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Michigan Law Review

Articles 271 - 300 of 446

Full-Text Articles in Litigation

Recent Developments In Patent Law, Arthur M. Smith Jun 1946

Recent Developments In Patent Law, Arthur M. Smith

Michigan Law Review

The framers of the Federal Constitution shared with Thomas Jefferson his "wish to see new inventions encouraged, and old ones brought again info useful notice." Their concern for the public welfare caused many, including Jefferson, to question the wisdom of using a limited monopoly to encourage such inventions.


Simulation Of Nervous And Mental Disease, Moses Keschner Apr 1946

Simulation Of Nervous And Mental Disease, Moses Keschner

Michigan Law Review

Simulation may be defined as a wilful, deliberate and fraudulent imitation or exaggeration of illness intended to deceive the observer for the purpose of gaining a consciously desired end. Simulation of a physical or mental illness is usually resorted to: (1) by persons who have sustained an injury, the disability resulting therefrom being compensable by benefits payable under the workmen's compensation law or by damages in personal injury actions based on alleged negligence; (2) by persons who wish to obtain insurance benefits for disability in accordance with the provisions of health, accident and life insurance policies, and included in this …


Labor Unions-Suability Of Unincorporated Labor Union In Its Common Name, Joseph R. Brookshire S.Ed. Apr 1946

Labor Unions-Suability Of Unincorporated Labor Union In Its Common Name, Joseph R. Brookshire S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff brought suit in a district court of the United States against the defendant union in its common name, and officers of the union for an alleged libel. The union was not incorporated, no substantive right protected by federal law was involved, and the state wherein the suit was brought, Illinois, did not have a statute permitting actions at law against an unincorporated association in its own name. The district court dismissed the action against the union on the ground that it was not a legal entity; the plaintiff appealed. Held, under the common law of Illinois, an unincorporated …


The Disputes Article In Government Contracts, Leslie L. Anderson Oct 1945

The Disputes Article In Government Contracts, Leslie L. Anderson

Michigan Law Review

An approach to the subject of government contracts requires some departure from the lawer's usual concept of a legal right. In this field, departures from generally accepted principles of contract law have developed in no small part from administrative practice, and the concept of a legal right cannot be thought of simply from the angle of enforceability in court. In transactions between private parties, the fact that the United States Supreme Court in Chase Securities Corporation v. Donaldson recently treated a legal right as being in essence merely dormant after the running 6f the statute of limitations against it would …


Trial Procedure-Note Taking By Jurors-Misconduct Of Court In Instructing Jury To Take Notes Over Objections Of Litigants, Craig E. Davids S.Ed. Feb 1945

Trial Procedure-Note Taking By Jurors-Misconduct Of Court In Instructing Jury To Take Notes Over Objections Of Litigants, Craig E. Davids S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff suffered injuries by stepping into a hole on the sidewalk of defendant city. After a jury had been impaneled and sworn in the trial of the cause, the court, without the request of either litigant and over their objections, suggested to the jurors that they might take notes on the evidence presented, furnishing them with the necessary materials and instructing them as to how they should be kept during the progress of the trial. The trial court awarded judgment for defendant. The court of appeals, however, reversed the decision of the lower court and granted a new trial, holding …


Contracts-Doctrine Of "Commercial Frustration" As Applied To Leases Of Real Property, Margaret Groefsema S. Ed. Dec 1944

Contracts-Doctrine Of "Commercial Frustration" As Applied To Leases Of Real Property, Margaret Groefsema S. Ed.

Michigan Law Review

A mushroom crop of litigation has sprung up as a result of wartime governmental restrictions on production and consumption of civilian goods, particularly with respect to regulations of the sale of gasoline, tires, automobiles, and automobile accessories. Numerous problems have confronted the courts involving leases of property for the purpose of selling or servicing motor vehicles, where the lessee has sought to be released from his covenant to pay rent by invoking the so-called doctrine of "commercial frustration."


