Litigation Commons^™

Social Scientists Take The Stand: A Review And Appraisal Of Their Testimony In Litigation, Jack Greenberg

Michigan Law Review

"How to inform the judicial mind, as you know, is one of the most complicated problems,'' said Justice Frankfurter during argument of the school segregation cases. And as law deals more and more with issues of great public consequence the judiciary's need for knowledge increases. Much of this knowledge is within the realm of what are called the social sciences.

Although jurisprudents and social scientists have long complained of a gulf between law and social science, little notice has been given to the recent, recurrent collaboration between the two at the trial level. In a variety of cases social scientists' …

Federal Procedure-Limitation Of Actions-Suspension Of Statute Of Limitations As To Citizen Of Enemy-Occupied Territory In War Time, Stephen J. Martin S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a Filipino, loaned money to a recognized guerilla unit in the Philippine Islands in 1943, during the period of the Japanese occupation of the Islands. He filed suit in the United States Court of Claims on December 31, 1952, to recover the amount of the loan. Defendant United States moved to dismiss on the ground that the claim was barred by the six-year statute of limitations applicable to the Court of Claims. Held, petition dismissed. Plaintiff's cause of action first accrued at the earliest moment when suit might have been legally instituted upon it. No circumstance in the …

Venue-The Need For A Change In The Venue Provisions Of The Federal Employers' Liability Act, S. I. Shuman S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In response to the need created by a highly dangerous era of railroad employment, and subsequent to the passage of similar legislation in Europe, there was enacted in 1906 a Federal Employers' Liability Act. The attempted coverage of the first FELA was too broad to withstand the constitutional scrutiny of a five-to-four Supreme Court, and it consequently remained for the Congress of 1908 to enact valid legislation for the protection of the railroad employee. Whether or not: the FELA is the most efficacious solution to the problem of the injured railroad employee continues to be warmly debated, but for the …

Evidence-Privilege-Right Of Third Person To Assert Privilege As To Accident Report Made Confidential By Statute, Richard W. Young S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought a negligence action for injuries sustained when the automobile in which she was a passenger collided with that operated by the defendant. Defendant questioned a police officer, who had filed the accident report, concerning statements made to him by the driver of the vehicle in which the plaintiff was riding. The trial court permitted this testimony over the plaintiff's objection that these statements were privileged under an Iowa statute purporting to make written accident reports confidential and inadmissible in evidence. On appeal after a verdict was returned in favor of the defendant, held, reversed. The statute can …

Corporations-Indemnification Of Management For Litigation Expenses, Chester F. Relyea S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Two recent decisions concerning the right of a successful director-defendant to seek corporate indemnification for litigation expenses are significant because they interpret not only the relevant statutes of New York and Delaware, but also language which exists in the statutes of several other states and which as yet has not been construed by the courts of those states. These cases indicate the desirability of a general survey of such indemnification practice at common law and under statutes.

Restitution - Reliance Losses In Contract Within Statute Of Frauds, John E. Riecker S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, the owner of a seasonal night club, orally agreed to lease the premises for three years to the defendant. The plaintiff had a written lease prepared but it was not executed. Negotiations by letters and telegrams between the parties proved that the document was not a definite integration of their agreement sufficient to satisfy the statute of frauds governing leases of land for periods longer than one year. During this interval of negotiation, plaintiff at defendant's express request had procured a liquor license for the following year at the night club, hired a watchman, retained counsel to draw the …

Federal Procedure - Appellate Practice - Duty Of The Court Of Appeals To Grant Rehearings En Banc, Raymond R. Trombadore S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In a suit for accounting, petitioners were denied relief in the district court and a division of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed by a two-to-one vote. Petitioners then applied for a rehearing before the court of appeals en bane. With one dissent, the rehearing was denied by the division, and the request that the rehearing be en bane was stricken as "being without authority in law or in the rules or practice of the court.'' Petitioners moved to vacate the order denying the request for a rehearing en bane on the ground that such a request …

Civil Procedure - Judgments - Exceptions To The Rule Of Res Judicata, William A. Bain, Jr., S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

