Property Law and Real Estate Commons^™

Estates-Tenancy By Entireties--Ability Of Judgment Creditor To Reach Tenant's Interest

Michigan Law Review

Shortly after the plaintiff's judgment had been docketted and a fruitless attempt made to have it satisfied, the defendant and his wife became devisees of some land, holding it as tenants by entireties. Knowing his wife to be in poor health and fearing he might survive her, the defendant persuaded her to join in a conveyance to their granddaughter for only a nominal consideration. Both women were unaware of the defendant's real motive, but the defendant himself understood the effect of what he was doing and was anxious to place the land beyond the plaintiff's reach. Held, that the …

Adverse Possession-Grantor Against Grantee-Requirement Of Notice

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff owning a fee deeded it to his wife in 1893. The wife died in 1911, and plaintiff continued lo reside on the land ever since. Shortly after the wife's death plaintiff told defendants, his daughters, that he and his wife had held the land by" entirety, and that he was, therefore, the sole owner by right of survivorship. Defendants never learned of the deed to the wife until the instigation of this suit. Plaintiff claimed that he had reacquired ownership by adverse possession, and brought a bill to cancel the deed to his wife and remove the cloud from …

Adverse Possession-Interests Thereby Created And Extinguished

Michigan Law Review

One F., the owner of premises, executed a lease thereof to T. from year to year. A. took possession under T. as a tenant at will, and remained for more than the period of the statute of limitations. (Under the applicable statute the possession of a tenant at will becomes adverse after the first year.) F. then died and the land was sold by the executors to T. Upon T's death, plaintiff, his successor in interest, brought action to recover possession from the widow of A. who had recently died. The defendant claimed that since she was entitled to notice …

Bailment-Fungible Goods-Conversion

Michigan Law Review

Defendant conducted a grain elevator business, storing grains of like quality in one common bin. During a period of several months, the total grain on hand in the elevator was insufficient to meet all outstanding storage receipts. Previous to the plaintiff's demand, the defendant acquired sufficient grain to meet all outstanding claims. Held, the conversion was "cured." State ex rel. Hermann v. Farmers' Elevator Co. et al. ("N.D. 1930) 231 N.W. 725.

Negligence-Spread Of Fire-"New York Rule."

Michigan Law Review

The properties of plaintiff and defendant were separated by a city street. While filling a gasoline tank on his premises defendant allowed the tank to overflow, the escaping gasoline ignited, the fire spread to a warehouse on defendant's property and thence, across the street, to plaintiff's buildings. Held, that the negligence of the defendant was the proximate cause of the injury to the plaintiff, within the so-called "New York Rule" of limited liability in such cases, inasmuch as the titles of the two parties ran to the center of the street. Homac Corporation v. Sun Oil Co., 244 …

Sales-Passage Of Title Before Payment Of Purchase Price

Michigan Law Review

In January, S agreed to sell his business to the plaintiff, who went into possession, took over the lease, and operated the business. He did not have sufficient money to pay the purchase price at the time, and no bill of sale was given. A creditor of S took judgment on a promissory note made by S, of the existence of which note the plaintiff first became aware in February, and levied execution on the goods in the store. The plaintiff filed a claim of property. Held, that there was no sale at the time of the transfer of …

Property-Meander Lines As Boundaries

Michigan Law Review

In a recent decision the supreme court of Michigan has considered anew, and with refreshing insight, the significance of a meander line as a boundary. The case arose on a bill to foreclose a land contract to which the defendant filed a cross-bill alleging fraud in the sale. The property which abutted on Lake Michigan was represented by plaintiff's agent as extending to a point about one hundred feet from the shore of the lake. The meander line was two hundred seventy-seven feet from the water's edge. On the theory that the plaintiff had no interest in the strip between …

Landlord And Tenant-Liability For Taxes

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, a lessee, covenanted to pay all taxes assessed against the property. After having been transferred to several parties successively, the lease was surrendered on April 7, 1928, to the original lessor, under an agreement providing that, "the original lessee, and its assigns, shall be released from all further obligations imposed upon lessee in said lease contract." Taxes which had become a. lien. on the property by assessment Jan. 1, 1928, were due in three equal installments payable the following April 15th, July 15th, and Oct. 15th, respectively, Upon the failure of the original lessee to pay the taxes, the …

Contracts--Risk Of Loss Under Executory Land Contract--Disposition Of Insurance Process.