Equity - Clean Hands Doctrine - Tradename Infringement - Relief Awarded On Condition That Complainant Cleanse His Hands, Craig E. Davids Oct 1944

Equity - Clean Hands Doctrine - Tradename Infringement - Relief Awarded On Condition That Complainant Cleanse His Hands, Craig E. Davids

Michigan Law Review

For twenty-six years complainant conducted a tailor shop under the name, "Dundee Woolen Mills, Custom Tailors." On the front of the store was the slogan "No Middle Man's Profit," though the shop was neither owned by a woolen mill nor conducted in any manner that eliminated the usual middle man's profit. Defendant for many years operated a nation-wide chain of ready-to-wear stores under the name "Dundee Clothes" and eventually opened an establishment in complainant's locality. Suit was filed in equity to enjoin the defendant from using "Dundee" in his business. The lower court decided that though complainant had come into …


Parties - Whether Action For Money Judgment By Holder Of Unsecured Bonds Constitutes "Class" Suit Binding On All Owners Of That Series Who Did Not Appear, William Houston Oct 1944

Parties - Whether Action For Money Judgment By Holder Of Unsecured Bonds Constitutes "Class" Suit Binding On All Owners Of That Series Who Did Not Appear, William Houston

Michigan Law Review

The Chicago Board of Education had issued a certain series of refunding bonds, and later defaulted on interest coupons, numbered 16, attached to the bonds. Prior to the present suit a suit in equity had been instituted against the board by some of the owners of these bonds, on behalf of themselves and all other owners of bonds in this series, in which they prayed for judgment for the amount of interest due to each owner, together with costs, and attorney's fees. Defendant made a motion, to dismiss that suit on the ground that such action could not be maintained …


Constitutional Law - Court Of Claims - Separation Of Powers, Benjamin M. Quigg, Jr. S.Ed. Aug 1944

Constitutional Law - Court Of Claims - Separation Of Powers, Benjamin M. Quigg, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued the United States Government for breach of its contract for construction of a water supply tunnel, and in 1932 recovered judgment in the court of claims for approximately one-seventh of the amount sued for. Motions for new trial were denied and the Supreme Court refused to grant a writ of certiorari. In 1942 plaintiff secured the passage of a special act of Congress conferring jurisdiction on the court of claims to render judgment on plaintiff's claim in accordance with the mode of calculation set forth therein, waiving any defenses which the government might have in respect thereto, and …


Soldiers And Sailors-Civil Relief Act Of 1940-Application To Decedents' Estates, Secured Obligations, Installment Contracts, Insurance, Taxes, And Assessments Dec 1943

Soldiers And Sailors-Civil Relief Act Of 1940-Application To Decedents' Estates, Secured Obligations, Installment Contracts, Insurance, Taxes, And Assessments

Michigan Law Review

On October 17, 1940, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act became effective. The discussions which follow, written by different authors, do not cover the entire act, but only the parts indicated by the various headings.


The Scope Of A Civil Action, William Wirt Blume Oct 1943

The Scope Of A Civil Action, William Wirt Blume

Michigan Law Review

In the last fifty years the rules which deal with what Professor Millar happily has called "The Compass of the Cause" have shown "conspicuous advance." This advance is clearly reflected in the Rules of Civil Procedure of the District Courts of the United States, effective in 1938. It is the purpose of this paper, first, to present a complete analysis of the concept: scope of a civil action; second, to show the weaknesses of the codes in dealing with this concept; and, third, to indicate to what extent these, weaknesses have been remedied by the new …


Contracts - Right Of Promisee Of A Creditor-Beneficiary Contract To Sue In Equity For Exoneration, Mary Jane Morris Apr 1943

Contracts - Right Of Promisee Of A Creditor-Beneficiary Contract To Sue In Equity For Exoneration, Mary Jane Morris

Michigan Law Review

The defendant purchased a barber shop and beauty parlor business from the plaintiff; and as part of the contract, the defendant assumed an indebtedness owing to a third person by the plaintiff. In an action brought by the creditor against the present plaintiff and defendant, judgment was rendered against the plaintiff herein and the action was dismissed as to the defendant. In that action, the present plaintiff filed a cross-petition against the defendant in this case, to require her to perform her alleged oral agreement to assume outstanding obligations, and moved to transfer the cross-petition to equity. Trial on the …


