Transportation Law Commons^™

Book Reviews, Grant Gilmore, Robert J. Nordstrom, Richard J. Faletti, Robert Barbeau Mautz, Charles Elmer Fiddler, Calvin W. Corman, George B. Fraser, Adam Yarmolinsky, James A. Durham, Reginald Parker, Jo Desha Lucas, Thomas W. Christopher, Frederick J. Ludwig, John S. Bradway, Harold Gill Reuschlein, Henri Renard S.J., C. Dallas Sands, William P. Murphy

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law - Commerce Clause - State Statute Requiring Interstate Motor Carrier To Secure A Permit, Marvin O. Young S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Petitioner brought an action in an Arkansas state court to enjoin enforcement of a state statute which required all contract carriers using the highways of the state to secure a permit from the state Public Service Commission. The Arkansas Supreme Court found that five driver-owners who had been arrested while transporting petitioner's product in interstate commerce without such a permit were "contract carriers" within the meaning of the statute. Neither petitioner nor any of the drivers had applied for a state permit. Under the terms of the statute, granting of the permit was contingent on certain factors, such as the …

Constitutional Law-Validity Of New York Statute Setting Out Motorists' Implied Consent To Chemical Tests For Intoxication, Richard A. Shupe S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The State of New York has approved a statute, to go into effect July 1, 1953, which stipulates that any person who operates a motor vehicle or motorcycle in the state shall be deemed to have given his consent to chemical tests of his breath, blood, urine, or saliva for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of his blood. If such a person refuses to allow the tests, they will not be made, but the commissioner shall revoke his license or permit to drive, including the nonresident operating privilege. This is the first statute of its type and merits …

Construction Workers In Interstate Transportation, H. L. S. Iii

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law-Interstate Commerce-Carriers-Validity Of State Statute Requiring Racial Segregation Of Passengers, George Brody S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Appellant, a passenger on a motor common carrier, was traveling from Virginia to Baltimore. Pursuant to a Virginia statute requiring all passenger motor carrier vehicles to "separate without discrimination the white and colored passengers in their motor busses so that contiguous seats will not be occupied by persons of different races at the same time" the driver of the carrier upon which appellant was traveling requested her to vacate her seat so that it could be used by a white passenger. She refused and was arrested and convicted under authority of a statute punishing such refusal. The Virginia Supreme Court …

Constitutional Law--Financial Responsibility Statute--Right Of State To Revoke Automobile Operator's License, J. H. H.

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law-Due Process--Nonresident Motorist Statute

Michigan Law Review

Petition for writ of prohibition on the ground that the notice provided by the Arkansas nonresident motorist statute did not meet the requirements of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The statute required that service of process be had on the secretary of state and that the plaintiff send notice of such service to the nonresident defendant at his last known address by registered letter, and required that the defendant's return receipt or the affidavit of the plaintiff of compliance with the statute be filed in the office of the clerk of court. Held, the statute is …

Utilization Of State Commissioners In The Administration Of The Federal Motor Carrier Act, Paul G. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

The problem of securing effective governmental regulation of economic interests that overlap state boundary lines, while at the same time curbing the growth of a centralized bureaucracy and preventing the disintegration of local government, becomes daily more disturbing. For this reason the passage of the Motor Carrier Act in the closing days of the 74th Congress and its approval by the President on August 9, 1935, was an event of singular importance for students of American governmental administration. Important as the legislation is in its substantive aspects, it is equally noteworthy because of its administrative provisions. The striking feature of …

Constitutional Law--Constitutionality Of The Hit-And-Run Drivers' Act

Indiana Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Process In Actions Against Non-Resident Motorists, Maurice S. Culp

Michigan Law Review

Personal service on the defendant within the jurisdiction of a State is the conventional form of process in personal actions. But considerations of convenience and public need have resulted in recognizing an additional form of process in personal actions against nonresident motorists. Statutes in 35 States authorize the commencement of suit against the non-resident motorist by substituted service on a public official of the State where the cause of action arises; the official is made for this purpose the agent or attorney of the non-resident motorist.

