Legal Remedies Commons^™

Restitution And Reform, Dale A. Oesterle

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Restitution and Reform by George E. Palmer

Constitutional Torts, Christina B. Whitman

Articles

In this Article, I analyze the significance of the overlap between state tort law remedies and remedies under section 1983. I conclude that the dissatisfaction with section 1983 cannot fairly be attributed to the fact that it has been read to provide a remedy that "supplements" state law. I argue that most of the anxiety over constitutional damage actions under section 1983 can be understood - and resolved - only by focusing on two other questions. The first of these concerns the appropriate reach of the Constitution. Ambivalence about section 1983 reflects, in part, a fear that the federal Constitution …

Specific Performance Of "Unfulfillable" Plea Bargains, Stuart L. Gasner

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article discusses how courts have handled the remedy dilemma presented by unfulfillable plea bargains. Part I analyzes the seminal Supreme Court opinion on the broken plea bargain question, Santobello v. New York. This section concludes that choice-of-remedy is not entirely a matter of lower court discretion. Rather, Santobello delegates to lower courts the authority to develop a law of remedies which conforms to the underlying principles of that decision. Part I also focuses on what courts have done with this mandate, discussing the elements of decision courts have developed to remedy unfulfillable plea bargains. Finally, Part II suggests …

Toxic Substance Contamination: The Risk-Benefit Approach To Causation Analysis, Bradford W. Kuster

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article argues that the dilemma described above requires change and proposes a new standard for causation in this type of toxic contamination case. Part I examines the difficulties posed by conventional common law relief mechanisms, and the inadequacies of existing statutory relief mechanisms. Part II scrutinizes a more lenient burden of proof standard, the risk-benefit approach, which some courts have applied when faced with situations involving scientific uncertainties. The risk-benefit approach will be applied to causation analysis in the context of damage recoveries, using the. Hemlock, Michigan, situation as a case study. Part III discusses present congressional proposals, and …

Narrowing The "Routine Use" Exemption To The Privacy Act Of 1974, John W. Finger

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article suggests a balancing test to determine which routine uses of information legitimately fall within the Privacy Act. Part I briefly examines the background of the Act, concentrating on the legislative history of the routine use exemption, and examining problems the exemption presents. Part II then proposes a balancing test, based on notice and need for data, as a means of ascertaining proper routine uses.

The Lawsuit Lottery: Only The Lawyers Win, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A Book Notice about The Lawsuit Lottery: Only the Lawyers Win by Jeffrey O'Connell

Survival Of Rights Of Action After Corporate Merger, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Once a corporation ceases to exist, most courts permit neither primary nor derivative suits to be brought in its name. If a merger precipitates that corporate demise, courts usually hold that standing to sue, like other assets of the "merged" corporation, passes to the surviving corporation. This Note ponders the merit of that rule of passage.

Section I categorizes the cases defining the rule of passage. Some courts have steadfastly adhered to the rule and denied standing to the merged corporation's shareholders. Other courts, fearing that the rule would preclude meritorious actions, have created exceptions allowing these shareholders to sue …

Probability Theory Meets Res Ipsa Loquitur, David Kaye

Michigan Law Review

This Article uses probability theory normatively in an effort to clarify one aspect of the famous tort doctrine known as res ipsa loquitur. It does not urge that jurors be instructed in probability theory or be equipped with microprocessors. Rather, it seeks an accurate statement of the res ipsa doctrine in ordinary language. In particular, this Article will show that the conventional formulation of the doctrine is misleading at best, and should be replaced with a more careful statement of the conditions warranting the res ipsa inference. To this end, Section I briefly surveys the legal doctrine, or, more precisely, …

Mutuality Of Estoppel: A Question, Stephen Millman, David Gruber

Michigan Law Review

A recent Note, "A Probabilistic Analysis of the Doctrine of Mutuality of Collateral Estoppel, " made excellent use of elementary probability theory to demonstrate the extent to which relaxation of the mutuality requirement will increase the damages suffered by a defendant subject to multiple suits in which there is common issue (or correspondingly, will decrease the total recovery of a plaintiff who has several suits litigating a common issue against different defendants). Although the author made a number of useful points concerning the case law and the arguments advanced by proponents on each side of the controversy, the central thesis …

Limitation Borrowing In Federal Courts, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note studies limitations on federal actions in light of Occidental Life. Part I discusses the reasons for limiting actions and presents a short history ·of the limitation of actions. Part II analyzes the alternatives for the federal courts when no statute of limitations applies directly. Finally, the Note suggests a solution that will achieve a result most nearly consistent with both the reasons for limiting actions and the proper role of the judiciary. It suggests, notwithstanding Occidental Life, that in some situations courts should borrow specific federal statutes of limitations and that in the remainder they should …

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 …

Punitive Surcharges Against Disloyal Fiduciaries--Is Rothko Right?, Richard V. Wellman