Joint Adventure-Actions At Law For Share Of Profits, Hobart Taylor, Jr. Apr 1943

Joint Adventure-Actions At Law For Share Of Profits, Hobart Taylor, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Action in assumpsit for money due under a contract whereby defendant leased plaintiff's entire clothing factory for the manufacture of 20,000 coats for which defendant held a government contract. By the terms of the agreement, plaintiff was to receive one-half of the net profits. The agreement expressly stated that they were not to be partners. The coats were manufactured pursuant to the agreement. Held, a mere agreement to share profits is, between the parties, insufficient to create a partnership, and assumpsit may be maintained by the members of a joint adventure inter sese for the agreed share of profits. …


Torts - Liability Of Owners Of Baseball Park - Spectator Struck By Batted Ball Feb 1943

Torts - Liability Of Owners Of Baseball Park - Spectator Struck By Batted Ball

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff, a spectator at a baseball game, brought an action to recover for injuries sustained when he was struck by a foul ball. He was sitting in a reserved seat, but in a section of the grandstand not protected by a wire netting. Despite novel allegations designed, apparently, to suggest plaintiff's right to rely on the implication that a "reserved seat" is one which is located back of a protecting screen, and, further, to deny any μappreciation of the risk, on plaintiff's part, by suggesting that, at sixty-four, he was subject to the failing eyesight which customarily accompanies that …


Corporations - Dissolution At Suit Of A Minority Stockholder, E. George Rudolph Feb 1943

Corporations - Dissolution At Suit Of A Minority Stockholder, E. George Rudolph

Michigan Law Review

The general statement has often been made that a court of equity has no power to dissolve a solvent corporation at the suit of a minority stockholder, in the absence of special statutory authority. However, some of the cases which seem to support this rule hedge considerably by saying that "ordinarily" or "generally" equity has no such jurisdiction. These cases would seem little different than those which hold that a court of equity has inherent jurisdiction to dissolve a corporation but will exercise it only in cases of extreme necessity. The latter seems to be the prevailing view and on …


Instruments Of Discovery Under Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure, Alexander Holtzoff Oct 1942

Instruments Of Discovery Under Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure, Alexander Holtzoff

Michigan Law Review

The elimination of the "sporting theory" of justice, the simplification of procedure, and the prompt disposition of controversies on their merits are the great objectives of the new federal civil practice. One of the principal means for the attainment of these purposes is discovery, by which a disclosure may be obtained in respect to all pertinent information in the possession of any party to a litigation. An exception is, of course, made for privileged matter. It is one of the basic theories of the new procedure that every party to a law suit is under a duty to reveal to …


Torts - Duty Based On Contract-Measure Of Recovery Where Telephone Subscriber Sues For Special Damages, Neil Mckay Aug 1942

Torts - Duty Based On Contract-Measure Of Recovery Where Telephone Subscriber Sues For Special Damages, Neil Mckay

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a telephone subscriber, alleged that the defendant telephone company negligently severed the telephone connection between the plaintiff's house and defendant's central operating station and negligently failed to give plaintiff notice of the disconnection; that as a result, the plaintiff was delayed in notifying the fire department of an outbreak of fire on his property; and that the property was thereby destroyed. Plaintiff sought to recover damages for the resulting injury to his property. Held, defendant's duty to use due care was an implied term of the contract, and special damages growing out of a breach of such a …


Copyrights - Laches As A Defense To Suit For Copyright And Patent Infringement, David Davidoff Jun 1942

Copyrights - Laches As A Defense To Suit For Copyright And Patent Infringement, David Davidoff

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff manufacturer sued, inter alia, for copyright infringement in the appropriation of the content of his catalogues by defendant, a former employee. It appeared that plaintiff had known of the infringement for over three years before filing suit, during which time he had made no protest or complaint, but had stood by while defendant incurred large expense in printing and distributing the catalogues. Held, plaintiff's laches barred relief for the infringement. Wiegand Co. v. Trent Co., (C. C. A. 3d, 1941) 122 F. (2d) 920.


