Property Law and Real Estate Commons^™

Administration And Collection Problems, Dixwell L. Pierce

Vanderbilt Law Review

"In the field of revenue administration, there is no longer such a thing as a simple tax law. Complex problems require complex laws, and complex laws are made to protect all taxpayers alike."

When a state or local government provides for a general sales and use tax, it is assuming a heavy administrative responsibility. Such tax laws are deceptively simple. They are not easy to administer. Failure to recognize these facts has resulted all too often in disappointing revenue yields and widespread dissatisfaction among retailers and their customers.

No one really enjoys paying taxes. What may be merely mild distaste …

Conflict Of Laws -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, John W. Wade

Vanderbilt Law Review

When a cause of action is transitory in nature the plaintiff may sue on it in any state where he can obtain personal jurisdiction over the defendant. And when personal jurisdiction is not available, he can often, by process of garnishment or attachment, obtain jurisdiction quasi in rem and proceed with the trial of the issue. The judgment so obtained is not binding on the defendant in personam but it may bind the defendant's property or the debt to him from a third party. In Hobbs v. Lewis a plaintiff sought to make use of garnishment for this purpose. He …

Business Associations -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, Paul J. Hartman

Vanderbilt Law Review

Nature and Formation of Partnerships: The question whether a contract sued on was a partnership arrangement so as to be cognizable only in equity was considered by the Tennessee Court of Appeals in Powel v. Bundy.' There Bundy, a real estate broker, sued Powell on the lawside to recover $500, alleged to be plaintiff's one-half share of a commission earned by their joint efforts in selling a tract of real estate, but which commission had been collected and wrongfully retained by defendant. Among other defenses interposed was defendant's contention that the contract sued on was that of a partnership arrangement …

Contracts (Herein Of Agency) -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, Merton L. Ferson

Vanderbilt Law Review

Offer and Acceptance: Listing Property for Sale With Broker: In Jenkins v. Vaughan' the facts were these: Vaughan had a drug store for sale. He gave Jenkins, a broker, an exclusive listing for 90 days and promised to pay Jenkins a commission if the property were sold within that time "either through you or any other reason." This listing was made October 10, 1951. On December 10, 1951, Vaughan directed an employee of Jenkins to cancel the listing. And on December 28 Vaughan sold the store to a purchaser procured by another broker. Jenkins had not spent any appreciable time …

Personal Property And Sales -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, Clyde L. Ball

Vanderbilt Law Review

The cases of Edwards v. Central Motor Co.' and Hunter v. Moore offer interesting variations upon the same basic problem. In the Edwards case plaintiff automobile dealer sold a car to X in what was intended to be a cash transaction. X paid for the car with a worthless check and received possession of the car together with a carbon copy of a bill of sale executed by plaintiff. X then took the automobile to another dealer and sold it to him, giving the purchaser a bill of sale executed by X. Defendant was present at this transaction; at no …

Real Property -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, Wade H. Sides Jr.

Vanderbilt Law Review

Construction of Deed: Limitation to "My own living children": The deed presented for construction in Tipton v. Wynn, after conveying alife estate to the grantor's daughter, contained the following language:

"and after her death to the heirs of her body. In case she has no bodily heirs, then to my own living children."

When he executed the deed, the grantor had six living children, including the life tenant-grantee. Only one of the grantor's children, however, survived the life tenant, who died without bodily heirs. The complainants, certain heirs of those children of the grantor who had predeceased the life tenant, …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Herein Of Future Interests) -- 1955 Tennessee Survey, W. J. Bowe

Vanderbilt Law Review

Execution of Wills:

Under the Tennessee Code a will valid at the place of execution is valid under the laws of Tennessee. A testator domiciled in Tennessee executed a will in Mississippi in the presence of two witnesses, but thinking that the will should be acknowledged by a notary public rather than subscribed by the witnesses, he had the acknowledgment taken by a Mississippi notary public. As the Mississippi statute is peculiar in that it merely requires "that the Will shall be attested by two or more credible witnesses" rather than the usual "shall be both attested and subscribed" the …

Suggestions For The Improvement Of Municipal Annexation Law, Wallace Mendelson

Vanderbilt Law Review

World War II aggravated one of our most troublesome municipal problems--the growth of urban fringe areas around the outskirts of towns and cities. Many municipalities are finding their natural development either frustrated or completely strangled by choker necklaces of satellite settlements. Parent cities are surrounded by slum areas which they cannot control and wealthy suburban sections which they cannot tax. For it is common that the poorest and the most prosperous tend to live in the outskirts--the former to avoid the sanitation and anti-nuisance standards of urban life, the latter to escape their share of the cost of government in …

Personal Property And Sales -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, Clyde L. Ball

Vanderbilt Law Review

This article is limited to cases involving transfers of personal property by gift or by sale, and the resultant legal relationships. Cases involving liens on personal property, chattel mortgages, and those dealing with sales in bulk are discussed in the article on Creditors' Rights and Security Transactions in this Survey.'