A land contract provided for a conveyance to Pearson from Adams and his wife. The wife was not a party to the contract and refused to execute the deed. Pearson sought specific performance requesting relief of a type not then available in Illinois and when asked if he would accept a deed from Adams alone, he refused. The action was dismissed. Adams then brought this action in ejectment and Pearson counterclaimed requesting a deed executed by Adams alone. The trial court found that the judgment in the previous action was res judicata as to the counterclaim. On appeal, held, …

Negligence-Duty Of Care-Liability Of State Mental Hospital For Acts Of A Dangerous Patient After Improper Discharge, Edgar A. Strause S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

One Jones, a mental incompetent, was erroneously released as "recovered" from a state hospital for the criminal insane, after having been transferred there because of his dangerous behavior at a state penal institution. Jones' frequent assaultive behavior at the hospital was not reported in his case history upon which the determination of his recovery was partially based, nor was any inquiry made into the motivation for such conduct. Crowded conditions and an inadequate psychiatric staff were responsible for the improper diagnosis of the patient's condition and his ultimate discharge. Four days after his release he killed four persons. The administratrix …

Interstate Publication, William L. Prosser

Michigan Law Review

It is an amazing and a sobering thought that by the utterance of a single ill-considered word a man may today commit forty-nine separate torts, for each of which he may be severally liable, in as many jurisdictions within the continental limits of the United States alone, and without regard to any additional liability he may incur in the possessions and territories and in foreign countries. It calls to mind at once in all solemnity those first words that ever were sent over an interstate wire, and later to the moon. What, indeed, hath God wrought!

Little less astonishing, although …

Negligence-Contributory Negligence-Effect Of Violation Of Statute By Minor Plaintiff, Richard P. Matsch S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's decedent, a thirteen year old boy, was killed in a collision between his bicycle and defendant's automobile. Both vehicles were travelling in the same direction on a public highway when, according to the defendant's testimony, the boy suddenly made a left tum in front of the automobile and was struck. The defendant asserted that the child failed to give any signal indicating a tum and therefore violated the Utah statute prescribing rules of the road. Defendant moved for a directed verdict on the issue of contributory negligence charging that the conduct of the decedent was negligence per se. The …

Real Property-Torrens System-Preservation Of Equitable Easements, Paul Campbell

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued to have certain lots declared free and clear of a restrictive covenant. The land was registered under a Torrens statute, but the restrictive covenant was not noted on the certificate of title. However, it was noted on a plat of the land which was referred to in the certificate of title for the purpose of identifying the location of the land. The lower court denied relief and enjoined violation of the restrictions. Held, reversed, plaintiff as a good faith purchaser for value of registered land, obtains the land free and clear of a restrictive covenant not noted …

Civil Procedure-Statute Of Limitations-Possibility Of Service Under Nonresident Motorist Service Act As Preventing Tolling Of Statute, James H. Loprete S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, while riding as passengers in defendant's automobile, were injured in an accident in Iowa. Two of the four plaintiffs brought suit in Kansas against defendant, a citizen of Kansas, but their suits were dismissed upon the sustaining of demurrers. The four then sued defendant in Iowa, obtaining service upon him under the nonresident motorist service act Defendant pleaded the statute of limitations, and plaintiffs countered with the tolling statute. Issue was raised over the interpretation to be given the word "nonresident" in the tolling statute. Plaintiff contended it was to be given a literal interpretation, that is, that the …

Negligence-Duty Of Care-Determination Of Plaintiff's Status Under Guest Statute, Donald M. Wilkinson, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a boy scout, was assisting in a paper collection for the benefit of his troop, and while so doing, was injured when he attempted to regain his position on a utility trailer attached to the assistant scoutmaster's automobile. Plaintiff brought suit against the assistant scoutmaster, alleging negligent operation of the automobile. Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings was granted in the lower court, but this ruling was reversed in the court of appeals. On appeal to the Supreme Court of Ohio, held, affirmed, three judges dissenting. Defendant was deemed to have been benefited by plaintiff's activities to …