It is proposed herein to discuss (1) the constitutional basis of such legislation, and …

Constitutional Law - Interstate Commerce - Motor Carrier Operating Within - Single State As A Link In Interstate Transportation, Paul G. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff was engaged in business as a common carrier of goods by motor vehicle. He transported goods between the docks of Los Angeles harbor and points in and around Los Angeles, but all the goods which he carried were originally shipped in from or were consigned to destinations outside the State. His operations, however, were independent of the operations of connecting carriers. The California Railroad Commission ordered the plaintiff to cease operations until he secured a certificate of public convenience and necessity. Held, on review, that the plaintiff was engaged in interstate commerce, and that the Commission's order …

Constitutional Law - Interstate Commerce - State Regulation Of Motor Carriers - Highway Conservation, Paul G. Kauper

Michigan Law Review

In conformity with the Texas statute regulating contract carriers, the plaintiffs applied for permits to operate as contract carriers in interstate commerce. The Texas Railroad Commission denied the application on the grounds that the proposed use of the highways would unreasonably interfere with their use by the general public and would constitute an undue burden on said highways. Held, by a three-judge court, that the Commission was acting within its authority in refusing the application on these grounds, that such refusal was valid as to interstate motor carriers, and that evidence supported the Commission's findings, consequently the bill to …

Constitutional Law - Due Process - Regulation Of The Business Of The Contract Motor Carrier

Michigan Law Review

Much of the doubt and uncertainty concerning the power of the States to regulate the contract motor carrier has been dispelled by the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Stephenson et al. v. Binford et al. A Texas statute specifically defined the two categories of common and contract carriers for hire and undertook to regulate the business of each through the agency of the State Railroad Commission; the statute required contract carriers to secure "permits" which were to be granted by the commission only after a hearing and not if the …

Constitutional Law-Action For Personal Injury As Property

Michigan Law Review

In an action for personal injury to the plaintiff while a guest in defendant's car, the trial court instructed the jury that plaintiff must prove the elements required by the Guest Act, i.e., a heedless and reckless disregard of the rights of others, and not merely the common law requirements for negligence. The Guest Act (Pub, Acts, 1927, c. 308) was void for failure of the governor to sign in the prescribed time. Validating acts were passed after the accident in question. Held, action for personal injury was a property interest and the validating acts, operating retrospectively, impaired plaintiff's …

Constitutional Law-Compulsory Indemnity For Persons Injured By Automobiles

Michigan Law Review

The problem of protecting the public from injuries arising from the use of automobiles upon public highways has recently been subjected to a form of legislative solution that is distinctly different from the earlier attempts. The devices first employed were measures which dealt with the licensing of cars and with the regulation of their use. Later, when the need for giving financial substance to the tort liabilities of motorists appeared, steps were taken in the direction of fixing vicarious liabilities upon the owners of automobiles. This was done to some extent by the courts which announced the "family purpose doctrine," …

Constitutional Law-Interstate Commerce-The Transportation Act Of 1920

Michigan Law Review

Contemporaneous comments on Supreme Court decisions involving the "due process" clause too often resolve themselves into mere "debates" as to the wisdom of the particular legislation in question, either from the standpoint of the ultimate object to be accomplished or the methods adopted for its accomplishment. Strongest adherents of our unique system of judicial review must admit that, after all, the duty of the Supreme Court consists primarily in determining whether or not the legislation before it is valid, not whether it is, or is not, a politic enactment.