Contracts -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, Merton L. Ferson

Vanderbilt Law Review

Mutual Assents: In the case of Jones v. Horner it appeared that Jones was a tenant of Mrs. Homer. The lease gave Jones an option to purchase the property for a stated price and provided that Jones might exercise his option "by payment or tender of the agreed purchase price." Jones, within the life of the option, without tendering the purchase price, gave notice that he would exercise the option. He said he would pay the purchase price upon receipt of a deed to the property. Mrs. Homer refused to treat this notice as a valid exercise of the option. …

Future Interests And Estates -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, Herman L. Trautman

Vanderbilt Law Review

Worthier Title--A Rule of Property: In Cochran v. Frierson' the Supreme Court affirmed the rule of Robinson v. Blankenship that the doctrine of worthier title is still a rule of absolute property law in Tennessee, and not a rule of construction. The Blankenship case is nationally recognized as representative of the early English doctrine which was abolished by statute in England in 1833. The doctrine has been modified by the majority of American courts which hold that it is a rule of construction.

Real Property -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, Herman L. Trautman, James C. Kirby Jr.

Vanderbilt Law Review

Champertous Deeds and Adverse Possession: There were two cases, Robinson v. Harris, and State v. McNabb, which used the questionable champertous deed concept to reach what seem to be just results. The sixteenth century doctrine, enacted by statute in Tennessee, is that a deed of conveyance executed and delivered by a title owner while the land is held in the adverse possession of another is void. As pointed out in the 1953 Survey article, however, recent Tennessee cases have tended to ignore a line of nationally recognized Tennessee equity cases holding that the deed is not void; that the transfer …

Wills, Estates And Trusts -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, William J. Bowe

Vanderbilt Law Review

Freedom of Testation: Other than the statutory forced share of a spouse' testators have almost unlimited freedom in the disposition of their property. A devise or bequest will be held invalid only when it runs counter to some well established rule of public policy. Thus gifts in violation of the rule against perpetuities, against accumulations or against restraints on alienations are void. Further, the courts will strike down capricious or whimsical bequests, as well as those which are conditioned upon the performance of illegal or tortious acts. But in absence of any violation of public policy a testator is free …

Noise Nuisances: Commercial Enterprises V. Owners Of Residential Property, G. H. Kemker

Vanderbilt Law Review

The problems of the reciprocal use and enjoyment of property by adjacent landowners have become increasingly pronounced in our time of intense urbanization. Salient has been the problem of noise nuisances which frequently result when adjacent property is devoted to the inconsistent uses of industry and residence ownership. This conflict is often a serious one. The enjoyment by the residence owner of his property may be considerably impaired; the abatement of the noise may be at the price of loss of productivity, considerable expense or of not conducting the business at all.' The resulting situation is one which requires a …

The Non-General Power Of Appointment -- A Creature Of The Powers Of Appointment Act Of 1951, Allan Mccoid

Vanderbilt Law Review

In the course of the past fifty years, during which estate planning has become a specialty rather than one of many jobs handled by the general practitioner, the power of appointment has become an increasingly popular form of gift. The two great advantages which have been claimed for the power are the introduction of great flexibility into the estate plan and the reduction of the tax burden on the property as it passes from one generation to another. It was presumably with both of these objectives in mind that Professor William J. Bowe made a suggestion last year as to …

Constitutional Law, Paul H. Sanders

Vanderbilt Law Review

The Supreme Court of Tennessee has been faced with few major Constitutional Law problems during the period under consideration. Statistically, the action of the Court in invalidating one law out of almost a score that were attacked before it on the basis of constitutional defect suggests an attitude of judicial restraint toward the product of a coordinate branch of government. The relatively small number of constitutional questions raised-- and many of them were obviously make-weight rather than points of principal reliance-- suggests a general awareness of the Court's stability and the unlikelihood of its departing from established precedent. Similarly, regard …

Contracts, Merton Ferson

Vanderbilt Law Review

The case of Thomas v. Million presented these facts: The defendant listed a house and lot for sale with the plaintiff, a real estate broker,for $16,500. The plaintiff advertised the property for sale and showed it to many prospects, including a man by the name of Cowell. After that, the defendant wrote a letter to the plaintiff, "terminating the agency contract" of the plaintiff. The defendant then sold the property to Cowell for $15,500. The plaintiff was allowed to recover $500 as a reasonable commission.