Landlord And Tenant - Anticipatory Or Partial Breach By Lessee, Michigan Law Review Jun 1942

Landlord And Tenant - Anticipatory Or Partial Breach By Lessee, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was lessor and defendant was lessee under a ninety-nine year lease. After thirty-one years had expired under the lease, defendant gave notice of his intention to quit at the end of the current quarter. Plaintiff informed defendant that he would not accept a surrender, but before the end of the quarter defendant abandoned the premises. When defendant refused to pay rent for the next quarter as it became due, plaintiff sued for the difference between the rent reserved for a thirty-year period and the fair rental value for such a period. Held, the repudiation constituted a total breach …


Current Phases Of Derivative Actions Against Directors, Ralph M. Carson Jun 1942

Current Phases Of Derivative Actions Against Directors, Ralph M. Carson

Michigan Law Review

In assuming to discuss in this place some of the current phases of stockholders' derivative actions against directors of corporations, I shall try to keep a course between two extremes. On the one hand, it is of little use to fulfill the easy duty of enunciating general rules of law, stated in such a form that both parties in a contested cause may equally invoke them. Nor, on the other hand, is it of much value to fill an hour's time with details of cases recently decided which, although interesting in themselves, resist general application. What I shall try instead …


Federal Courts - Jurisdiction - Diversity Of Citizenship - Realignment Of Parties, Michigan Law Review May 1942

Federal Courts - Jurisdiction - Diversity Of Citizenship - Realignment Of Parties, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a New York corporation, was trustee under a mortgage deed to secure a bond issue executed by A, an Indiana corporation, in 1902. In 1906, B, an Indiana corporation, was formed, its franchise providing, inter alia, that after the expiration of twenty-five years, the company should be wound up and its property conveyed to C, the city of Indianapolis, subject to B's "outstanding legal obligations." In 1913, A leased all of its plant property to B for a term of ninety-nine years, B agreeing to pay as rental the interest on A's outstanding bonded …


Judgments - Conclusiveness Of Judgment As Against Persons Liable Over To Original Defendant - Applicability To Cases Of Resale Of Defective Chattels, David N. Mills Apr 1942

Judgments - Conclusiveness Of Judgment As Against Persons Liable Over To Original Defendant - Applicability To Cases Of Resale Of Defective Chattels, David N. Mills

Michigan Law Review

The doctrine of res judicata against persons liable over who are given notice and opportunity to defend has received frequent application to cases of indemnitors, reinsurers, parties to bills and notes, covenantors of title in warranty deeds, and cases where the parties bore the relationship of principal and surety, master and servant, principal and agent, and landlord and tenant. While the rule has been applied without exception to cases of breach of warranty of title to chattels, it has apparently seldom been urged as applicable to other warranties, such as warranties of soundness and merchantability, for only five decisions can …


Labor Law - Right Of Employee To Sue On Collective Bargaining Contract Between Employer And Union, David Davidoff Apr 1942

Labor Law - Right Of Employee To Sue On Collective Bargaining Contract Between Employer And Union, David Davidoff

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, a theatre owner, in March, 1939, entered into a collective bargaining contract with a local union by the terms of which he agreed to hire only union operators, to pay them a specified wage, and to give them two weeks' notice of their discharge, or two weeks' salary in lieu thereof, should he decide to go out of business. Plaintiff, a union member, was employed by the defendant from March, 1939, until he was discharged in December, 1939. It appeared that this discharge was occasioned by defendant's sale of his theatre and retirement from the business. Plaintiff sued for …


Damages - Breach Of Contract - Right To Compete In A Contest, Michigan Law Review Feb 1942

Damages - Breach Of Contract - Right To Compete In A Contest, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Defendant organized a contest whereby the public was invited to guess the number of beans in a jar, the fifteen persons submitting the answers most nearly correct to be entitled to become participants in a "quiz contest" in which the prize was an automobile to be awarded to "the person who is the last to be eliminated." The participants drew for the order in which they were to be questioned, the plaintiff drawing first position. On the fourth round of questions the plaintiff missed the question put to him, and then the other contestant failed to answer correctly, whereupon the …


Practice And Procedure - Voluntary Nonsuit - Treatment Under Michigan Court Rules, Michigan Law Review Feb 1942

