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Full-Text Articles in Contracts

An Information Theory Of Willful Breach, Oren Bar-Gill, Omri Ben-Shahar Jun 2009

An Information Theory Of Willful Breach, Oren Bar-Gill, Omri Ben-Shahar

Michigan Law Review

Should willful breach be sanctioned more severely than inadvertent breach? Strikingly, there is sharp disagreement on this matter within American legal doctrine, in legal theory, and in comparative law. Within law-and-economics, the standard answer is "no "-breach should be subject to strict liability. Fault should not raise the magnitude of liability in the same way that no fault does not immune the breaching party from liability. In this paper, we develop an alternative law-and-economics account, which justifies supercompensatory damages for willful breach. Willful breach, we argue, reveals information about the "true nature" of the breaching party-that he is more likely …


Choice, Consent, And Cycling: The Hidden Limitations Of Consent, Leo Katz Feb 2006

Choice, Consent, And Cycling: The Hidden Limitations Of Consent, Leo Katz

Michigan Law Review

Most legal scholars assume that if V consents to allow D to do something to him, such consent makes D's actions legally and morally acceptable. To be sure, they are willing to make an exception when consent is given under a specified list of conditions: Force, fraud, incompetence, third-party effects, unequal bargaining power, commodification, paternalism - all of these may be grounds for rejecting the validity of V's consent. We might call scholars who take this view of consent quasi-libertarians. In this Article, I argue against the quasi-libertarian view of consent. My central claim is that the validity of consent …


The Rise Of America's Two National Pastimes: Baseball And The Law, Cleta Deatherage Mitchell May 1999

The Rise Of America's Two National Pastimes: Baseball And The Law, Cleta Deatherage Mitchell

Michigan Law Review

Mark McGwire's seventieth home run ball sold at auction in January of this year for $3,005,000. In late 1998, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos sued a former Orioles manager and his daughter in the circuit court of Cook County, Illinois. Angelos alleged that the original lineup card from the 1995 game when Cal Ripken, Jr., broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game record belongs to the Orioles, not to the former manager and certainly not to his daughter. There may be no crying in baseball, but there is money. And wherever earthly treasure gathers two or more, a legal system arises. From …


Contracts - Statute Of Frauds - Signature Applicable To Only Part Of A Memorandum, George R. Haydon Jr. Jan 1958

Contracts - Statute Of Frauds - Signature Applicable To Only Part Of A Memorandum, George R. Haydon Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff buyer sought specific performance of an alleged contract for the sale of real estate. The instrument, denominated "deposit receipt," acknowledged receipt of the deposit, and then set forth the terms of the trade. This was signed "By Raymond Asmar," the alleged agent of the seller, in the place where the broker normally signs. Following this were two provisions. One, signed by plaintiff, stated that he agreed to purchase the property and that he confirmed the contract. A similar provision immediately following was not signed by defendant seller. The district court dismissed for failure to state a claim on which …


Contracts - Damages - Punitive Damages Awarded For Breach Accompanied By Fraudulent Act, Theodore G. Koerner Jan 1958

Contracts - Damages - Punitive Damages Awarded For Breach Accompanied By Fraudulent Act, Theodore G. Koerner

Michigan Law Review

Defendants contracted to purchase a crop of alfalfa from plaintiff, harvesting and processing to be done by defendants and payment to be ascertained according to the processed weight of the alfalfa. When defendants harvested the entire crop but failed to pay for the major part of it, plaintiff brought action for breach of contract. In addition to the non-payment, plaintiff alleged fraud on defendants' part in falsifying weight records and in otherwise scheming to cheat and defraud him. On defendants' appeal from a judgment including both compensatory and punitive damages, held, affirmed. Although punitive damages are not ordinarily recoverable …


Restitution - Election Of Remedies - Action In Quasi-Contract Against Joint Tortfeasor As Barring Fraud Action Against Other Joint Tortfeasors, Douglas Peck S.Ed. Jun 1955

Restitution - Election Of Remedies - Action In Quasi-Contract Against Joint Tortfeasor As Barring Fraud Action Against Other Joint Tortfeasors, Douglas Peck S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued for fraud, alleging that defendant engraving companies secretly agreed with an agent of the plaintiff to give the agent a commission in return for which the agent was to contract for engraving work to be done by the defendants for plaintiff at a rate in excess of the fair market price for such work. Upon discovery of the fraud and prior to the commencement of this action, plaintiff had instituted an action in a state court against its agent for money had and received, and had obtained an attachment. Upon defendants' motion to dismiss the fraud action, held …