Future Interests, Herman L. Trautman

Vanderbilt Law Review

There were five cases in the field of Future Interests during the period' covered by this Survey. They were all decided by the Supreme Court of Tennessee. From the standpoint of doctrinal development, Mountain City Missionary Baptist Church v. Wagner, involving the relation of the possibility of reverter to the Rule against Perpetuities, was probably the most significant, although the point determined had perhaps been assumed previously in Tennessee. Pope v. Alexander drew a neat distinction between a trust for a "public" cemetery and a trust for a "private" cemetery with respect to the Rule against Perpetuities. A plausible suggestion …

Real Property, Herman L. Trautman

Vanderbilt Law Review

The Tennessee cases in the fields of Real Property and Future Interests have been quite abundant during the period' covered by this Survey. Because of the number of cases and the very interesting and novel problems presented in some of them, and because the scope of the law of Future Interests includes cases which involve Wills and Personal Property as well as Real Property, it is believed that the reader will find it more feasible to consider the Future Interest cases in a separate article appearing in this Survey. Therefore, notwithstanding some overlapping, the emphasis of this article will be …

Personal Property And Sales, William D. Warren

Vanderbilt Law Review

The similarity of the subject matter, together with the paucity of cases in each field, has made it advisable to combine the personal property and sales cases in one article. Though the total number of cases falling within these fields was small, the proportion of novel and interesting issues raised was high. This article is an attempt to analyze as well as describe the significant cases decided in this area within the past year.

Book Reviews, Irving Dilliard, Stanley D. Rose, Walter P. Armstrong Jr., Reginald Parker

Vanderbilt Law Review

The States and Subversion Walter Gellhorn, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1952. Pp. vii, 454. $5.00

reviewer: Irving Dilliard

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Freedom through Law

By Robert L. Hale New York: Columbia University Press, 1952. Pp. xvi, 591. $7.50

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The Group Basis of Politics--A Study in Basing-Point Legislation By Earl Latham New York: Cornell University Press, 1952. Pp. ix,244. $3.75

reviewer: Stanley D. Rose

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Richards on Insurance, Fifth Edition By Warren Freedman New York: Baker, Voorhis & Co., Inc. 1952. Pp. xxvii, 2692. $50.00

reviewer: Walter P. Armstrong, Jr.

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The Theodosian Code and Novels and the Sirmondian Constitutions: A …

Conflict Of Laws And The Administration Of Decedents' Real Estate, Edward S. Stimson

Vanderbilt Law Review

The subject matter of this article will be treated under three heads dealing with, (A), the power of executors and administrators to sell real estate; (B), inheritance taxes; and (C), the law and the courts which determine, one, the validity of wills and two, who succeeds by operation of law. The core of the problem lies in the validity of wills and intestate succession to real estate. ... Two questions involving the power of executors or administrators have been considered by the courts. First, which executor, administrator or court has power to sell the real estate in order to pay …

Book Reviews, Harold W. Holt, Harold G. Wren (Reviewer), Walter Chandler (Reviewer), Harold W. Hannah (Reviewer)

Vanderbilt Law Review

Marital Property in Conflict of Laws By Harold Marsh, Jr. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1952. Pp.

reviewer: Harold Wright Holt

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Life Insurance and Estate Tax Planning By William J. Bowe Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, November 1952 Revision. Pp. 109.$2.10

reviewer: Harold G. Wren

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Caruthers' History of a Lawsuit Seventh Edition by Sam Gilreath Cincinnati: The W. H. Anderson Company, 1951. Pp. 1088. $17.50.

reviewer: Walter Chandler

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Legal Status of the Tenant Farmer in the Southeast By Charles S.Mangum Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1952.Pp. viii, 478, $7.50.

reviewer: Harold W. Hannah

Rights Of Creditors In Insurance -- The Tennessee Exemption Statutes, Paul J. Hartman

Vanderbilt Law Review

The subject of the availability of assets to creditors is important when a trustee in bankruptcy as a representative of creditors is seeking to gather assets to pay off creditors; and the subject is of equal importance where a single creditor, not in a bankruptcy proceeding, is seeking to satisfy his claim out of the assets of his debtor. Whatever is property in the hands of the debtor is available to his creditors, unless it is exempt by law. This property is his estate, considered indifferently from the standpoint of the single creditor who seeks to realize for himself alone, …

