EXECUTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS-PERSONAL TORT LIABILITY-EFFECT OF STATUTES AUTHORIZING CONTINUANCE OF DECEDENT'S BUSINESS

It is the purpose here to consider the effect of statutes which provide authority for personal representatives to operate a business on the representatives' tort liability. An important factor in deciding whether the statutes change the common law rules relating to tort liability of executors and administrators is the manner in which the courts regard those rules-are they fair and do they make for good law, or are they harsh and arbitrary? For this reason attention is first directed to the practical operation of and reasons behind the common law doctrine.