Jurisdiction Commons^™

Federal Jurisdiction--Pendent Claims--Doctrine Of Pendent Jurisdiction Applies To Claim Of Second Plaintiff--Wilson V. American Chain & Cable Co.; Newman V. Freeman, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In Wilson v. American Chain & Cable Co., plaintiff, whose son was injured by a defective lawnmower, brought a diversity action in federal district court on behalf of his son against the manufacturer, alleging damages in excess of the $10,000 jurisdictional minimum. Simultaneously, plaintiff sought recovery in his own name for medical bills and the expense of orthopedic shoes resulting from the injury. Because the latter claim was for less than $10,000, it was dismissed by the district court for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. On appeal to the Third Circuit, held, inter alia, the claim of the …

Contempt-Conduct Tending To Defeat The Effect Of Appeal Pending In Federal Circuit Court Held To Be Civil Contempt Even Though Not A Resistance To A Formal Court Order- Griffin V. County School Board, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Appellants applied for an injunction in a federal district court in Virginia to prevent the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors from paying out tuition grants to parents whose children attended private segregated schools. The district court refused to issue the injunction, and the appellants appealed. They asked to have their appeal accelerated, but, since the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit was not then in session, the Chief Judge requested the Clerk of Court to ask the Board of Supervisors to stipulate that no tuition grants would be paid pending the appeal. The Board refused to make the …

The "Heart Cases" In Workmen's Compensation: An Analysis And Suggested Solution, Arthur Larson

Michigan Law Review

It is one of the great tragedies of the workmen's compensation story that almost all courts, in their perfectly justifiable search for a legal barrier that would keep compensation heart liability from getting out of hand, have seized upon the wrong component in the coverage formula. The words "by accident" or their equivalent were pressed into service for this task, ·and they have proved to be a most ill-fitting tool for this function. If the courts had followed the more logical course of testing these cases by the causal principle prescribed by the words "arising out of the employment," there …

Contempt-Injunctions-Federal Civil Contempt Decree Orders Deputy Sheriff To Resign From Office-Lance V. Plummer, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

During the summer of 1964, a federal district judge issued an injunction prohibiting various St. Augustine, Florida organizations and other persons with notice of the injunction from harassing or intimidating Negroes who were seeking motel or restaurant accommodations. Appellant Lance, an unpaid volunteer deputy sheriff, was not a member of any of the enjoined organizations, but he had actual notice of the order. Nonetheless, six days after the injunction was issued, he engaged in activities designed to intimidate a Negro citizen. In a subsequent civil contempt action arising from these activities, the federal district judge, asserting jurisdiction over him because …

Conflict Of Laws-Public Policy Used To Apply Forum Law To Joint Bank Accounts Of Foreign-Domiciliaries Wyatt V. Fulrath, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The Duke and Duchess of Arion, nationals and domiciliaries of Spain, neither of whom had ever been to New York, deposited community property consisting of cash and securities in several New York banks. In establishing these accounts, the Duke and Duchess either expressly agreed in writing that the New York law of survivorship would apply to their accounts or signed standard bank survivorship forms which incorporated the survivorship laws of that state. After her husband's death, the Duchess made the entire amount on deposit in New York subject to her will. Following the Duchess' death and during probate of her …

The Longshoremen's And Harbor Workers' Compensation Act Of 1927: Half-Way Protection For The Stevedore And The Longshoreman, Robert E. Gilbert

Michigan Law Review

The law relating to longshoremen's remedies abounds with surprising anomalies, hyper-technical distinctions, and bits and pieces of judicial legislation. This situation stems largely from deficiencies in the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act of 1927, an inherently inadequate statute greatly distorted by recent judicial interpretation. This Comment undertakes an examination of the act's most salient shortcomings with a view to suggesting possible guidelines for what is believed to be necessary corrective legislation.

Determination Of Federal Jurisdictional Amount In Suits On Unliquidated Claims, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Hoping to keep federal court dockets free of petty claims and thereby to reduce the delay in bringing to trial controversies involving more substantial sums, Congress has given United States district courts jurisdiction of many civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States and most disputes between parties of diverse citizenship only when the alleged right forming the basis of a claimant's cause of action can be valued at more than ten thousand dollars. The value of a particular claim is determined by reference to those portions of its proponent's pleading which tend to support …

Extraterritorial Application Of Penal Legislation, B. J. George Jr.

Michigan Law Review

One of the most difficult words in the legal lexicon to delineate is the term "jurisdiction"; it is equally difficult to relate this term to the concept of "venue." The term "jurisdiction" is constantly invoked by courts in a variety of contexts, some relating to geography, some to governmental and judicial structure, some to legislative or judicial power, some to persons, and some to procedures. Thus, it is difficult to discern a common thread of meaning or a consistent pattern of application from the cases in which the word appears.