Book Reviews, Hugh L. Sowards, Stanley D. Rose (Reviewer), William D. Warren (Reviewer)

Vanderbilt Law Review

Securities Legislation

By Louis Loss

Boston: Little, Brown & Com-pany, 1951. Pp. xxvii, 1283. $17.50

reviewer: Hugh L. Sowards

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Private Property, the History of an Idea

By Richard Schlatter

New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1951. Pp. 284. $2.50

reviewer: Stanley D. Rose

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Oil and Gas Law: Collection of articles

TEXAS LAW REVIEW

Austin: Texas Law Review, Inc., 1951. Pp. xix, 1736. $15.00

reviewer: William D. Warren

Tax Planning For Nontaxable Estates, William J. Bowe

Vanderbilt Law Review

Owners of modest estates are always greatly relieved to learn of the liberal federal estate tax exemption of $60,000. Freed from the burden of federal estate tax planning they frequently turn their attention to methods of transferring property which will avoid the heavy cost and delay incident to probate administration. Joint ownership, gifts of remainder interests, donee-beneficiary contracts, revocable trusts are among the more common devices available. Use of any one of these plans may accomplish a shift in possession and enjoyment of property upon the death of the planner with no delay and minimum expense.

But the income tax …

Title By Adverse Possession In Tennessee, Allen Shoffner

Vanderbilt Law Review

The Tennessee courts have been unnecessarily burdened with the interpretation and application of ambiguous statutes; in consequence, the material to be found on adverse possession is voluminous and difficult to analyze. Yet the law on this subject seems to satisfy present day needs and is basically in accord with the policy of quieting titles. The method by which title may be acquired regardless of disabilities seems desirable. The seven-year defensive or possessory title statute, although peculiar in its nature, tends to encourage use and development of rural and mountainous lands. The presumption of a grant affords a way for one, …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--RACIAL RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS--ALLOWANCE OF DAMAGES FOR BREACH

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CORPORATIONS--PARENT AND SUBSIDIARY--SUBSIDIARY AS INSTRUMENTALITY OF PARENT WHEN USED TO CARRY ON UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

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EVIDENCE--ADMISSIBILITY OF CONFESSION--SCOPE OF REVIEW OF COURT-MARTIAL BY COURT OF MILITARY APPEALS

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EVIDENCE--CONFLICT OF LAWS--APPLICATION OF DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR

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EVIDENCE--DUE PROCESS--USE IN STATE PROSECUTION OF EVIDENCE FORCIBLY OBTAINED BY STOMACH PUMP

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EVIDENCE--ENTRIES IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS--TEST FOR EXTENT OF ADMISSIBILITY UNDER FEDERAL JUDICIAL CODE

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EVIDENCE--HEARSAY--ADOPTION OF LIBERAL ADMISSION RULES OF ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS IN ANTITRUST COURT ACTION

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EVIDENCE--IMPEACHMENT OF ONE'S OWN WITNESS--USE OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT STATEMENTS

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Formal Requirements For Creation Of The Oil And Gas Lessee's Interest, William D. Warren

Vanderbilt Law Review

The practice of the courts of employing almost as many varying and contradictory descriptions of the nature of the lessee's interest under the usual oil and gas lease as there are petroleum producing states has a historical origin which is clearly traceable. In the latter half of the nineteenth century as each of the known oil bearing states was slowly explored and developed for petroleum, it fell the lot of their courts to solve the complicated legal problems arising in this new and unique industry. Equipped with but little accurate scientific knowledge about the physical behavior of oil and gas, …

Book Reviews, Robert J. Lynn, William J. Bowe (Reviewer), Samuel J. Foosaner (Reviewer), Stanley D. Ross (Reviewer)

Vanderbilt Law Review

Handbook on the Law of Future Interests

By Lewis M. Simes

St.Paul, West Publishing Co., 1951. Pp. xv, 495. $8.00

reviewer: Robert J. Lynn

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Tax Savings in Real Estate Transactions

Prepared by Bureau of Analysis, Davenport, Iowa. Chicago: Published under auspices of National Institute of Real Estate Brokers of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, 1951. Pp. 98. $5.00

reviewer: William J. Bowe

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Income Tax Treatment of Life Insurance proceeds and other Tax Articles

By William J. Bowe

Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press,1951. Pp. 90. $2.10

reviewer: Samuel J. Foosaner

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Justice According to Law

By Roscoe Pound …