Courts Commons^™

Federal Procedure-Jurisdiction-Determination Of Amount In Controversy In Class Actions Under Federal Rule 23, James W. Callison

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff owned 50 shares of common stock valued at $950. She brought an action in behalf of herself and all other stockholders to enjoin a sale of unissued stock by the corporation to its president, claiming a violation of her preemptive right. The district court ruled on the merits. On appeal, held, the plaintiff's interest was but a small fraction of the $3,000 required to invoke the jurisdiction of the federal courts. Although the action was representative, the claims of other stockholders in a like situation could not be cumulated. Ames v. Mengel Co., (2d Cir. 1951) 190 …

Negligence-Duty Of Care-Duty Of Possessor Of Land Conducting Activities Thereon To Keep A Lookout For Licensees, Duncan Noble

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, seeking employment, came onto the site of a road construction project under defendant's control as general contractor and posted by him with notices of construction and against trespassing. Plaintiff was struck by a materials truck backing, without lookout or warning, over the completed half of the road. On these facts the jury found that the truck was negligently operated and plaintiff prevailed. On appeal, held, affirmed. A contractor owes a duty of ordinary care to licensees in a case of "active," as distinguished from "passive" negligence. Evidence as to the mode of operating the truck and "likelihood" of …

Legislation-Statutes In Pari Materia-Administrative Board Rulings, Robert B. Krueger

Michigan Law Review

Lane's application for an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act to the lower adjudicative branches of the Railroad Retirement Board was denied. Lane, by claiming that a "grievance" had been created by the railroad's insistence that he had voluntarily resigned from its service in 1933, then brought the matter before the National Railroad Adjustment Board, which found that Lane had been an "employee" of the railroad from 1905 to 1937. When Lane's case was subsequently heard before the Retirement Board, the findings of the lower adjudicative branches of the Board were affirmed and the Board held that it was not …

Civil Procedure-Judgments-Res Judicata Effect Of Dismissal With Prejudice, David F. Ulmer S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought an action in the circuit court against Crane for breach of an alleged trust agreement. When Crane died, his estate, which was substituted as defendant, moved to dismiss the action, alleging that plaintiff's cause of action was barred by laches and by a previous divorce settlement. Plaintiff having failed to file counter affidavits, the court dismissed the complaint and allowed plaintiff twenty days to file an amended complaint. When he failed to do so, the court dismissed the action "with prejudice." Plaintiff's later claim, filed in the probate court, but based on the same trust agreement, was allowed. …

Federal Procedure-Removal Jurisdiction-Jurisdictional Estoppel, Paul M.D. Harrison S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Respondent sued petitioner, a Florida corporation, the Indiana Lumbermen's Mutual Insurance Company, an Indiana corporation, and Joe Reiss, a citizen of Texas, in a Texas state court. The complaint asked for relief in the alternative for a fire loss suffered by respondent On the joint petition of the two corporate defendants, the case was removed to the federal court under section 1441(c) of the United States Judicial Code. Respondent unsuccessfully moved to remand the case, and, after trial of the case to a jury, a judgment in favor of the respondent was awarded against the petitioner alone. Petitioner's motion to …

International Law-Immunity Of Employee Of United Nations Delegation From In Rem Proceedings In Municipal Courts, Allan Neef

Michigan Law Review

A landlord's summary proceeding for recovery of possession was brought in a New York municipal court against a secretary of the Argentine delegation to the United Nations. The defendant appeared specially and moved to vacate the service of the precept, claiming immunity from suit by virtue of the grant of diplomatic privileges and immunities to official employees of member delegations under Article V of the Headquarters Agreement between the United States and the United Nations. Held, motion denied. Realty not directly pertaining to a delegation's employee's official position is not removed from the jurisdiction of the local courts by …

Federal Procedure-Joinder Of Legal And Equitable Claims-Trial By Jury, William O. Allen

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought an action against his employer in a federal district court under the Federal Employers' Liability Act for damages for personal injuries suffered during the course of his employment. In the same action, plaintiff sought to have a release, which he had executed, set aside on the ground that it had been obtained by defendant's fraud. Plaintiff requested a jury trial of both claims; defendant objected to a jury trial of the issue of setting aside the release, on the ground that a claim for cancellation of a release is for equitable relief triable to the court alone. Held …

Habeas Corpus-Jurisdiction Of Federal Courts To Review Jurisdiction Of Military Tribunals When The Prisoner Is Physically Confined Outside The United States, Willis B. Snell S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The question of the power of federal courts to issue the writ of habeas corpus for a prisoner confined outside the territorial United States has not as yet been completely answered. Until recently, there were few instances in which anyone was confined outside the United States under the authority of the United States. However, during and since World War II, American military tribunals have exercised power over citizens and aliens, civilians and military personnel, in many parts of the world, and especially in Germany and Japan. Because of this extended use of military tribunals, the question of the power of …

Nims: Pre-Trial, John W. Reed

Michigan Law Review

A Review of PRE-TRIAL. By Harry D. Nims.

Nims: Pre-Trial, John W. Reed

Michigan Law Review

A Review of PRE-TRIAL. By Harry D. Nims.

