This publication provides a comprehensive treatment of admiralty and maritime law as applied in the United States federal courts. Authored for the Federal Judicial Center, the Federal Judiciary’s research and education agency, the text outlines foundational doctrines of maritime jurisdiction, including the constitutional and statutory basis for federal admiralty authority.
The work surveys key topics such as maritime contracts, torts, and offenses, as well as in rem proceedings, maritime liens, limitation of liability, and the interaction of admiralty law with general civil procedure. It explains how federal courts identify and distinguish admiralty cases from general civil actions and clarifies the operation of doctrines such as the “saving to suitors” clause.
By presenting admiralty and maritime law from the judiciary’s own instructional perspective, the publication offers authoritative insight into how federal jurisdiction is exercised in maritime contexts and how maritime claims are processed within the broader framework of American law. The manual reflects the institutional understanding of maritime jurisdiction and procedure as it is taught to and used by federal judges and court staff.
Citation
Force, R. (2013). Admiralty and maritime law (2nd ed.). Federal Judicial Center.