Courts Commons^™

Court-Annexed Arbitration, A. Leo Levin

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Court-annexed arbitration is utilized more extensively today than ever before. It commands widespread and increasing interest, not only because it serves the litigants well, but also because it offers to beleaguered courts a measure of relief from seriously overburdened dockets. This Article examines the use of court-annexed arbitration as an alternative method of dispute resolution. Part I describes how court-annexed arbitration works and the goals it is designed to achieve. Part II focuses on what the actual experience with court-annexed arbitration has been. Utilizing data from a recent empirical study on court-annexed arbitration by the Federal Judicial Center, this section …

Reducing Court Costs And Delay: An Overview, Leonard S. Janofsky

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The American legal system is unparalleled in its efforts to protect individual rights. A citizen's access to the legal system provides the basis for our government of laws. Yet, it must be recognized that serious problems confront the American system and persist despite a long history of efforts at reform by the organized bar, the judiciary, and other interested parties. Years of delay exist in many of the nation's busiest courts. The cost of maintaining or defending a suit has grown at an alarming rate. These infamous twin evils - delay and cost - do more than belie the standard …

An Appellate Court Dilemma And A Solution Through Subject Matter Organization, Daniel J. Meador

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The recent litigation explosion presents a two-pronged dilemma for American appellate courts. If, on the one hand, the number of appellate judges is not expanded to keep abreast of growing case loads, there is a risk that courts will rely too heavily on professional staff, thereby watering down the decision-making process. If, on the other hand, the number of judges is proportionately increased with the growth in appellate litigation, the number of three-judge decisional units will also increase, thereby threatening predictability and uniformity in the law of the jurisdiction. This Article undertakes to explain that dilemma and to offer a …

Oral Argument And Expediting Appeals: A Compatible Combination, Joy A. Chapper

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The purpose of this Article is to explore these issues in light of Sacramento's experience with the expedited appeal procedure. The data presented here are drawn from an evaluation of the first twelve months of the procedure's operation. This evaluation was based on court records of the more than one hundred cases that followed the expedited procedure to completion, in-person interviews with members of the court and court staff, and telephone interviews with participating attorneys. Part I briefly sets out the new procedure and the context in which this procedure was introduced and integrated. Part II discusses the conclusions that …

The Organized Bar: A Catalyst For Court Reform, Paul R.J. Connolly

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Article theorizes that state and local bar associations can play a vital role in ridding their courts of excessive costs and delay. Theory can become practice, however, only if state and local bars are reorganized to broaden their oversight and lobbying functions, in order to make them more effective vehicles of reform. This Article, then, discusses the role the organized bar can and should play in achieving procedural reform that will reduce the delay and cost of litigation. Part I describes the various stages of the reform process, using the Kentucky experiment as a model, and outlines the contributions …

Legitimacy In Social Reform Litigation: An Empirical Study, Timothy Wilton

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Article undertakes a detailed examination of a single lawsuit, Martin Luther King Junior Elementary School Children v. Ann Arbor School District Board. This study first explores the diversity of interests present among both the plaintiff and defendant groups in King, and analyzes the performance of the attorneys in representing these interests. The Article then turns to the problems of resistance that arise at the decree stage in social reform litigation, and presents an empirical evaluation of the factors influencing the response to judicially mandated relief.

The Courts And The 1980 Census Challenges: Tailoring Rights To Fit Remedies, David B. Tachau

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Note thus presents a vivid illustration of how the recognition of legal rights sometimes may depend wholly upon the efficacy of awarding relief. Parts I and II survey the 1980 census challenges and explore whether the 1980 litigants presented sound grievances. Part III argues that the 1980 census challengers may have failed because the reviewing courts could envision no feasible remedies for their injuries, and not because the challengers presented flawed legal and constitutional arguments. Finally, part IV criticizes the courts for dismissing the census challenges without confronting or acknowledging the gravity of the constitutional injuries threatened by census …

Beyond Custody: Expanding Collateral Review Of State Convictions, Timothy C. Hester