Admiralty-Unseaworthiness Of Vessel In Having Vicious Crew Member Aboard, Richard B. Barnett S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a seaman on board defendant's ship, went ashore on leave with the second cook. After returning to the ship, the two quarrelled and plaintiff knocked the cook down. The cook went to the galley and obtained a meat cleaver with which he struck plaintiff on the head, causing serious injury. Plaintiff brought suit against the ship owner for damages on the theory that in allowing a man of the cook's vicious proclivities to become a member of the crew, defendant failed to provide a "seaworthy" ship and that plaintiff had suffered injury as a result. Plaintiff appealed a verdict …

Civil Procedure-Parties-Real Party In Interest When Insurer Has Equitable Interest In Claim, Warren K, Urbom S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued for damages to his fruit and grocery market which were allegedly caused by the negligence of defendant. Interrogatories were submitted by defendant designed to determine whether or not plaintiff had been paid the full amount of his loss by an insurance company and had assigned his claim to that company. The trial court sustained a motion to strike the interrogatories. On appeal, held, reversed, two judges dissenting. Although a tortfeasor cannot defeat an action by the insured by showing full subrogation of the insurer, he can plead an assignment of the insured's claim to show that the …

Federal Procedure-Change Of Venue-Congestion Of Docket As A Factor Affecting Transfer Under Section 1404(A), Peter Van Domelen S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to recover damages under the Jones Act for illness sustained while he was serving as a seaman on the defendant's steamship. The defendant moved to transfer the action to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California pursuant to Title 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) which provides: "For the convenience of parties and witnesses, in the interest of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it might have been brought." Evidence introduced showed that …

Negligence-Immunity Of Charitable Institutions From Suit, W. Garrett Flickinger S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

A patient of defendant charitable hospital died as a result of the transfusion of an incorrect blood type and it was shown that one of defendant's employees had correctly typed the blood but negligently mislabeled it. The widower and children of the deceased brought an action in negligence for damages and the circuit court allowed recovery. On appeal, held, affirmed. The defendant hospital is liable in damages for the death of the deceased caused by the negligence of its employee notwithstanding the fact that defendant is a charitable institution and that the hospital authorities exercised due care and caution …

Corporations-Officers And Directors-Fiduciary Duty Of Officer Purchasing Stock From Shareholder, Walter H. Weiner

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, president of a corporation acquired stock owned by plaintiff and others by falsely representing that the corporation had been sold. After enhancing the value of this stock, defendant sold it. Plaintiff brought suit for fraudulent conversion and the trial court directed a verdict for the defendant. On appeal, held, reversed. An officer negotiating with a shareholder for the purchase of shares must act with scrupulous trust and confidence, and unless the officer acts with the utmost fairness the wronged shareholder may invoke the proper remedy. Blazer v. Black, (10th Cir. 1952) 196 F. (2d) 139.

Fiduciary Aministration-Executors And Aministrators-Inventory Not A Condition Precedent To Recovery Of Assets, Carl S. Krueger S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In a suit by an administrator to recover funds claimed to be part of the decedent's estate, the defendant's answer alleged that the suit had been commenced prior to compliance with a statute requiring an inventory of the assets of the estate. On appeal by the administrator from the trial court's holding that filing an inventory of a claim is a condition precedent to a suit thereon, held, reversed. While an inventory is the basis of subsequent probate proceedings, title to personal assets of the decedent vests in the administrator when he qualifies, and he may sue on claims …

Federal Procedure-Jurisdiction-No Appeal Allowed Under Rule 54(B) When Separated Claim Not Final, Wilber M. Brucker, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Flegenheimer sued Manitoba Sugar Co., a Canadian Corporation, in a Vermont state court for breach of an employment contract to gain jurisdiction, Flegenheimer attached parcels of beet pulp which he claimed were the property of the Manitoba Co. After this action was removed to the federal district court, General Mills, Inc., was granted leave to intervene to establish ownership of the beet pulp. The claim of General Mills was dismissed after being heard on the merits. The order dismissing the claim contained a determination that "no just reason for delay" existed, and it therefore directed an "entry of judgment" under …