The Maritime Boundaries Of The States, Avrum M. Gross

Michigan Law Review

It has long been recognized that the boundaries of coastal states encompass certain adjoining maritime areas. The settled existence of those boundaries, however, stands in marked contrast to the confusion which has surrounded their location. The geographic extent of the waters to which state jurisdiction extends has remained largely undetermined.

The recent development of refined methods for extracting minerals from offshore areas has translated questions of state jurisdiction into issues of substantial economic significance. In this regard, an increasing number of disputes have arisen between the states and the federal government, primarily over rights to offshore oil deposits. The …

Ftc V. Jantzen: Blessing, Disaster, Or Tempest In A Teapot?, Thomas E. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

The court concluded that the Finality Act, by repealing the existing provisions for judicial enforcement proceedings in the courts of appeals, deprived it of jurisdiction to act upon the FTC's petition. It also approved earlier decisions holding that the Finality Act procedures were not applicable to orders issued prior to the act's effective date. These two rulings, in combination, indicate that there is no enforcement machinery now applicable to orders issued under the Clayton Act prior to July 23, 1959.

The question remains, however, whether enforcement of the Clayton Act has really been hampered, and, if so, whether the pre- …

Service Of Process-Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure-Service Of Process In Italy On Alien Corporate Defendant Permitted In A Federal Antitrust Action-Hoffman Motors Corp. V. Alfa Romeo S.P.A.., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, an American automobile distributor, brought suit in a federal court in the Southern District of New York against Alfa Romeo S.p.A., an Italian corporation, for violation of the Robinson- Patman and Auto Dealers' Acts. Service of process was made personally on defendant's general manager in Italy by an Italian attorney appointed for that purpose by the district court, and by registered mail as prescribed by the New York statute for extraterritorial service. Defendant moved to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction as to the Robinson-Patman claim on the ground that section 12 of the Clayton Act limits the territorial …

Federal Registration Of Judgments Act Allows Execution Upon Foreign Judgment Although Suit On Judgment Is Time Barred In Registration State--Stanford V. Utley, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Appellant obtained a money judgment against appellee in a Mississippi federal court and registered it the next day in a Missouri federal court, pursuant to section 1963 of Title 28 of the United States Code. Seven and one-half years later appellant gave notice in Missouri of his intention to take appellee's deposition to discover assets in that state with which to satisfy the judgment. Appellee's motion to prohibit the deposition was sustained on the ground that no execution could issue upon any assets uncovered, since under applicable Missouri law no action could be brought there on a Mississippi judgment more …

The Uniform Foreign Money-Judgments Recognition Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Many nations do not accord conclusive effect to foreign judgments unless their own judicial decrees are reciprocally enforced by the country rendering the judgment. The law in the United States is unsettled, with some states holding that foreign judgments are reviewable on the merits if the judgment forum similarly reviews the merits of American decrees, while others accord conclusive effect to valid foreign money judgments regardless of the effect accorded American decrees in the judgment forum. Judgments in the latter states would seem entitled to conclusive enforcement in countries requiring reciprocity. However, such conclusive recognition has been hindered because many …

The Interstate Child And Uniform Legislation: A Plea For Extra-Litigious Proceedings, Albert A. Ehrenzweig

Michigan Law Review

When I originally offered my re-interpretation of prevailing practice, I did not feel that it would be expedient to make suggestions for alternative solutions because I was then convinced that the courts were doing the very best they could with the procedural tools at their disposal and that there was little hope for an improvement of those tools. However, there is such hope now, and the time has come to help in the search for new answers. In the following discussion, I shall comment on two current proposals for uniform and federal legislation and shall attempt to formulate a tentative …

The Line Between Federal And State Court Jurisdiction, Leslie A. Anderson

Michigan Law Review

From the beginning of this nation, there have been controversies involving the division of jurisdiction between federal and state courts. Often, these controversies have centered on the diversity of citizenship provision of the federal constitution. Today, however, the more poignant question is whether any division of jurisdiction between the federal and state systems retains logical bases.

