Maritime Law Admiralty Jurisdiction and Courts 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Supreme Court case established that admiralty jurisdiction does not extend to fixed structures permanently attached to the seabed?
- Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty (Correct answer)
- Executive Jet Aviation v. City of Cleveland
- Sisson v. Ruby
- Foremost Insurance v. Richardson
Correct answer: Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty
Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty (1969) held that fixed offshore platforms are extensions of the land, not vessels, removing them from admiralty jurisdiction.
Question 2: Under U.S. admiralty law, what is the statute of limitations for personal injury claims against a vessel owner?
- 3 years (Correct answer)
- 1 year
- 6 years
- 2 years
Correct answer: 3 years
46 U.S.C. § 30106 provides a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims in admiralty.
Question 3: Admiralty courts apply the doctrine of 'laches' rather than statutes of limitations primarily because maritime claims are rooted in which legal tradition?
- Equity (Correct answer)
- Common law tort
- Statutory law
- International treaty
Correct answer: Equity
Admiralty is historically an equity-based jurisdiction, so laches (unreasonable delay causing prejudice) governs timeliness rather than strict statutory deadlines in many contexts.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of Supplemental Admiralty Rule C in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure?
- To authorize arrest of a vessel or cargo to enforce a maritime lien (Correct answer)
- To allow removal of state court cases to federal admiralty court
- To establish venue for admiralty class actions
- To govern discovery in maritime disputes
Correct answer: To authorize arrest of a vessel or cargo to enforce a maritime lien
Supplemental Rule C governs in rem actions and authorizes the arrest of a vessel, cargo, or other property to enforce a maritime lien or right given by statute.
Question 5: Which legal standard determines whether a waterway qualifies as 'navigable' for admiralty jurisdiction purposes in the United States?
- The Daniel Ball test — capable of interstate commerce in its ordinary condition (Correct answer)
- Tidal influence only
- Federal navigability permit issuance
- Water depth exceeding 10 feet
Correct answer: The Daniel Ball test — capable of interstate commerce in its ordinary condition
Under The Daniel Ball (1871), navigability requires that the water be used, or susceptible of being used, as a highway for interstate or foreign commerce.
Question 6: A ship owner files a Petition for Exoneration or Limitation of Liability. Under which federal statute is this procedure governed?
- 46 U.S.C. §§ 30501–30512 (Limitation of Liability Act) (Correct answer)
- 46 U.S.C. § 688 (Jones Act)
- 33 U.S.C. § 905 (LHWCA)
- 46 U.S.C. § 31301 (Ship Mortgage Act)
Correct answer: 46 U.S.C. §§ 30501–30512 (Limitation of Liability Act)
The Limitation of Liability Act (46 U.S.C. §§ 30501–30512) permits vessel owners to limit their liability to the post-accident value of the vessel and pending freight.
Maritime Law Admiralty Jurisdiction and Courts 2
Which Supreme Court case established that admiralty jurisdiction does not extend to fixed structures permanently attached to the seabed?