Virtue: Survey Of Metropolitan Courts: Detroit Area, Stephen H. Clink

Michigan Law Review

A Review of SURVEY OF METROPOLITAN COURTS: DETROIT AREABy Maxine Boord Virtue.

Habeas Corpus-Jurisdiction Of Federal Courts To Review Jurisdiction Of Military Tribunals When The Prisoner Is Physically Confined Outside The United States, Willis B. Snell S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The question of the power of federal courts to issue the writ of habeas corpus for a prisoner confined outside the territorial United States has not as yet been completely answered. Until recently, there were few instances in which anyone was confined outside the United States under the authority of the United States. However, during and since World War II, American military tribunals have exercised power over citizens and aliens, civilians and military personnel, in many parts of the world, and especially in Germany and Japan. Because of this extended use of military tribunals, the question of the power of …

Virtue: Survey Of Metropolitan Courts: Detroit Area, Stephen H. Clink

Michigan Law Review

A Review of SURVEY OF METROPOLITAN COURTS: DETROIT AREABy Maxine Boord Virtue.

Federal Courts-Venue-Transfer To A More Convenient Forum Under Title 28, United States Code, Section 1404(A), Nolan W. Carson S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

A cause of action based on diversity of citizenship was brought in a United States District Court in Pennsylvania by a New York corporation against a Delaware corporation. Plaintiff joined a New York corporation as an involuntary plaintiff. Defendant then moved for a transfer based on forum non conveniens to the Southern District of New York. Held, this suit could not have been brought originally in the Southern District of New York since the present involuntary plaintiff, amenable to process in that district, could only have been joined as a defendant and diversity of citizenship would have been absent. …

The Legislative Status Of An Unconstitutional Statute, Earl T. Crawford

Michigan Law Review

Once a statute has been found to violate some constitutional provision, a legislature is faced with a difficult problem of how to change the statute so as to effect the desired policy and still not violate constitutional principles. The general nature of this problem is suggested by such inquiries as these: Will the subsequent overruling of a previous judicial decision declaring a statute unconstitutional require any legislative action to put the statute into effect? Can a statute, which has been held violative of the constitution, be amended by corrective or curative legislation without complete re-enactment if the statute as amended …

Federal Courts-Appeals-Finality Of Decree Dismissing Intervenor's Claim After Trial, J. D, Mcleod S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Dickinson, a promoter of Petroleum, sued Lloyd, his fellow promoter, to impress an equitable lien on certain stock in Lloyd's possession. Petroleum and some of its shareholders known as the ''Rinke subscribers" intervened, seeking to have the stock issue canceled because of fraud, and to recover damages for secret profits gained through breach of fiduciary duty to the corporation. In 1947, after trial, a decree was entered. Claims of both Dickinson and Lloyd were dismissed. Judgment against them was entered in favor of the class of subscribers, the decree providing that the several claims of the individual subscribers be liquidated …

Federal Courts-Substitution Of Parties By Amendment Under The Federal Rules To Correct A Jurisdictional Defect, Rex Eames S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiffs, local officers of a union, sued to enjoin the national officers of the union from interfering with plaintiffs' union duties. Because the original complaint failed to show diversity of citizenship as a basis for federal jurisdiction, plaintiffs sought by amendment to substitute five nonresident members of the union as parties plaintiff and to change the action to a class suit. Held, the court had the power to permit such an amendment but, in the exercise of its discretion, it would not do so here. National Maritime Union of America v. Curran, (D.C. N.Y. 1949) 87 F. …

Operative Relationships Among Various Courts, Law Enforcement And Welfare Agencies In The City Of Detroit, Maxine Boord Virtue

Michigan Law Review

This article is the seventh chapter of a book, Survey of Metropolitan Courts: Detroit Area, which is being published this year by the Michigan Legal Series. It was prepared by this writer as a Research Associate in the employ of the Law School of the University of Michigan, under the supervising editorship of Professor Edson R. Sunderland. The study was undertaken at the request of the Committee on Judicial Administration in Metropolitan Trial Courts, appointed by the Section on Judicial Administration of the American Bar Association, of which committee Ira W. Jayne, Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of …

Federal Courts-Removal Jurisdiction-Counterclaim As The Sole Basis For Removal, Paul M. D. Harrison S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought an action for damages in a state court Defendant filed pleas to the declaration, and also filed a counterclaim arising out of the same cause of action. On this date defendant also filed a motion with the Federal District Court asking removal of the case based solely upon his counterclaim. On plaintiff's motion, held, case remanded to the state court. Defendant has no right under the United States Judicial Code to have a case removed from the state court to the federal court when his motion is based upon his own counterclaim. Collins v. Faucett, (D.C. …

Federal Courts-Use Of A Cross-Claim Under Rule 13(G) Of The Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure, Rex Eames S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Under an ordinary automobile insurance policy, P insurance company promised to defend and indemnify Harvey for any suit arising from an accident involving his use of the insured truck. Collier sued Harvey in a state court alleging injuries due to the negligent use of the insured truck by two Harvey employees. Before judgment thereon, P, incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin, sued Harvey and Collier, citizens of Oklahoma, in the federal court. P sought a declaratory judgment on the grounds that (a) at the time of the accident the employees were under the control and supervision of the City …

Faces On The Court House Steps, A. F. Neumann

Michigan Law Review

Judge Frank may one day write a book which it will be possible to take or leave, but I doubt it. Few writers, with his ability and insight in the field of administration of justice, I suppose, succeed in evoking in their readers the spirited reactions that his writings produce. This is the highest praise that any reader can bestow-even though his reaction be a spirited disagreement.

