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Full-Text Articles in Contracts

National Industrial Recovery Act - President's Re-Employment Agreement - Injunction By Labor Union Dec 1933

National Industrial Recovery Act - President's Re-Employment Agreement - Injunction By Labor Union

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a Wisconsin labor union, was granted a temporary injunction restraining defendant shoe company, a party to the President's Re-employment Agreement, from "further interference with the right of its employes to organize into unions of their own free will and choice" and from "interfering with . . . the freedom of its employes in the designation of representatives of their own choice for the purpose of bargaining collectively" with the company. The court decided that defendant had violated its agreement with the President to comply with section 7 (a) of the National Industrial Recovery Act. This last was based on …


Contracts - Conditional Sales - Effect Of Oral Promise To Insure Nov 1933

Contracts - Conditional Sales - Effect Of Oral Promise To Insure

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff purchased from the defendant five automobile conditional sales contracts, the defendant guaranteeing the payment of all unpaid installments. The automobiles, which had been sold to third parties on these contracts, were subsequently repossessed when the purchasers defaulted in their payments. It was agreed in writing by the plaintiff and the defendant that the defendant should have possession of the automobiles and should assume all risk of loss or injury, but that title should remain in the plaintiff. Later the parties discussed the advisability of insuring the automobiles, and the plaintiff told the defendant not to have them insured …


Contracts - Duration Of Employment When No Time Is Specified Nov 1933

Contracts - Duration Of Employment When No Time Is Specified

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff, claiming a contract from year to year, sued to recover for the unexpired portion of the second year of his employment which defendant had terminated. The offer, made and accepted by mail, was for "the position of General Sales Manager at a salary of $15,000 per year to begin with . . . . " It further appeared that plaintiff had moved from New York to Milwaukee, that he had been making more money per year prior to this employment, and that payment by defendant had been made monthly. Held, that the hiring was indefinite and terminable …


Equity - Election Of Remedies - Deceit After Rescission Nov 1933

Equity - Election Of Remedies - Deceit After Rescission

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff purchaser rescinded a contract of sale on the ground of fraud and sued defendants in a deceit action, alleging as damages a payment made on the purchase price and special expense incurred by reason of making the purchase. Held, recovery for both items of damage will be allowed. Copeland v. Reynolds, (N. H. 1933) 164 Atl. 215.


Banks And Banking - Land Contract As Item For Collection Under The Bank Collection Code Jun 1933

Banks And Banking - Land Contract As Item For Collection Under The Bank Collection Code

Michigan Law Review

The petitioner deposited with A Bank a land contract. The bank was to collect payments thereon and remit them to the petitioner. After making two collections amounting to $100, the bank became insolvent and the petitioner sought a preferred claim against all the assets of the bank. The Bank Collection Code (sec. 13 of Act No. 240 of the Public Acts of Michigan, 1931) was the basis of his claim. The trial judge allowed him a preference as to cash assets on hand at the time the receiver took possession. Since it was doubtful whether there would be any cash …


Banks And Banking - Power To Pledge Assets To Secure Private Depositors Jun 1933

Banks And Banking - Power To Pledge Assets To Secure Private Depositors

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff railway company deposited funds in the national bank of the defendant receiver. Dissatisfied with the guaranty of his deposits by surety bonds, the plaintiff demanded and received from the bank Liberty Loan Bonds, which were deposited with the trust officer of the bank to be held as security for the repayment, on demand, of the deposits. On the insolvency of the bank, the receiver refused to turn over the bonds, whereupon the plaintiff brought an action on the contract of pledge. Held, that the contract of pledge of the bank's assets to secure the private deposit was invalid …


Quasi-Contracts -- Sufficiency Of Technical Benefit Jun 1933

Quasi-Contracts -- Sufficiency Of Technical Benefit

Michigan Law Review

A brokerage house, the R. Co., having purchased stock on margin for the plaintiff, requested a payment of $1100 in order to protect themselves in carrying the account. Doubting the financial stability of R. Co. the plaintiff decided to transfer the account to another firm, the defendant, and accordingly delivered to R. Co. a personal check naming the defendant as payee, at the same time orally directing R. Co. to transfer the stock and check to the defendant and from them receive payment in full. R. Co., however, falsely represented that the check was really theirs and that the plaintiff …