Federal Procedure-Removal Denied To Lmpleaded Party Under 28 U.S.C. 1441(C), Robert G. Russell S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued to recover indebtedness of $7000, to foreclose a chattel mortgage, and to enjoin a local bank from permitting the accounts of the debtor to be withdrawn. Defendant then filed a cross-complaint, as authorized by state procedure, against a third party nonresident garnishee to recover damages for breach of contract and money owed in the sum of $35,000. The cross-defendant removed the case to the United States district court. Held, although the cross-complaint stated a separate and independent cause of action, it could not be the basis of removal since 28 U.S.C. §1441 (c) contemplates only the removal …

Constitutional Law-Eminent Domain-Government Seizure Of Business Property To Avert Strike As A "Taking" Under Fifth Amendment-Amount Of Wage Increase As Measure Of "Just Compensation", John F. Spindler

Michigan Law Review

In 1943, in an attempt to end a strike of the United Mine Workers which threatened the national war effort, the Government, acting under an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to take possession of the mines where necessary, seized most of the nation's coal mines. Although mine officials were required to agree to conduct operations as agents of the Government, to keep separate books for the period of government operation, to fly the American Flag over the mines, and to post notices that the mines were "United States Property," they were instructed to carry on the mining …

Civil Procedure-Abatement-Status Of Suit Nominally Against Government Official When Official Leaves Office, Alan C. Boyd S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Often an action brought against an official of the sovereign is actually against the sovereign itself, nominally represented by the official. The status of such a suit when the official leaves office is even today not satisfactorily settled. The so-called representative suit, while at one time serving a purpose, has always been somewhat anomalous and today is antiquated and useless.

Constitutional Law-Due Process-Bill Of Attainder-Loyalty Oaths For City Employee, James I. Huston

Michigan Law Review

In 1948, pursuant to an amendment to its charter, Los Angeles passed an ordinance which provided that all city employees must (1) take an oath that they did not espouse, and had not espoused within five years prior to the effective date of the ordinance, the forceful overthrow of the government; that they were not, nor had they been within the same period, affiliated with a group espousing such aims, and that they would not join any such group while in city employ, and (2) execute an affidavit relating whether they had ever belonged to the Communist Party, and if …

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 …

Torts-Defamation-Libel By Silence, J. G. Castel

Michigan Law Review

In an almanac published in 1939, Professor Turpain of the University of Poitiers, France, purported to name the inventors of radio. He failed to include the name of E. Branly. In 1940 Branly brought suit in the lower civil court of Poiters against Professor Turpain, alleging that he had been ''libelled" by silence. The court agreed with him. The court of appeals of Poitiers reversed the decision of the lower court and dismissed the case. Following Branly's death, his heirs questioned the validity of the decision of the court of appeals in the court of Cassation. The court held, …

Federal Procedure-Mandamus-Use To Prevent Change Of Venue, Richard J. Darger S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners instituted a suit in the District Court for the Southern District of California seeking damages for alleged patent infringement. That court ordered the case transferred to the District Court for the District of Delaware on the ground that venue was not properly laid in the Southern District of California. Then petition was made to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for mandamus to compel the judge of the lower court to withdraw the order of transfer. Held: petition denied. Mandamus will issue to prevent a transfer of a case to the district court of another circuit …

Avoidance Of Constitutional Issues In The United States Supreme Court: Liberties Of The First Amendment, Burton C. Bernard

Michigan Law Review

The frequently criticized reluctance of the Supreme Court to consider complaints of unconstitutional governmental action is manifested in the utilization by the Court of various rules of avoidance of constitutional issues. Uncompromising defense of this self-restraint would not be easy to reconcile with the Court's pronounced sensitivity, in modem times, to the liberties of the First Amendment. This article will examine the considerations underlying the traditional restraint, and will suggest that the Court should modify several of its rules of avoidance, at least when liberties of the First Amendment are threatened.

Federal Procedure-Proper Venue In Patent Infringement Action Against Corporation, Gordon W. Hueschen S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs brought an action for patent infringement against defendant corporation in the Federal District Court for the Southern Division of California, alleging only defendant's "residence" within the district. Defendant moved to dismiss the complaint on the ground that defendant, being a Delaware corporation, did not "reside" within the district, thus rendering the venue defective. Plaintiffs replied that the word "resides," as used in the patent infringement venue section of the code, which states that "any civil action for patent infringement may be brought in the judicial district where the defendant resides, or where the defendant has committed acts of infringement …