Although myriad developments have relevancy with respect to this question, I have here focused upon two of the more important ones: the increasing overlap of subject matter being litigated in federal and state courts and the growing uniformity of standards to be applied in …

Judicial Enforcement Of Administrative Subpoena Must Be Initiated By Service Of Process- Hemphill V. Lenz, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Over a four-year period the city of Philadelphia had entered into contracts with Marbelite Company, a New York corporation, for traffic signal equipment. Acting pursuant to section 8-409 of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, the city controller served the treasurer of Marbelite, in Philadelphia, with a subpoena requiring him to produce certain corporate records and to testify concerning requisitions for payments on the contracts. Refusing to comply with the subpoena, the treasurer returned to New York. The controller then filed a petition in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County and obtained an order to show cause why the …

In Personam Jurisdiction Over Nonresident Manufacturers In Product Liability Actions, Harry B. Cummins

Michigan Law Review

A wide divergence of opinion exists regarding the wisdom as well as the constitutionality of extensive jurisdiction through the use of liberally drafted and construed "long-arm" statutes. Hesitance may result from a fear of burdening a defendant with the inconvenience and expense of a foreign suit brought against him solely for the purpose of harassment. While this comment does not advocate the extent to which a court should assert the jurisdictional powers conferred on it by a given "long-arm" provision, it examines the scope of jurisdiction constitutionally permissible over nonresident manufacturers in product liability cases with a view toward formulating …

The Commerce Clause Held No Limitation To The Jurisdiction Of Federal Courts-Wahl V. Pan American World Airways, Inc., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Three wrongful death actions were brought in a federal district court in New York by United States citizens as survivors of passengers killed in the crash in Turkey of an airplane owned and operated by defendant Middle East Airlines (MEA). MEA is a Lebanese corporation operating in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, whose United States sales are made by its general sales agent, Pan American World Ainvays, Inc. The court held that maintaining a New York office and entering into a general sales agency agreement with Pan American to promote travel on MEA of passengers originating in the United …

An Inquiry Into The Utility Of "Domicile" As A Concept In Conflicts Analysis, Russell J. Weintraub

Michigan Law Review

No attempt is made here to conduct an exhaustive case study of any one particular area in which the concept of "domicile" is used as a tool for analysis in the conflict of laws. A number of thorough and useful studies have been made in narrow areas and are cited at appropriate places in the body of this article. Instead, this article will review the use of "domicile" in analyzing certain typical conflicts problems, particularly its use as the contact or pointing word in choice of law rules concerning the testate and intestate distribution of movables, and, as is newly …

The Supreme Court And Labor Dispute Arbitration: The Emerging Federal Law, Russell A. Smith, Dallas L. Jones

Michigan Law Review

Within the past few years, the United States Supreme Court has handed down a number of decisions of great significance to the labor dispute arbitration process. Some have been concerned with problems of arbitrability or arbitral authority; others with the availability and exclusivity of the arbitration process vis-a-vis alternative legal remedies for breach of the labor agreement; and still others with the effect of a breach of obligation by one party to the labor agreement upon the obligations of the other party. We propose in this article to analyze these decisions, to attempt to categorize the different kinds of challenges …

Some Comments On The Reapportionment Cases, Paul G. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

Any appraisal of the Supreme Court's decisions in the legislative reapportionment cases must necessarily distinguish between the basic policy ingredients and social consequences of the decisions on the one hand, and the question whether the results were reached by a proper exercise of judicial power on the other. Respecting the first of these considerations, I have no difficulty identifying the social advantages accruing from these decisions. Because of the stress on the population principle, the decisions will afford a greater voice to urban interests, will make the legislative process more responsive to current needs of particular concern to urban dwellers, …

Court, Congress, And Reapportionment, Robert B. Mckay

Michigan Law Review

In the United States, governmental power is divided vertically between nation and states and horizontally, at the national level, among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Constitution leaves the lines of demarcation deliberately imprecise. Thus, from the beginning it was easy to predict that among those holders of power there would be tension (at least), conflict (probably), or total collapse (a possibility). The miracle of the American governmental system, with just this complexity and lack of definition, is the fact of its survival. It is not at all surprising that there have been a number of crises, some of …

Congressional Apportionment: The Unproductive Search For Standards And Remedies, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The increasingly complex problems of elucidating congressional apportionment standards and granting appropriate relief when voting rights have been materially diluted were again brought to the fore in the recent districting decision of Calkins v. Hare. This federal district court decision is illustrative of the uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court's opinion in the landmark case of Wesberry v. Sanders. Although Wesberry resolved two previously contested issues by ruling that congressional apportionment disputes are susceptible of judicial determination and by setting a standard of population equality in delimiting districts, two associated questions were left unanswered. First, even though Wesberry …

Reapportionment In The Supreme Court And Congress: Constitutional Struggle For Fair Representation, Robert G. Dixon Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Fair representation is the ultimate goal. At the time of the Reapportionment Decisions, much change was overdue in some states, and at least some change was overdue in most states. We are a democratic people and our institutions presuppose according population a dominant role in formulas of representation. However, by its exclusive focus on bare numbers, the Court may have transformed one of the most intricate, fascinating, and elusive problems of democracy into a simple exercise of applying elementary arithmetic to census data. In so doing, the Court may have disabled itself from effectively considering the more subtle issues …