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Maritime law is the body of law that governs activities on ocean and inland waters. It covers commercial vessels, recreational vessels (including jet skis, waverunners, personal watercraft, kayaks and canoes). It also covers commercial fishing vessels, commercial divers and recreational divers.
Maritime law is an international body of law, in that all nations with a connection to the seas have their own rules and regulations as well as their own enforcement agencies, which are the counterparts of our Coast Guard. In additional to being international in nature, maritime law is a very old body of law. It traces its roots to the Phoenicians, Romans and Greeks. As merchants faced perils and problems, they came up with practical legal solutions…many of which remain in effect today as elements the U.S. Code and other rules and regulations.
In the United States, maritime law is expressly written into the Constitution. In Article III, Section 2. U.S. Federal Courts are given jurisdiction over admiralty and maritime matters. Admiralty and maritime law is unique because it applies legal concepts anddoctrines that are unique in nature and in some cases, exclusively maritime.
Maritime law is an international body of law, in that all nations with a connection to the seas have their own rules and regulations as well as their own enforcement agencies, which are the counterparts of our Coast Guard. In additional to being international in nature, maritime law is a very old body of law. It traces its roots to the Phoenicians, Romans and Greeks. As merchants faced perils and problems, they came up with practical legal solutions…many of which remain in effect today as elements the U.S. Code and other rules and regulations.
In the United States, maritime law is expressly written into the Constitution. In Article III, Section 2. U.S. Federal Courts are given jurisdiction over admiralty and maritime matters. Admiralty and maritime law is unique because it applies legal concepts anddoctrines that are unique in nature and in some cases, exclusively maritime.