Vendor -Purchaser-Prospective Inability Of Vendor To Convey May 1933

Vendor -Purchaser-Prospective Inability Of Vendor To Convey

Michigan Law Review

In a contract for the sale of sixty-three lots of a subdivision, the defendant agreed to take the purchase money by installments extending over a period of eighteen months, and promised to convey the premises free from encumbrances when twenty-five per cent of the sale price was paid. While the plaintiff was not in default the defendant mortgaged the entire subdivision to one who was not charged with notice, to secure the payment of bonds some of which did not mature for five years. Stipulations m the mortgage allowed the release of any lot on deposit with the mortgagee of …


Contracts - Offer And Acceptance - Silence As Acceptance May 1933

Contracts - Offer And Acceptance - Silence As Acceptance

Michigan Law Review

D had engaged P, an attorney, to sue X for $144,000 gotten by fraud, P agreeing to try the case on a 25 per cent contingent fee. While the suit was pending, D began negotiations through local attorneys for a settlement out of court, and asked P on March 4 what his fees would be in the event D accepted a compromise offer. P replied that his fee would be $12,500. On June 16 a settlement was reached, after which P was instructed to discontinue the suit. When D refused to pay the fee P sued. Held, that …


Municipal Corporations - Effect Of The Lowest Responsible Bidder Statutes On "Local Labor" Provisions Apr 1933

Municipal Corporations - Effect Of The Lowest Responsible Bidder Statutes On "Local Labor" Provisions

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff, a taxpayer, brought a bill to prevent the defendant from carrying out a contract with a certain construction company. The plaintiff alleged that the requirement in the proposal for bids that all laborers should have been residents of Delaware for at least six months prior to the awarding of the contract violated the lowest responsible bidder statute. Held, it not having been shown that the requirement would, as a matter pf fact, increase the cost, it therefore did not violate the statute, Ebbeson v. The Board of Public Education in Wilmington, (Del. 1931) 156 Atl. 286.


Pleading-Election Between Express Contract And Quantum Meruit Apr 1933

Pleading-Election Between Express Contract And Quantum Meruit

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff's complaint was twofold. It first set forth an express, written building-contract. The second "cause of action" was based on the quantum meruit theory and alleged what the plaintiff's services were reasonably worth. In his answer the defendant set up a counterclaim for damages due to the plaintiff's delay and faulty construction. During the trial the court, on motion of the defendant, required the plaintiff to elect on which of the two counts it would stand. The plaintiff elected the express contract. From a judgment in its favor for a fraction of the damages demanded, the plaintiff appealed. Held …


Quasi-Contracts-Waiver Of Tort-Suit Against Governmental Agency Apr 1933

Quasi-Contracts-Waiver Of Tort-Suit Against Governmental Agency

Michigan Law Review

County officials forcibly ejected plaintiff from five acres of his land, harvested and used plaintiff's oat crop thereon, and converted the land into a road. Held, that although a county, being an agency of the State, is not liable in tort in the absence of statute, the tort may be waived and recovery allowed on the implied promise to pay for the taking of private property for public use without just compensation. Kerns v. Couch, (Or. 1932) 12 Pac. (2d) 1011.


Contracts - Champerty Mar 1933

Contracts - Champerty

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff leased her lands to defendant under a void oil and gas lease. One Johnston induced plaintiff to enter into a contract with him whereby Johnston agreed to pay the costs of a bill to cancel the lease in return for a new lease to himself should the bill be successful. Accordingly, this suit was brought to cancel the lease. The court, agreeing that the existing lease was void, nevertheless dismissed the bill on the ground that the contract between Johnston and plaintiff was void as against public policy, and that plaintiff had no standing in equity. Of the eight …


Partnership - Consideration For Contract - Illusory Promise Mar 1933

Partnership - Consideration For Contract - Illusory Promise

Michigan Law Review

D and his three daughters executed an agreement whereby each was to get an undivided fourth interest in all of D's property. The business under this agreement was to be conducted on a partnership basis. It was agreed that D should have complete control of the business and the right to issue only such profit as he saw fit beyond the actual need of the daughters. A demand note was given in 1918 by each of D's daughters without interest. The notes were renewed and the majority of the court agreed that it was the intent of the …


Contracts - Statute Of Frauds - Moral Obligation As Consideration Mar 1933

Contracts - Statute Of Frauds - Moral Obligation As Consideration

Michigan Law Review

The defendant, who gave the plaintiff, a real estate broker, a promissory note for services rendered pursuant to an oral contract within the statute of frauds, was held liable thereon, since he had received material pecuniary benefit under circumstances giving rise to a moral obligation to pay. Elbinger v. Capitol & Teutonia Co., (Wis. 1932) 242 N. W. 568.