Sales - Conditional Sales - Punitive Damages For Forcible Repossession Of Chattel, William G. Cloon, Jr. S.Ed. May 1955

Sales - Conditional Sales - Punitive Damages For Forcible Repossession Of Chattel, William G. Cloon, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff purchased a truck under a conditional sales contract which was assigned to the defendant finance company. He drove the truck to the place of business of the defendant to adjust differences between the two parties, but when he attempted to leave after no agreement had been reached, he discovered that the keys had been removed from the truck. When informed that the truck had been repossessed, the plaintiff produced another set of keys but was unable to leave with the truck. The testimony of the plaintiff that an agent of the defendant seized his hand to prevent the unlocking …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Jun 1922

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

No abstract provided.


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review May 1922

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Assignments- Assignment of an Expectancy - Joseph and James were two of six children. A contract witnessed "that Joseph Snyder has sold to James Snyder one undivided sixth of the real estate owned by the mother, Susan Snyder; to secure said interest to James after her death, the mother unites in the conveyance of said interest The said Joseph warrants and defends the interest from all claims." The contract was signed by Joseph and by the mother. Held, Joseph had no estate which he could convey, and the contract, though made with the consent of the mother, was unenforceable either …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Mar 1922

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Carriers of Passengers - Duty to Stop at Station to Permit Passenger to Alight-Contributory Negligence of Passenger Plaintiff's intestate was riding in the front end of a crowded vestibule car in the coach next to the tender of the eengine. When the train stopped at his station he tried to leave by the front end, but found the door from the vestibule closed. As he did not know how to open it, or was unwilling to be carried by his station, he stepped from his platform to the bumper of the tender and tried to follow it to the side …


Note And Comment, Gordon Stoner, Edgar N. Durfee, Werner W. Schroeder, Albert J. Mickelson, Maurice Weinberger Dec 1915

Note And Comment, Gordon Stoner, Edgar N. Durfee, Werner W. Schroeder, Albert J. Mickelson, Maurice Weinberger

Michigan Law Review

The Form of the Summons Under the Recent Michigan Judicature Act - It would be rather remarkable if in revising such a large portion of the statutes as was undertaken by the Commission on Revision and Consolidation of Statutes of the State of Michigan, appointed in 1913, which reported to the legislature the recently enacted Judicature Act (Public Acts of Michigan, 915, § 314), some ambiguity or uncertainty were not to appear in the revision. The Judicature Act is no exception to the general rule, as the lawyer who attempts to begin suit by summons under it will discover at …


Recent Important Decisions Mar 1915

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions Mar 1914

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions Jan 1914

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.


Recent Important Decisions Mar 1913

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy - Judgment for Breach of Promis, Aggravated by Seduction, Not Dischargeable - Petitioner 'had secured a judgment against the bankrupt for the breach of a promise to marry, seduction under such promise having been pleaded in aggravation of damages; the common law rule prevails in New York and a woman may not maintain an action for her own seduction. The District Court (196 Fed. 571), viewing this as a judgment grounded solely in contract, and not in tort as "for -will-ful and malicious injury to the person or property of another," or for "seduction of an unmarried female," held …


Note And Comment, Joseph J. Kennedy, Samuel H. Morris, Burke W. Shartel, George S. Burgess Dec 1912

Note And Comment, Joseph J. Kennedy, Samuel H. Morris, Burke W. Shartel, George S. Burgess

Michigan Law Review

Attendance at the Law School; An Extreme Case in the Application of the Safety Appliance Act; Advisory Opinions; Refusal of Specific Performance Where Subsequent Unexpected Events Render it Inequitable; Is Vasectomy a Cruel Punishment