Michigan Law Review

This Article criticizes the award of a penalty surcharge in the name of appreciation damages. Contrary to the statements in the Rothko opinions, neither precedent nor treatises offers clear support for the shocking awards made against Rothko's disloyal executors. Furthermore, even if appreciation damages were to be viewed, against the thesis here advanced, as an appropriate remedy for some kinds of fiduciary breach, the measure is inappropriate for cases which, like Rothko, involve hidden conflicts of interest. This is so because the threat of severe penalties in hidden-conflict cases adds unacceptable legal costs to honest administrations-costs that cannot be …

Tort Claims Under The Present And Proposed Bankruptcy Acts, Stephen Allen Edwards

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Congress may soon enact the first complete revision of the United States bankruptcy laws in almost four decades. Among the numerous changes proposed by the legislature is a major alteration of the provability and dischargeability of tort claims asserted against the bankrupt's estate. This article will discuss the treatment of tort claims in the present Act and the changes to be made by the proposed Act, and will evaluate alternative approaches to compensating victims of bankrupt tortfeasors.

A Perspective On The Michigan Law Of Damages, John W. Reed

Book Chapters

So also the subject of damages. There are some general principles, but damages is not a coherent body of law. It is small wonder that no one is writing books about it and that law schools do not provide courses in it. The standard, most widely cited text is McCormick on Damages, yet that book was published in 1935. There is no more recent book of consequence bearing that title. Professor Dan Dobbs's 1973 volume entitled Remedies contains, as one part of the book, an excellent analysis of recent damages developments; but McCormick continues to be the benchmark. As a …

Developing "Tort" Standards For The Award Of Mental Distress Damages In Statutory Discrimination Actions, Harold J. Rennett

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The relation between tort remedies and discrimination has been examined extensively, yet there has been little consideration of this relationship with respect to appropriate evidentiary standards for the award of mental distress damages in discrimination cases. This article will consider such standards. After briefly tracing the history of mental distress award standards in discrimination cases, this article will critically examine present compensatory approaches in such cases and suggest an alternative philosophy more consonant with tort compensation principles.

Tort Liability Of Labor Unions For Picket Line Assaults, David R. Case

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article will discuss whether tort actions against unions for picket line assaults are preempted by the National Labor Relations Act, and if not preempted, what forums are available to hear such actions. This article will also examine the theories that have been used to hold unions liable for the assaults committed by their picketers. Included in this discussion will be an analysis of the policy considerations offered in support of the various theories of liability.

Punitive Damages Under Section 102 Of The Labor-Management Reporting And Disclosure Act, S. Thomas Wienner

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

It is firmly established that in a suit brought under section 102, a union member may ordinarily recover compensatory damages for any injury proximately caused by a violation of Title I or section 609. The courts are divided, however, on the question of whether a plaintiff may be awarded punitive damages under section 102. This article will address that question by discussing the language and the legislative history of section 102, the conflicting decisions of the federal courts, and the relevant policy considerations.

Implication Of Civil Remedies Under The Indian Civil Rights Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

This Note will discuss neither -the wisdom of the express provisions of ICRA nor the desirability of express creation by Congress of a federal civil remedy. The purpose of this Note is, instead, to analyze the bases upon which remedies have been implied by federal courts and to question whether implication is consistent with standards of statutory interpretation appropriate for Indian law. It is contended that the implication of federal civil remedies against Indian governments is improper and that if such remedies are to be created, precedent and policy mandate that they be the product of Congress. The Note will …

Punitive Damages In Products Liability Litigation, David G. Owen

Michigan Law Review

This article will first explore the doctrine of punitive damages and its compatibility with the theories of products liability. The functions of punitive damages and their applicability in the products liability context will then be examined, with particular consideration given to the three complicating factors raised by Judge Friendly in Roginsky. In the following section attention will focus on the various contexts in which manufacturer misconduct has arisen in the reported decisions and a number of unreported cases that have involved this issue. Finally, guidelines will be developed from these cases for determining the appropriateness of punitive damages awards …

Trends In The Law Of Damages, John W. Reed

Articles

The law of damages deals with the process of translating harm into dollars. It is not, however, a coherent body of knowledge. Rather, it consists of an amalgam of many concepts and rules having to do with fundamental policy questions about loss-shifting, risk-spreading, and allocation of functions between judge and jury. Because damages is a "non-subject," little attention is paid to it in law school curricula and there is little writing about it. As one commentator put it, the law of damages "plods its way, ignored by academicians and 'accepted' by the courts. . . . The 'winds of change' …

Due Process Problems Of Property Damage No-Fault Insurance, Stephen L. Jones

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Michigan, Florida, and Massachusetts have recently enacted automobile property damage no-fault legislation. Similar to the concept of personal injury no-fault plans, the property damage legislation bars tort recovery for damage to vehicles involved in collisions and substitutes a system of insurance protection that would compensate the vehicle's owner for these losses without regard to fault. There are, however, two essential differences between the property damage and personal injury proposals. First, because property damage claims have been minor as compared to those for personal injuries, the property damage proposals have permitted the vehicle owner to self-insure for the former losses by …

Providing An Effective Remedy In Shareholder Suits Against Officers, Directors, And Controlling Persons, Michael H. Woolever