Equity - Supplemental Decrees Mar 1933

Equity - Supplemental Decrees

Michigan Law Review

Appellant sold a trade name to the appellee which the latter was to use on "crayons, pastels, oil and water color paints, pens and erasers." Appellee used the name on other commodities and the appellant obtained an injunction forbidding the use of the name on any articles not mentioned in the contract. A year later, and in another term of court, the appellant moved for a supplemental decree, representing that the appellee was violating the spirit of the injunction by drafting advertising so that through association of the commodities upon which the name could be used with those upon which …


Banks And Banking - Right To Recover For Benefits Conferred Under An Illegal Contract Mar 1933

Banks And Banking - Right To Recover For Benefits Conferred Under An Illegal Contract

Michigan Law Review

The Rowena State Bank, a corporation organized under the laws of South Dakota, borrowed a sum of money from the plaintiff who was the president of the bank. A state statute provided : "In all cases where money is borrowed, a bank shall issue its 'Bills Payable' and shall show the true amount of borrowed money on its books." The bank failed to comply with this statute. A short time later the defendant as superintendent of banks took charge of this bank. The plaintiff brought an action to recover upon a quantum meruit for the money loaned. Held, that …


The Contracts Restatement, Grover C. Grismore Mar 1933

The Contracts Restatement, Grover C. Grismore

Michigan Law Review

A book review of OF THE LAW OF CONTRACTS. By the American Law Institute.


Contracts -Anticipatory Breach - Recovery Of The Present Worth Of Unmatured Installments Of A Debt Feb 1933

Contracts -Anticipatory Breach - Recovery Of The Present Worth Of Unmatured Installments Of A Debt

Michigan Law Review

It is generally agreed that recovery may be had in one suit not only of the damages suffered up to the date of the writ but also of prospective damages for the non-performance of that which is not yet due, whenever a defendant has committed a partial material breach of an executory bilateral contract or of a unilateral contract to do something other than to pay a sum of money. The same conclusion is reached whenever a defendant has repudiated his promise after the time for beginning performance has arrived. These propositions are accepted even in those jurisdictions which do …


Contracts - Mutual Assent - Misrepresentation Of Contents Of Written Offer Feb 1933

Contracts - Mutual Assent - Misrepresentation Of Contents Of Written Offer

Michigan Law Review

The defendant orally agreed to buy a year's supply of gasoline of the plaintiff, it being understood that the agreement was to be put in writing. Plaintiff's agent presented two documents to the defendant, telling him that they embodied the oral agreement, and the defendant signed without reading them. One of the documents was in form a lease of defendant's filling station to plaintiff at a nominal rent. Plaintiff brought suit, based on the lease, for possession of the premises. Held, the lease is invalid. The defendant's negligence in signing without reading is immaterial. Phillips Petroleum Company v. Roth …


Effect Of A Restriction On Assignment In A Contract, Grover C. Grismore Jan 1933

Effect Of A Restriction On Assignment In A Contract, Grover C. Grismore

Michigan Law Review

The early common law took a strictly logical view in regard to the assignability of contract rights and duties. Since a contract is essentially a personal relationship voluntarily entered into by the parties to it, it follows as a logical deduction that one of the parties should not be allowed to destroy that relationship by introducing a third person into it in his place without the consent of the other party. This was the view of the early common law. However, in the course of time, as we know, the commercial spirit gradually made inroads into this doctrine until we …


Quasi-Contracts - Measure Of Recovery On Infant's Disaffirmance Jan 1933

Quasi-Contracts - Measure Of Recovery On Infant's Disaffirmance

Michigan Law Review

On November 1, 1928, an infant caused to be delivered to a brokerage firm shares of stock in which he had an interest or equity of $3,342.09. The brokerage firm had been carrying a margin account with the infant which was continued until it was closed April 2, 1929, by payment to him of $70.99. While yet in his minority he rescinded the agreement with his brokers, and disaffirmed the entire transaction. In an action for the recovery of the value of his equity in the shares of stock as of November 1, 1928, minus the sum paid to him …