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Jan 1912

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adverse Possession--Hostile Character--Possession Under Executory Contract for Sale; Bills and Notes--Bona Fide Purchase--Effect of Taking After Maturity; Bills and Notes--Bona Fide Purchase--Payment of Forged Check--Recovery of Payment; Bills and Notes--Invalidity of Note--Recovery Upon Original Consideration; Constitutional law--Due Process of Law--Situs of Ship for Purposes of Taxation; contracts--Sufficiency of Typewritten Signature; Copyright--Moving Pictures as Dramatization of Book; Corporations--Stockholder's Meetings--Effect of Withdrawal of Stockholders; Courts--The New Commerce Court--Jurisdiction--First Decision; Covenants Running with the Land--Building Restrictions; Damages--Excessiveness--Personal Injuries--Remittitur; Dead Bodies--Burial Determination of Place; Easements--Merger--Use by Owner of Servient Estate--Adverse Possession; Homicide--Burden of Proof When Insanity is a Defense; Intoxicating Liquors--Illegal Sale--"Dispensing"; Judgment--Collateral Attack--Defective …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Jan 1911

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adverse Possession--Paper Title--Constructive Possession--Occupancy; Bankruptcy--Property Vesting in Trustee--Insurance Policies with Cash Surrender Value Absorbed by a Lien; Bankruptcy--Provable Debts--Contingent Claims--Landlord and Tenant; Bills and Notes--Incomplete and Undelivered Check, completed and Negotiated by Thief--Delivery Not Presumed; Bills and Notes--Note Distinguished from Testamentary Disposition; Contracts--Consideration--Forbearance to Sue; Contracts--Illegal Contract--Agent's Liability for Proceeds; Corporations--corporate Stock--Priority of Rights Between Unrecorded Transferee and Attachment Creditor; Criminal Procedure--Sealed Verdict--Separation of Jury; Eminent Domain--Streets--Power to Condemn Land Required for Railroad Purposes; Evidence--Presumptions and Burden of Proof in Case of Corporation Charged with Crime; Garnishments--On What Actions Available--Liquidated Claims; Insurance--change of Rates in Mutual Benefit Association; Judgments--Foreign Judgment--Merger--Bar; …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Apr 1910

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy--Surety's Rights to Subrogation--Preferred Claim; Bills and Notes--Negotiability--Effect of Words "Not Transferable" Added to Negotiable Note; Bills and Notes--Transfer of Note by Indorsement--What Law Governs the Indorser's Contract; Boundaries--Private Way--Title to Fee--Presumption; Civil Rights--Equal Privileges--Place of Amusement--Advertising Material; Constitutional Law--Inequality--classification--Child Labor; Constitutional Law--Limitations on the Taxing Power--Convict-Made Goods--Equal Protection of Laws; Contracts--Real Estate Brokers--Oral Authorization for Sale of Land--Commissions; Criminal Law--Post Office--Fraudulent Use of Mails; Damages--Measure of, in Case of Wrongful Death; Damages--Mitigation of, in Action for Personal Injuries--Duty to Submit to Medical Operation; Deed of Standing Timber--Time of Removal; Divorce--Extent of Relief--Absolute Divorce; Divorce--Vacation of Decree--Perjured Testimony; Evidence--Offer to …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Jan 1910

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy--Corporation "Engaged Principally in Manufacturing"; Bankruptcy--Invalidity of Liens for Want of Record; Bills and Notes--Effect of Agreement to Pay Attorney's Fees on Negotiability; Boundaries--Street--Riparian Rights; Carriers--Negligent Delay of Passenger--Liability; Constitutional Law--Due Process of Law--Banking--Guaranty Fund; Constitutional Law--Vested rights--rights in Navigable and Non-Navigable Waters; Contracts--Performance of Building Contract; Corporations--Capital Stock--Trust Fund--Right of Bank to Purchase its own Stock; Corporations--Ownership of Stock--Unlawful Pledge--Rights of Pledgee; Damage--Breach of Covenant Against Incumbrances--Though Incumbrance Removed Nominal Damages Recoverable; Divorce--Grounds--Extreme Cruelty--Malicious Charges; Dower--Right to Dower--Divorce--Interlocutory Decree; Evidence--difference Between Burden of Proof and burden of Evidence; Evidence--Proof of Death--Privileged Communications Between Husband and Wife; Homestead--Fraudulent Conveyance--Right of …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Mar 1909

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Assignment for Creditors--Validity of Common Law Assignment Under State Statutes--Assignee May Maintain Replevin; Bills and Notes--Fraud--Ability to Read; Bills and Notes--Signature by Agent or Representative--Personal Liability; Boundaries--Meander Line as Boundary in Government Grants--Mistake in Survey; Carriers--Liability as Carriers of Live Stock; Contracts--Antenuptial Agreements--Performance Prevented by Party; Courts--Supreme Court--Review of Decisions of State Courts; Courts--United States Courts Enjoining Proceedings in State Courts--establishment of Railroad Rates by Commission; Criminal Law--Larceny--Fraudulent Use of Legal Process; Criminal Law--Reception of Verdict--Accused's Right to be Present; Dead Bodies--Power of Court to Order Exhumation to Procure Evidence; Evidence--Burden of Proof; Evidence--compelling Accused to Criminate Himself--Waiver of Privilege; …