In his most recent book, Courts on Trial, he has attempted to· destroy what he calls "myths" in legal thinking describing the fact-finding process just as he did for the rule determination …

Judgments-Collateral Estoppel By A Lower Court Judgment When Appeal Therefrom Is Dismissed Because The Case Has Become Moot, John C. Walker S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The United States sued defendant in two counts for violation of OPA price regulations. The first count asked for an injunction to restrain further violations while the second sought treble damages for past violations. By agreement of the parties the injunction issue was tried first. The trial court found that there had been no violation of price regulations and dismissed the bill. This phase of the case was appealed by the government as a final order. The appeal was dismissed on the ground that the injunction issue had become moot, the particular commodity having been decontrolled in the interim. The …

Soviet Socialism And Due Process Of Law, John N. Hazard

Michigan Law Review

An eminent American legal philosopher has recently written in the pages of this Review that Soviet leaders have discovered some ancient truths-namely, that some respect must be paid, sooner or later, to the principle of legality. In the light of various memoirs and disclosures of persons who have experienced or studied life in Soviet labor camps, such a statement invites incredulity. Can it have any basis in fact? Can it be possible that there is a dualism in Soviet practice, with one set of experiences supporting the conclusion that there is a trend toward legality and another set of experiences …

Federal Courts-Civil Procedure-Availability To Plaintiff Of Change Of Venue Under Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(A), Richard B. Gushée S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiffs filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in order to obtain service on the defendant. The plaintiff then filed a motion for an order to transfer the cause to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania under Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(a) on the grounds that all the plaintiffs and witnesses resided in Pennsylvania, that it would be inconvenient and expensive to transport these witnesses to Ohio, and that the cause of action arose in Pennsylvania. Held, motion denied. Title 28 U.S.C.A. 1404(a) is not available …

Constitutional Law-Federal Courts-Diversity Jurisdiction- District Of Columbia Citizens, John D. Mcleod S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The Act of Congress of April 20, 1940, provided that district courts should exercise original jurisdiction over actions "between citizens of different States, or citizens of the District of Columbia, the Territory of Hawaii, or Alaska, and any State or Territory . . . . " The committee report and the title indicate the purpose to extend to citizens of the District of Columbia and the territories the right to sue in federal district courts on grounds solely of diversity of citizenship. Although the committee reports indicated no constitutional difficulties, the majority of the lower federal courts which considered the …

The Intent Element In Contempt Of Injunctions, Decrees And Court Orders, Edward W. Rothe S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Recent years have seen increasing effort on the part of courts to distinguish between civil and criminal contempts. This effort has been engendered by an awareness of the different procedural and substantive aspects of the two classifications. A discussion of these aspects, as well as of the tests used to distinguish civil and criminal contempts, is beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice it to say that those tests which have been applied leave much to be desired. The lack of clarity, so evident in prevailing tests, is in part a legacy from early decisions which permitted the two types …

Wendell: Relations Between The Federal And State Courts, Glenn R. Winters

Michigan Law Review

A Review of RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS. By Mitchell Wendell.

Origin And Development Of The Directed Verdict, William Wirt Blume

Michigan Law Review

Recent decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States have aroused a new interest in the familiar motion for a directed verdict. In this discussion the writer will undertake a brief examination of the antecedents of the motion, and then will trace its short but significant history.

Courts--Process--Retroactive Operation Of Statutes Providing For Substituted Service, Robert H. Frick S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a stockholder of a South Carolina corporation, commenced a derivative suit against former directors of the corporation by serving a summons and complaint on the Secretary of State of South Carolina. Plaintiff relied on a statute providing that nonresident directors of domestic corporations, by acceptance of election or appointment as directors, should be held to have appointed the Secretary of State their agent for service of process. The statute became effective in May, 1947. Defendants, residents of New Jersey and Maryland, had resigned as directors of the corporation in December, 1946. On appeal from a judgment vacating the service …

Courts-Validity Of Contracts Restricting Venue In Actions Under The Federal Employers' Liability Act, John C. Walker S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner suffered injuries in the course of his duties as an employee of respondent railroad. Subsequently, respondent advanced money to petitioner and the latter agreed in writing that if his claim could not be settled he would sue only in the county or district where he resided at the time of the injury, or in the county or district where the injury was sustained. This agreement restricted petitioner's choice of venue to either a state or federal court sitting in Michigan. Ignoring the contract, petitioner sued in an Illinois court. Respondent then brought suit in the Michigan courts to enjoin …