Michigan Law Review

When buildings, which are part of the subject matter of an executory contract for the sale of land, are accidentally destroyed by fire, there immediately arises the question of who, as between the vendor and the purchase, shall bear the loss. The majority of courts in this country place it on the purchaser. This was the result reached in the leading English case of Paine v. Meller and has been adopted in the following states: California, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and West Virginia. …

Trusts-Devices For Defeating Rights Of Creditors

Michigan Law Review

Attempts to protect property rights from the claims of creditors are faced at common law with the initial objection that restraints on the power of alienation are wholly ineffective. An exception has been recognized in this country in the case of equitable interests for life or for years. This exception, criticized severely at the time it was first recognized, has established itself in the law of most states in this country, though rejected in two jurisdictions.

Contracts-Rescission For Substantial Breach-Lien For Improvements Given Vendee

Michigan Law Review

For statement of facts see preceding note in this issue, Younger v. Caroselli, 251 Mich. 533, 232 N.W. 378.

According to the majority view in the United States, a builder, whose substantial breach of contract (the instant case can hardly be considered one of substantial performance) is merely negligent and in good faith, can recover the value of his labor and materials less the damage caused the promisee.

Deeds-Side Of Lake As Boundary-Presumption That Grantee Takes To Center

Michigan Law Review

ln a conveyance of land adjoining a lake, the description read in part, "thence running northerly * * * to the Rockland Lake thence westwardly along the south side of the Rockland Lake." Held, that the grantee took to the center of the lake. White v. Knickerbocker Ice Co. et al. (N. Y. 1930) 172 N.E. 452.

Easements-Creation By Implied Reservation

Michigan Law Review

The owner oi a tract of land subdivided it into five lots and saved a twelve-foot strip for a driveway along the rear of each, making the lots accessible from a side street. The plaintiff and the defendant were purchasers of two of these lots. Some time after the sale of the defendant acquired all the original owner's interest in the driveway by a quitclaim deed and immediately began to erect a garage on the drive, thus preventing the plaintiff from using it. Held, that an easement arose by implied grant and that the plaintiff was, therefore, entitled to …

Contracts-Breach Of Implied Warranty That Construction Be Usable For Purpose Intended

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff and defendant entered into a contract by the terms of which defendant was to assign to plaintiff an equity in a land contract to purchase a lot. The plaintiff was to complete the payments and sell to the defendant on a land contract this same lot with a house and garage to be erected by the plaintiff, an experienced builder, according to plans and specifications to be drawn by the latter. The defendant was to be given credit for the amount he had previously paid on the lot, and the price was further reduced by the defendant doing the …

Conflict Of Laws Treatment Of Interpretation And Construction Of Deeds In Reference To Covenants, Raymond J. Hellman

Michigan Law Review

It is submitted that the terms "interpretation" and "construction" and the verbs "interpret" and "construe" should be used with distinct significations. There are two types of problems with reference to which these terms are used, often ambiguously and unclearly. In one type of problem a question is presented and sought to be answered as to what someone actually or apparently intended. There is an effort to reach a result which was actually desired even though the data tending to show this may be of limited utility. In the other type of problem it is recognized or realized either that there …

Land Title Registration-Effect Of Registration Of Forged Deed And Transfer To Bona Fide Purchaser Under Torrens Act

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, purchasers of land previously brought under Illinois Torrens Act, delivered certificate of title to party under agreement to sell, who forged deed to himself, had certificate issued in his name, and then conveyed to defendants who were good faith purchasers for value. Plaintiffs informed registrar of the forgery after the defendants had bought, and demanded cancellation of the deeds and certificates, and the reissue of a certificate to themselves. The registrar refused, and this petition was brought to compel such action. Held, plaintiffs having voluntarily bought land brought under Torrens system, there was a waiver of any constitutional …

Mortgages-Foreclosure-Default In Interest

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was a mortgagee of certain real property. A clause in the mortgage provided that the whole amount should become due after default for twenty days in the payment of any installment of interest. Through an arithmetical error of its clerk, the defendant corporation, owner of the equity of redemption, paid $401.87 less than the amount of interest due on one installment. The total interest due was $4621.56. The clerk discovered the error and notified the mortgagee that it would be corrected as soon as the president of the corporation, who alone was authorized to sign checks, returned from Europe. …

Reformation Of Instruments-Mistake Of Facts Underlying Intention

Michigan Law Review

A debtor determined to mortgage all his property for the benefit of several creditors. His son, commissioned to draw the instrument, was informed that a note to the plaintiff, indorsed by the debtor, would be taken care of by the party primarily liable. So he intentionally omitted the plaintiff's note from the mortgage executed to the other creditors. The note was never paid. After foreclosure of the mortgage, leaving no surplus, the plaintiff sought reformation of the mortgage so as to be included as mortgagee, claiming that the debtor's intention to secure all bank creditors was not executed through mistake …