Practice And Procedure - Voluntary Nonsuit - Treatment Under Michigan Court Rules, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In an action for malpractice, after the plaintiff had rested, defendant moved for a directed verdict. In response to an inquiry as to how he intended to rule upon the motion, the trial judge indicated that he would have to grant the motion. Plaintiff then moved for a voluntary nonsuit, but the judge proceeded to direct a verdict for the defendant. He later granted a motion to vacate the order directing a verdict and to set aside the verdict and judgment. Defendant sought mandamus to compel the trial judge to reinstate the directed verdict and judgment. Held, that under. …


Judgments - Propriety Of Finding That A Nonparty Conducted The Defense, David N. Mills Dec 1941

Judgments - Propriety Of Finding That A Nonparty Conducted The Defense, David N. Mills

Michigan Law Review

A patent infringement suit against a distributor was dismissed on the ground that plaintiff's patents were invalid. A finding was incorporated in the judgment that the defense had been "openly and avowedly conducted" by the manufacturer of the article distributed by defendant. Plaintiff objected that the finding "on its face would be a valid estoppel" in case plaintiff later wished to sue the manufacturer in a separate suit. Held, that plaintiff was entitled to have the finding deleted from the judgment since the finding was not necessary to a disposition of the issues between plaintiff and defendant. Minneapolis- Honeywell …


Damages - Expenses Of Litigation - Counsel Fees In A Previous Suit, Gerald M. Lively Nov 1941

Damages - Expenses Of Litigation - Counsel Fees In A Previous Suit, Gerald M. Lively

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs brought this appeal from a judgment dismissing an action to recover the attorney's fees and other expenses of the prosecution of a prior suit with defendant. In the former action plaintiffs had secured a decree requiring defendant to convey to them certain property which the defendant had withheld fraudulently and maliciously. In the present action defendant successfully had moved to dismiss on the grounds that attorney's fees as between original litigants were not recoverable and further that this claim was res judicata due to the prior suit. Held, one justice dissenting as defendant's intentional and wilful misconduct necessitated …


Federal Courts - Conflict Between The Federal Declaratory Judgments Act And The Johnson Act, Spencer E. Irons Nov 1941

Federal Courts - Conflict Between The Federal Declaratory Judgments Act And The Johnson Act, Spencer E. Irons

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff gas company contracted with defendant city to furnish gas from a certain field at rates fixed by ordinance. Plaintiff reserved the right, when this field became insufficient, to furnish gas from other fields at rates to be adjusted in accordance with the increased cost. In a suit in the federal district court for a declaratory judgment, plaintiff sought a determination that the local field had become insufficient, and that it was necessary to furnish gas from other fields. Plaintiff alleged that defendant city refused to recognize the changed conditions and insisted that plaintiff continue to furnish gas at the …


Negligence - Assumption Of Risk - Necessity For Contractual Relation, Edward H. Schlaudt Nov 1941

Negligence - Assumption Of Risk - Necessity For Contractual Relation, Edward H. Schlaudt

Michigan Law Review

While walking behind defendant through woodland, plaintiff suffered an eye injury caused by the negligence of the defendant in bending over a small sapling and allowing it to fly back and strike plaintiff. Verdict and judgment were for plaintiff. Defendant moved for a directed verdict on the ground of assumption of risk, and appealed from a denial of the motion. Held, from the facts of the case, it cannot be ruled as a matter of law that the plaintiff knew and comprehended the danger which caused his injury and that he voluntarily exposed himself thereto, and, therefore, the judgment …


Judgments - Declaratory Judgments - Use In Statutory Interpretation, Reid J. Hatfield Jun 1941

Judgments - Declaratory Judgments - Use In Statutory Interpretation, Reid J. Hatfield

Michigan Law Review

A mining company, subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, brought an action against the United States District Attorney for Idaho for a declaratory judgment that it was not subject to threatened criminal prosecutions and penalties under the act. The company had not included the forty minutes allowed for lunch in estimating the number of hours worked by its employees. The employees and their labor union threatened to sue, claiming the lunch period was part of their working hours and that they were therefore to that extent required to work overtime without extra pay. The Department of Labor and the …