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Corporate officers, directors, and controlling persons occupy a fiduciary relationship toward the corporation and its shareholders in the exercise of control over corporate affairs. This fiduciary obligation requires that officers, directors, and controlling persons act in good faith and perform their offices in the best interests of the corporation and its shareholders and not to their own advantage. When this duty is breached, a shareholder may bring an action against these fiduciaries, either in his own name or derivatively for the benefit of the corporation. Under present law, however, it may be impossible for an American court to secure jurisdiction …

Deterring Misuse Of Confidential Government Information: A Proposed Citizens' Action, Joseph J. Kalo

Michigan Law Review

Part I of this article offers two examples-predicated on historical fact-that illustrate the possible adverse consequences of disclosure of confidential government information. Part I also examines present statutory and regulatory safeguards against such disclosure and analyzes their effect. Part II sets forth a proposal for reducing the possibility that confidential government information will be improperly used and for recouping government losses by means of a citizens' action. when it is so used.

Compensation For Pain: A Reappraisal In Light Of New Medical Evidence, Cornelius J. Peck

Michigan Law Review

The theory that a primary causal link exists between the victim's pain and the tortfeasor's acts provides considerable appeal for the proposition that the wrongdoer should compensate for the victim's pain. However, recent investigations of the phenomenon of pain by disciplines of the health sciences have challenged the medical theory upon which recoveries for pain and suffering are based. The results of that work are of obvious interest to the legal profession, for the new view of pain suggests that the tortfeasor's acts bear only a tangential relationship to the pain that some victims experience. The results thus raise questions …

Enforcement Of Money Judgments In Early American History, Stefan A. Riesenfeld

Michigan Law Review

The history of the enforcement of money judgments in the United States during the colonial period and the early days of statehood has never been explored in depth. The only modern account is the brief discussion in R. Millar's Civil Procedure of the Trial Court in Historical Perspective. Yet, in view of the recent and long overdue concern with the protection of debtors against unnecessarily harsh and oppressive direct collection remedies, a study of the early efforts designed to shield debtors from excessive and wasteful deprivations of their property is not without interest, especially as the record is rich …

Nuclear Power: Risk, Liability, And Indemnity, Harold P. Green

Michigan Law Review

In 1946, the Congress of the United States enacted the original Atomic Energy Act as the framework for development, control, and use of atomic energy. This Act provided for the transfer to the new Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), a civilian agency, of the entire atomic energy program which to that point had been conducted by the Manhattan Engineer District, a creature of the United States Army. The Act contemplated that the heart of the nuclear technology-the production of special nuclear material and the use of special nuclear material in both military and civil applications- would be a government monopoly. All …

Torts--Wrongful Death--Unborn Child--The Estate Of An Unborn Child Has A Cause Of Action For Wrongful Death--O'Neill V. Morse, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The attitude of the law toward the unborn child has differed according to the area involved and its underlying concepts and policy. It has been settled en ventre sa mere be to his benefit. Legal recognition was accorded "for the purpose of providing for and protecting the child, in the hope and expectation that it will be born alive and be capable of enjoying those rights which are thus preserved for it in anticipation." In this context, the live-birth requirement is not surprising. The injustice of depriving a posthumous child of an inheritance is apparent only if the child is …

Admiralty--Torts--Recovery Permitted For Mental Suffering Of Surviving Spouse In Death Action Under General Maritime Law--In Re Sincere Navigation Corp., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A recent federal district court decision, In re Sincere Navigation Corp. allowed recovery for the emotional distress of the spouse and the children of a seaman killed in a collision on the Mississippi River ·within the territorial waters of Louisiana. The action for ·wrongful death was brought under general maritime law through a new federal remedy first announced in Moragne v. States Marine Lines, lnc. Moragne did not specifically enumerate the elements of damage for which recovery would be allowed; instead it left the question open for consideration in later decisions. Whether any recovery was permitted under general maritime law …

Consumer Complaints: A Proposed Federal Trade Regulation Rule, Howard R. Lurie

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

It is no secret that most consumers are unable to protect themselves in the marketplace, yet government assistance to the consumer is frequently unavailable. All too often the bureaus of government are interested primarily in controversies of major significance. Minor consumer complaints are viewed as an annoyance that distract and interfere with more important matters. What must be done to protect consumers is to redress the balance of power now heavily weighted in favor of business. To do so requires that government go beyond current concepts of appropriate consumer protection and establish unorthodox remedies. One such remedy is suggested in …

Workmen's Compensation: Toward A Stricter Liability For Enterprise, John A. Payne Jr.

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article considers the situation in which an employee injured by a defective product in the course of his employment can proceed both against his employer insured by a workmen's compensation program and against a manufacturer of the employer's equipment who is strictly liable under a claim of products liability. The focus is not on the manufacturer as employer but on the manufacturer as supplier of defective equipment which causes injury. This is the best situation for analyzing the problems arising from the present system for distributing losses because, where the negligence of the employer has been an independent cause …