Note And Comment, John R. Rood Nov 1908

Note And Comment, John R. Rood

Michigan Law Review

Continuance in Control of Corporate Funds by Fraudulent Directors; Liability of Maker of Overdue Note to Garnishment; The Relation of the Bank to Its Depositors; Invalid Contracts for Contingent Fees;


Note And Comment, Harry B. Hutchins, Stephen W. Downey, Francis B. Keeney, Clyde A. Dewitt May 1908

Note And Comment, Harry B. Hutchins, Stephen W. Downey, Francis B. Keeney, Clyde A. Dewitt

Michigan Law Review

Suits Against Trustee; Bills and Notes--Nonnegotiable Notes--Liability of Indorser; Bonds--Joint Stock Association--Negotiability; Carriers--Free Transportation as a Penalty; Carriers--Waiver of Stipulations as to Suits; Constitutional Law--Due Process of Law--Indeterminate Sentence Law; Constitutional Law--Corporations--Foreign Corporations--Exclusion For Removal of Cause to Federal Courts; Constitutional Law--Powers of Constitutional Convention; Criminal Law--Capital Offense--Bail--When Granted; Criminal Law--Murder--Elements of Murder; Damages--Action by Husband for Loss of Wife's Services; Damages--Failure to Deliver Telegram--Mental Suffering--Near Relative; Deeds--Joinder of Infant Husband; Divorce--Temporary Alimony and Counsel Fees--Appeal--Decisions Reviewable; Equity--Sworn Answers as Evidence--Proof to Overcome; Evidence--Opinion Evidence in Action for Libel; Evidence--The Best Evidence Rule; Fraudulent Conveyances--Delivery and Change of Possession of …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Reviw May 1908

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Reviw

Michigan Law Review

Adverse Possession--Property Subject to Highways; Agency--Brokers--Commissions--When Earned; Bankruptcy--Acts of Bankruptcy--Payment with Intent to Prefer a Creditor; Bankruptcy--Jurisdiction of Court--Suits Between Trustee and Claimants of Property--Suites Against Trustee; Bills and Notes--Nonnegotiable Notes--Liability of Indorser; Bonds--Joint Stock Association--Negotiability; Carriers--Free Transportation as a Penalty; Carriers--Waiver of Stipulations as to Suits; Constitutional Law--Due Process of Law--Indeterminate Sentence Law; Constitutional Law--corporations--Foreign Corporations--Exclusion For Removal of Cause to Federal Courts; Constitutional law--Powers of Constitutional Convention; Criminal Law--Capital Offense--Bail--When Granted; Criminal Law--Murder--Elements of Murder; Damages--Action by Husband for Loss of Wife's Services; Damages--Failure to Deliver Telegram--Mental Suffering--Near Relative; Deeds--Joiner of Infant Husband; Divorce--Temporary Alimony and Counsel Fees--Appeal--Decisions …


Note And Comment Apr 1908

Note And Comment

Michigan Law Review

The Case of Bigelow v. Calumet and Hecla Mining Company et al., Involving the Question of the Control by One Corporation of a Competing Corporation; The right of the Federal or a State government to Maintain an Action for the Recovery of Taxes; Liability of a Life Insurance Company When the Insured is Executed for the Commission of a Crime; Jurisdiction of a Court of Equity to Restrain the Commission of Criminal Acts; Municipal Contracts for Patented or Proprietary Paving


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Apr 1908

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Adoption--Defect in Proceedings--Effect; Bankruptcy--Equitable Rights under Unrecorded Mortgage--Agreement to Insure--Equitable Lien on Insurance Money; Bankruptcy--Insolvent Firm--Individual Estate of Unadjudicated Solvent Partner Not Subject to Administration; Bills and Notes--Liability of Indorser of Non-Negotiable Note; Bills and Notes--Liability of Irregular Indorser; Carriers--Wrongful Treatment of Passengers--Damages for Mental Suffering; Constitutional Law--Imprisonment for Debt--Peonage; Constitutional Law--Interstate Commerce--Shipments Within a State; Corporations--Foreign Corporations--Effect of Withdrawal From State--Validity of Service; Courts--Jurisdiction--Action Under the Laws of Another State; Covenants--Running with the Land; Damages--Destruction of Growing Grass; Evidence--Admissibility of a Deed as an Ancient Document; Evident--Admissions in Pleading; Garnishment--Nonresident Defendant--Jurisdiction; Jury--Right to Trial by Twelve Jurors--Waiver of Jury; …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Mar 1908