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article advocates extension of collateral review to embrace all parties alleging deprivation of federally guaranteed rights in the state criminal process, regardless of whether the party fulfills the habeas corpus custody requirement. Part I assesses the sufficiency of Supreme Court certiorari jurisdiction to monitor adequately state adjudications of federal constitutional rights, coupled with an evaluation of the technical competency and institutional posture of state courts. Part II examines the significance of the custody limitation on collateral review, both as a substantive element of habeas corpus relief and as a mechanism for funnelling limited judicial resources. Part III presents two …

Failing Companies And The Antitrust Laws, Janet L. Mcdavid

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article will examine two areas in which the courts have given financially-troubled companies special treatment under the antitrust laws. Part I discusses the acquisition of a failing company, which may constitute a judicially-created exemption from section 7 of the Clayton Act. Part II considers certain cases involving failing companies whose conduct is challenged under section 1 of the Sherman Act.

Filing For Personal Bankruptcy: Adoption Of A "Bona Fide Effort" Test Under Chapter 13, Stephan M. Vidmar

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Part I discusses the history and current application of the Chapter 13 wage earner relief provisions, focusing on the present "good faith" controversy. Part II analyzes the "bona fide effort" test and examines its current congressional status. Part III suggests that more specific statutory guidance is necessary in order to effectively apply the "bona fide effort" test and recommends specific guidelines for its use. The article concludes that by following such a set of standard guidelines when applying the "bona fide effort" test, bankruptcy courts would promote uniform treatment of debtors, enhance judicial economy, and facilitate appellate review of Chapter …

Disposition Of A Federal Criminal Case When Defendant Dies Pending Appeal, Lori R. Dickerman

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article discusses the way in which courts historically have disposed of such cases and the apparent change recently introduced by the United States Supreme Court. After an examination of the ramifications of the new and old rules, certain changes in current practice are recommended which will better serve the interests of the deceased, his survivors, and society as a whole.

Customs Court Jurisdiction In International Trade Cases, Jonathan S. Brenner

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article discusses the specific problems involved in Customs Court jurisdiction. After outlining in Part I these jurisdictional problems and the court's failure to deal with them, the article, in Part II, proposes an analytic framework that focusses attention on the relevant criteria for ascertaining Customs Court jurisdiction. This framework is built upon the exclusivity of Customs Court jurisdiction and exhaustion of the administrative review process. The distinct rights of importers and manufacturers are also discussed and the special problem of cases which do not meet the procedural prerequisites for Customs Court jurisdiction are explored. Finally, Part III of this …

Reflections On Unconstitutionality In Futuro: Shavers V. Attorney General And Robinson V. Cahill, Philip H. Hecht

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article will argue that holdings of unconstitutionality in futuro are difficult to reconcile with the separation of powers doctrine because they foster impermissible intrusions on the ability of the legislative and executive branches to act independently of the judiciary. It is further argued that in the two cases where courts have adopted the unconstitutionality in futuro approach, the failure to satisfy all of the proposed standards for the appropriateness of unconstitutionality in futuro and the further considerations of judicial legitimacy and competency should have led the courts to consider other less drastic alternatives before deciding to use unconstitutionality in …

A Proposed New Federal Intermediate Appellate Court, Charles R. Haworth, Daniel J. Meador

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article begins with an analysis of the recent history of federal appellate court reform efforts. It then focuses on three areas of federal litigation - tax law, patent law, and environmental law - in which there are exceptional needs for uniformity in the law but in which uncertainty in legal doctrine is especially pronounced. To make the law more uniform and predictable in these areas, the article proposes the new intermediate appellate court and sets forth in detail the jurisdiction arid structure of this court. The article concludes by pointing out aspects of this proposal that should make it …

Appellate Justice, Ruggero J. Aldisert

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Justice on Appeal is a pithy analysis of the problem facing appellate courts. Dragon hunters Carrington, Meador, and Rosenberg were not content to look at the problem from an armchair. Instead, they walked to the mouth of the cave; pulled the troublesome dragon into the light, counted its teeth, measured its girth and tail, and decided neither to kill it nor kiss it. They decided to try taming it. I agree with their analysis of the specimen, its size, its growth, and the urgent necessity to bring the beast under control. I have some modest disagreements with some of their …

