Admiralty and Maritime Law
As one of the oldest bodies of law, it consists of a complex mix of ancient legal theories, modern statutes, contract law, and international treaties.
About admiralty and maritime law
Admiralty / Maritime law is a broad body of laws, treaties, and conventions. Together, they govern private maritime business and nautical matters, disputes, and offences that occur on open water.
What is Open Water?
The definition of open water includes oceans, seas, lakes, inland waterways and all bodies of water that are off-shore and without obstructions.
Our firm, which is located in Granite Bay, California is conveniently close to Lake Tahoe, The Port of Stockton, and the Bay Area. These three popular places – and many like them – are examples of open water locations where maritime law would apply.
Common examples
Common examples of cases where admiralty or maritime law may apply include:
- Collisions and groundings
- Damage caused to fixed and/or floating objects
- Death or injury to passengers while on, or was caused by, a vessel
- Salvage and pollution concerns
- Seafarers’ rights
Maritime law considerations
Because these laws invoke federal jurisdiction and federal common law, they can be very complex to navigate. And when it comes to resolving legal matters in this niche area of law, it’s important to seek suitable representation. Read our thoughts about this on the blog.