Aliens-Right To Hold Propsrty-Effect Of Statutes

Michigan Law Review

An alien testator devised land to her son, which property was seized during the World War by the defendant Alien Property Custodian as belonging to an alien enemy. Von Zedtwitz v. Sutherland, 58 App. D. C. 153, 26 F.(2d) 525. The plaintiffs sued the son in Kentucky, where part of the land was located, and the Alien Property Custodian in this suit to recover the property on the theory that after the eight-year period which the laws of Kentucky allowed the alien heir in which to dispose of the realty, the title vested in them as next of kin …

Landlord And Tenant-Equitable Remedies Of Landlord-Adequacy Of Remedy By Re-Entry

Michigan Law Review

Defendant held plaintiff's land under a year-to-year lease, which provided that plaintiff or his agents should have the right to enter in the fall to plow for future crops, with the general right of re-entry for breach of conditions. The term was to end on March 1. In the preceding September, defendant refused to allow plaintiff's new tenant to enter for plowing. The plaintiff asked for an injunction against this interference. Held, there was an adequate remedy at law by exercising the right of re-entry in connection with an action of forcible entry and detainer. Vance v. Sumner (Neb. …

Trusts-Apportionment Of Extraordinary Dividend From Sale Of Property By Realty Company Between Life Tenant And Remainderman

Michigan Law Review

After death of the testator, leaving his wife shares in a realty company as part of the residue of his estate in trust to receive the rents, profits, and income of the same for her natural life, the company sold the greater portion of its property and declared a cash dividend of 100 per cent. Held, that it belonged to the remainderman and not the life beneficiary. In re Jackson's Will, 239 N. Y. S. 362.

Aerial Navigation

Michigan Law Review

With the rapid increase of the use of the air by airplanes and other craft, courts are bound to be called upon frequently to determine the rights and liabilities of the owners and operators of aircraft with reference to other persons in various positions. It is probable that, as was found to be true in the cases of other new devices, the principles of the common law are sufficiently elastic and adaptable to determine the settlement of most, if not all, of the controversies.

Quasi-Contracts-Dutiful Intervention-Discharge Of Public Officer's Duty

Michigan Law Review

By statute in Montana the boards of county commissioners were ordered to cause such highways as were necessary for the public welfare to be "laid out, recorded, opened" and maintained. A highway was laid out through the plaintiff's land in 1903, but the county commissioners refused to continue constructing it though requested to do so by the plaintiff, instead compelling him to remove the fences on his property. His entire land being thus thrown open to the public, he constructed the road himself in 1926, with the knowledge of the commissioners, who on its completion immediately accepted it but refused …

Mortgages - Equity Jurisdiction - Personal Decrees Against The Mortgagor

Michigan Law Review

The Michigan supreme court recently held that the jurisdiction of equity in proceedings for the foreclosure of mortgages is governed by statute, and that equity can only render a personal decree against the mortgagor where the statute expressly permits it. This view, if correct, must be recognized as an exception to the well settled doctrine that a court of equity which has obtained jurisdiction of a controversy on any ground or for any purpose, may retain such jurisdiction for the purpose of administering complete relief. Michigan has repeatedly affirmed this general doctrine.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Descent And Distribution-Status And Inheritance Rights Of Adopted Child

Michigan Law Review

The adoption of the children of another person is said to have been unknown to the common law. In re Johnson, 98 Cal. 531; Morrison v. Sessions, 70 Mich. 297, 14 Am. St. Rep. 500. However, the status of adopted children is one of very ancient origin, existing in Biblical times, Romans 8:15; 9:4:, and was developed to a high degree by the Greeks and Romans. Provisions for child adoption were incorporated in the Code of Justinian, SANDERS, JUSTINIAN; Am. ed. 103 et seq., and took their place in the jurisprudence of all countries in which the civil …

Wills-Trusts-Unprobated Will Opposed To A Forged Will Fraudulently Probated

Michigan Law Review

We have now grown accustomed to certain principles which, at the time that they were enunciated, must have been thought anomalous. The comparatively recent case of Winder v Scholey, his oral promise to hold for another, might be declared a trustee ex maleficio, although he was guilty of no actual fraud when he made the promise. A fortiori, it would seem that actual fraud on the part of the devisee should lead to the same result, and such has been the fact for many years. In the case of deeds, however, actual fraud and a subsequent breach …

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Book Reviews

Michigan Law Review

A collection of book reviews by multiple authors.

Constitutional Law-Eminent Domain-Judcial Review By Certiorari

Michigan Law Review

In a previous number of this volume the holding of the supreme court of Michigan was discussed wherein sections 1 and 2, article 13, of the constitution of 1908 were held to make necessity as well as compensation a judicial question in eminent domain cases. Accordingly, in that case, the court held that the feature of the statute (P. A. 1925, No. 352) authorizing the state highway commissioner to make a conclusive determination of necessity, without notice and hearing to the landowner, and without judicial review, was unconstitutional.