Constitutional Law--Equal Protection Of The Laws--Imposition Of Penalties On Common Carriers For Fialure To Settle Claims

Michigan Law Review

A Nebraska statute provided that common carriers should settle properly presented claims for loss of and damage to freight within sixty days from the presentation thereof, and in case such settlement was not made and more was recovered in a subsequent suit than had been tendered by the carrier, the amount found due should carry as a penalty seven per cent interest from the presentation of the claim and reasonable attorney's fees. In case of appeal, an additional attorney's fee might be included if the plaintiff succeeded. The plaintiff company presented a large number of freight claims, which were all …

Compulsory Construction Of New Lines Of Railroad, Kenneth F. Burgess

Michigan Law Review

In the half century of public regulation of railroads in the United States, regulatory legislation has dealt primarily with functions incident to the operation of existing enterprises. The basic concept has been that railroad corporations as common carriers have voluntarily assumed obligations to the public which the public has a right to require to be performed.

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Carriers of Passengers - Duty to Stop at Station to Permit Passenger to Alight-Contributory Negligence of Passenger Plaintiff's intestate was riding in the front end of a crowded vestibule car in the coach next to the tender of the eengine. When the train stopped at his station he tried to leave by the front end, but found the door from the vestibule closed. As he did not know how to open it, or was unwilling to be carried by his station, he stepped from his platform to the bumper of the tender and tried to follow it to the side …

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Note And Comment, John B. Waite, Henry Rottschaefer, Roswell B. O'Harra, Leslie C. Mcclelland, Russell B. James, Hollis Harshman

Michigan Law Review

The Completion of a Contract by Posting of Acceptance - In the recent case of Kennedy Mcrcantile Co. v. Western Union Telegraph Co., the court says, "It is well settled law in this state that,where an offer is submitted by letter, an acceptance is conclusive and binding when a letter is deposited in the post-office accepting the same. The delivery to the one making the offer is not the test; for when the offer is submitted in that way it is equivalent to an invitation to accept by the same means, and when the acceptance is delivered to the agency …

Note And Comment, Edwin C. Goddard, John G. Cedergren, Henry C. Bogle, Henry Rottschaefer, Marcy K. Brown

Michigan Law Review

Limitation as to the Amount of Liability for Loss of Goods by Carriers - A carload of automobiles was shipped by express, under an express receipt limiting recovery to $50, unless a greater value was named and a greater carrying charge paid. The shipper knew of this stipulation, and deliberately chose the restricted liability so as -to secure the lower rate. On a suit for loss of the automobiles, recovery was limited to $5o. Geo. N. Pierce Co. v. Wells Fargo & Co., I89 Fed. 561, commented on in 10 MICH. L. RSv. 317. The United States Supreme Court has …

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Note And Comment, Hollis Harshman

Michigan Law Review

Breach of Landlord's Covenant as Defense to Action for Rent - It is undoubtedly well settled that if the agreement to pay rent is dependent upon the performance by the landlord of some undertaking on his part, the failure by the landlord so to perform is a good defense to an action for the rent. It is equally well settled that if the agreements are independent such failure by the landlord is no defense. The difficulty arises in determining whether the agreements are dependent or independent. That question is one of construction, and it cannot be expected that all the …

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

The Commodity Clause Of The Hepburn Act, Edwin C. Goddard

Articles

The Supreme Court of the United States has added another to the interesting line of cases construing the so-called "Commodity Clause" of the HEPBURN ACT of 1906. In United States v. Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Co. and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Coal Co., decided on June 21, 1915, 35 Sup. Ct. 873, the court reversed the decree of the District Court as reported in 213 Fed. 240, and found the relation and contract between the Railroad Company and the Coal Company to be in violation of the HEPBURN ACT and the SHERMAN ACT.

Note And Comment, Harry W. Lippincott, John S. Kelley Jr, George E. Kennedy, Louis R. Lackey

Michigan Law Review

Mutuality in Automobile Agency Contracts - Within the past few years several courts have had to pass upon and construe argreements between the manufacturers and the selling-agents of automoobiles, which have necessitated a thorough discussion of the principles of mutuality of obligation of contracts. The attempt to reach a correct solution has developed a vigorous difference of opinion on the subject in some recent cases which it may be of interest to discuss and compare.