Judicial Administration And Invisible Justice, Mary Murphy Schroeder

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

My theme here is the conflict between the visibility of the appellate judge and recent procedural changes designed to cope with the quantum leaps in the numbers and complexity of cases. I will develop that theme, first, by suggesting the ways that three of the major controls on the system, namely the selection, evaluation, and discipline of judges, depend upon the exercise of recognizable and individual judicial responsibility; second, by illustrating how this "imperative" can be undermined if devices intended to cope with increased volume are adopted without vigilance; and finally by pointing up some approaches to permit courts to …

Justice On Appeal—One Way Or Many?, Michael E. Smith

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

After two centuries of our nation's existence, discussions of federalism are certain to sound familiar. The ground of argument has been worked so thoroughly, there is hardly a patch left unturned. Conventional watchwords suggest the competing interests: adaptability to local circumstances contrasted with efficiencies of scale, circumscribed experimentation contrasted with prevention of forum-shopping, local self-government contrasted with the cosmopolitan perspective. The most that can be done now, absent exceptional insight, is to display these choices in a fresh context.

What follows is yet another variation on the theme. It concerns the propriety, perhaps the desirability, of diversity among the federal …

The Trial Transcript—An Unnecessary Roadblock To Expeditious Appellate Review, William H. Erickson

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

A number of innovations have been made in the appellate process which expedite appeals and tend to eliminate the need for a trial transcript. The American Bar Association Standards Relating to Judicial Administration and Standards Relating to Criminal Justice have provided the procedural means for improving our entire system of criminal justice. This article explores some innovations in the appellate process which eliminate the need for a complete record on appeal and discusses the various means to obtain a record of the proceeding in the trial court.

Hospital Medical Staff: When Are Privilege Denials Judicially Reviewable?, David Hejna

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The relationship between a hospital and its medical staff is unique. Most physicians serving as hospital staff are not salaried employees . Rather, they use hospital facilities to care for their patients pursuant to "staff privileges" granted by the hospital's board of governors. Staff privileges at one area hospital are practically indispensable for the modern physician, and privileges at a conveniently located hospital are considered important. By extending staff privileges the hospital benefits from having a staff large enough to ensure maximum use of its facilities. The public benefits when an adequate number of qualified physicians have access to hospital …

Jurisdictional Conflicts Over Counterclaims Against The United States, David G. Swenson

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article first discusses the different approaches that courts have used in determining district court jurisdiction over counterclaims and the differing limits that are imposed upon the size of the counterclaim. Second, it examines the relationship between the Court of Claims and the district courts in cases where the defendant cannot counterclaim for full relief in a district court. The article concludes with several legislative proposals that could lessen the uncertainty and lack of uniformity among the courts currently facing a defendant who wants to counterclaim against the government.

The Role Of The Concept Of Responsibility In Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings, Francis Barry Mccarthy

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The exclusive focus of this article is upon proceedings in which delinquency is· determined, even though the juvenile court generally possesses a broad jurisdiction which covers a variety of matters other than delinquency. There is, however, a fundamental difference between delinquency proceedings and those involving dependency, neglect, or some other domestic problems. These latter proceedings attempt to resolve matters usually concerned with the whole fabric of a family situation and the problems involved therein. A delinquency proceeding, by contrast, has as its primary jurisdictional base the actions of the child. It is quite possible that a child who is engaging …

Objectivity And Habeas Corpus: Should Federal District Court Judges Be Permitted To Rule Upon The Validity Of Their Own Criminal Trial Conduct?, Marilyn L. Kelley

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

It has already been suggested that one of the main purposes of section 2255 was to provide a convenient forum in which the trial judge might testify, if necessary. That purpose is, obviously, contrary to the interpretation rendered in Carvell.

