - Rescission Of Contract To Rescind

Michigan Law Review

The parties entered into an installment contract for sale of meal of a certain quality. Provision was made for arbitration of disputes arising under the agreement. After several deliveries, the vendor consented to cancellation of the remainder of the contract upon the buyer's agreeing to pay £782 at four specified dates. This agreement was made under mutual mistake as to the defective quality of the goods, which would have justified repudiation of the contract. Before the adulteration was discovered, the seller had paid £500 for a release from a supply contract with a third person and the buyer had paid …