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Bankruptcy--Assignment--Validity--Possession of Res.; Carriers--Assaults by Employees on Passengers; Constitutional Law--Judicial Powers--Legislative Action of City Council Not Enjoined; Constitutional Law--Privileges and Immunities; Constitutional Law--Taxation of Imports; Contracts--Accord and Satisfaction--Consideration; Corporations--Liability of Bondholders on "Bonus Stock"; Covenants--Creation by Acceptance of Deed Poll; Criminal Law--Habeas Corpus--Want of Jurisdiction; Damages--For Wrongful Cutting of Timber--Value of the Manufactured Lumber; Evidence--Admissions of a Tenant in Common; Evidence--Effect of Plaintiff's Refusal to Submit to Physical Examination; Equity--Laches; foreign Corporations--What Constitutes "doing Business" in the State--Restrictions on State in Case of Interstate Commerce; Injunction--Suspension of Operative Force Pending Appeal; Judgment--conclusiveness--Matters Concluded; Judgment--foreign Judgment--Enforcement; Landlord and Tenant--Trade Fixtures--Right of …


Note And Comment, Edson R. Sunderland, John E. Winner, Stephen W. Downey Mar 1908

Note And Comment, Edson R. Sunderland, John E. Winner, Stephen W. Downey

Michigan Law Review

Power of Municipal Corporations to Grant Exclusive Privileges; Police Regulation of Sleeping Car Berths; The Liability of a Husband for Slander and Libel Committed by His Wife; Sufficiency of a Verdict Which Fails to Fix the Time of an Attempt to Commit Burglary, the Punishment Varying With the Time; Grantor's Remedy on Breach of Condition Subsequent;


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Feb 1908

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Attachment--Property Subject to--Goods Conditionally Sold; Bankruptcy--Receiver and Manager--Insufficient Estate--Priorities; Bankruptcy--Solicitor and Client--Account Stated Bankruptcy of Client--Trustee's Right to Go Behind Stated Account, and Require Details; Banks and Banking--Receivers in Proceedings for Dissolution--Sufficiency of Bill; Bills and Notes--Foreign Bill of Exchange--Failure to Protest; Constitutional law--Equal Protection of the Law--Regulation of Common Carrier; Contracts--Mutuality of Obligation; Corporations--Agreement to Take Shares of Stock; Damages--Mental Suffering--Wanton Wrong; Deeds--Date--Presumption as to Time of Delivery; Deeds--Description--Statement of Quantity Controlling; Elections--Certificates of Nomination--Time of Filing--Accident and Mistake Causing Delay; Evidence--Admissibility of Conversation by Telephone; Evidence--Proof of Value--An Exception to the Hearsay Rule; Husband and Wife--Estate by Entirety--application …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Dec 1907

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Agency--Evidence of Performance--right to Compensation--Acting for both Parties; Assignment for Benefit of Creditors--Marshaling Assets; Bonds--Bona Fide Purchasers--Mandamus--Redemption of Bonds; Carriers--may, as Lessors, Contract for Total Exemption from Liability for Negligence; Constitutional law--Jurisdiction of Federal Courts to Review Contempt Proceedings in State Court; Contracts--Accord and Satisfaction--Consideration; Criminal Law--Venue--Statutes--Validity; Damages--Conversion; Deeds--Construction--Intent of Parties; Deeds--Seal Essential; Dower--rights of Widow Pending Assignment--Possession of Lands; Eminent domain--Interurban Railways; Evidence--Presumption as to Foreign Law; Fee Simple Estate--Restraints on Alienation; Fraudulent Conveyances--Sales in Bulk--Validity as Between the Parties--Lien for Price; Husband and Wife--Separation Agreements--Validity; Insurance--Fire--Concurrent Insurance; Insurance--Mutual Benefit--Unreasonable Change of By-Laws; Judgment--Res Judicata; Master and Servant--Liability of …