Beyond this inconsistency, Carvell suggests two significant issues: first, that it is highly desirable that the motions be passed upon by the judge who is familiar with the facts; and second, that the criminal trial judge is not likely to be misled by allegations in the 2255 petition as to what had occurred. The first issue raises the question …

The Emerging Right Of Legal Assistance For The Indigent In Civil Proceedings, Jeffrey M. Mandell

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

After the Supreme Court declared in Gideon v. Wainwright that indigents have a constitutional right to appointed counsel in criminal cases, attention turned to the possibility that a similar right could be found for civil litigants. Although there is no explicit constitutional guarantee of counsel for the civil litigant, the due process clause, which protects property rights as well as personal freedoms, arguably mandates that there be a right to professional representation of all citizens in all courts. The inability of most laymen to effectively present even a rudimentary case on their own behalf indicates that without counsel a meaningful …

Small Claims Courts: An Overview And Recommendation, Alexander Domanskis

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Small claims courts have been in operation in the United States for over sixty years. They were established to function as inexpensive, efficient, and convenient forums for resolving claims which could not be brought economically in ordinary civil courts because of the costs and delays accompanying ordinary civil court proceedings. Small claims courts also reduce administrative delays by resolving a large volume of claims. For example, the District of Columbia small claims court processed 30,000 claims in 1973. Despite the amount of litigation handled by small claims courts, commentators have expressed much dissatisfaction with their operation and practice. Some commentators …

The Juvenile Court And Emotional Neglect Of Children, James B. Stoetzer

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

A primary function of the Juvenile Court is to assist in the protection of children from abuse and neglect. Juvenile court acts, child abuse reporting statutes, and child protective services legislation have incorporated provisions dealing with physical abuse and physical neglect of children. Such legislation enables state intervention into family life for the protection of children exposed to harmful environments. Statutory definitions of abuse and neglect provide a basis on which the community, frequently through the juvenile court, may pass judgment on the existence of child neglect and offer services or coerce family members to accept them. A few states, …

Standards For Accepting Guilty Pleas To Misdemeanor Charges, Richard A. Kopek

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The guilty plea-not the trial-is the most common manner of disposing of criminal cases in America. It has been estimated that 90 percent of all convictions and 95 percent of misdemeanor convictions are the result of guilty pleas. Various reasons have been advanced to explain this heavy reliance on the guilty plea. For example, it avoids the drain on judicial resources that would occur if all cases had to be tried. In addition, it eliminates the risks and uncertainties of trials and permits flexibility in sentencing. Because of the prevalence of guilty pleas, there must be procedural safeguards to insure …

Compensation Of The Federal Judiciary: A Reexamination, Elliot A. Spoon

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The compensation of the federal judiciary has been a persistent issue since the enactment of the Judiciary Act of 1789. The problem has been traditionally perceived in the context of particular proposals for salary increases, but the underlying issues are much more fundamental than the concerns of the day. The institutional arrangements by which judicial compensation is determined and the factors which shape that determination have a profound impact on the fiscal and human resources of the judiciary, on the power relationships among the three branches of the national government, and, thereby, on the independence and quality of the judicial …

The Use Of In Camera Hearings In Ruling On The Informer Privilege, Ronald E. Levine

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The thesis of this article is that most of the problems of defining the scope of the privilege in a particular case are due to the paucity of information available to the trial judge who must rule on the issue. Furthermore, many of the formulas presently used are conceptually and functionally inadequate. Both of these problems can be solved by the use of in camera hearings, for such proceedings not only will provide the trial judge with sufficient information to make a fair and rational decision, but will also alleviate the present necessity to rule only on the basis of …

A Jury Experiment Reanalyzed, Shari Seidman Diamond

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Researchers in the behavioral sciences have watched with some pride as the courts have given increased attention to social science studies. Judicial interest in empirical studies is a desirable development but one not quite free of danger. The courts are not yet fully accustomed to dealing critically with such evidence. The United States Supreme Court ruled recently, in Colgrove v. Battin, that six-member juries in civil cases meet the seventh amendment requirement of trial by jury. This decision was not surprising in light of Williams v. Florida, in which the Court ruled that six jurors were sufficient to …

Congressional Discretion In Dealing With The Federal Rules Of Evidence, Stuart M. Lockman

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

On November 20, 1972, the Supreme Court, pursuant to statutory authority, adopted the Federal Rules of Evidence. The new rules of evidence were not to take effect, however, until ninety days after they had been submitted to Congress. The rules were officially submitted on February 5, 1973, but even before that date they had become the subject of extensive legislative debate. While some attorneys praise the codification of evidence rules as a progressive step, others maintain that certain of these promulgations will have an objectionable impact on the federal judicial system or that the Supreme Court has exceeded its authority …