Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries and offences. In law, jurisdiction refers to the aspect of a any unique legal authority as being localized within boundaries. ...

Admiralty Courts in England

Today Admiralty jurisdiction is exercised by the High Court of England and Wales. The admiralty laws which are applied in this court is based upon the civil law-based Law of the Sea, as well as statutory and common law additions. The term High Court could refer to one of the following institutions: High Court of England and Wales High Court of Australia The Four Courts of Ireland The High Court of Justiciary in Scotland And the 18 High Courts of India The High Court of Andhra Pradesh The High Court... Civil law has at least three meanings. ... Admiralty law (usually referred to as simply admiralty and also referred to as maritime law) is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. ...

Historically there were a number of admiralty courts. From about 1360 the sea coast of England and Wales was divided into 19 districts, and for each there was a Vice Admiral of the Coast, representing the Lord High Admiral. From 1360 to 1875 a Judge served as the "Lieutenant, Official Principal and Commissary General and Special of the High Court of Admiralty, and President and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty". In 1887 the High Court of Admiralty was absorbed into the new Probate Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court. No judges are now appointed for the local courts, and the judicial functions of the Lord High Admiral have been passed to the Family Division of the High Court. Events Treaty of Brétigny King Valdemar Atterdag of Denmark seizes Scania (from 1658 a Swedish province). ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English(100%), Welsh(20. ... For the international law of the sea, see Admiralty law. ... For the international law of the sea, see Admiralty law. ...

The sole survivor of the ancient local Courts of Admiralty is the Court of Admiralty for the Cinque Ports, which is presided over by the Judge Official and Commissary of the Court of Admiralty of the Cinque Ports. This office is normally held by a High Court Judge who holds the appointment of Admiralty Judge. The jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty of the Cinque Ports extends from Shore Beacon, Essex, to Redcliffe, near Seaford, Sussex. It covers all the sea from Seaford to a point five miles off Cape Grisnez on the coast of France, and the coast of Essex (and Birchington, near Margate, Kent. The Court now sits only rarely, and the last full sitting was in 1914. Accordingly to general civilian practice the registrar can act as deputy to the judge, and the only active role of the judge now is to take part in the installation of a new Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Appeals from the court's decisions lies to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Formally, in Kent and Sussex there are five Head Ports making up the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. ... A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office. ... Formally, in Kent and Sussex there are five Head Ports making up the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. ... Formally, in Kent and Sussex there are five Head Ports making up the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. ... Essex is an administrative county in the East of England. ... Redcliffe, Queensland Redcliffe is the name of a suburb in Perth, Australia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Seaford is the name of a place in the United Kingdom: Seaford, East Sussex Seaford is the name of some places in the United States of America: Seaford, Delaware Seaford, New York Seaford, Virginia Seaford is also a place in Victoria, Australia: Seaford, Victoria This is a disambiguation page — a... Sussex is a traditional county in southern England, divided for administrative purposes into West Sussex and East Sussex and the city of Brighton and Hove. ... This is in Nord-Pas de Calais, a region in northern France. ... Essex is an administrative county in the East of England. ... Birchington-on-sea is a town in Thanet, Kent. ... Location within the British Isles Margate was known as Meregate (in 1254) or Margate (in 1293) is on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, England. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. ... In education, a registrar is an official in an academic institution (a college, university, or secondary school) who handles student records. ... Flag of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. ... The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. ...

The jurisdiction of the High Court with respect to admiralty concern salvage, and other legal issues which are unique to the sea. Salvage is the process of rescuing the hull, equipment or cargo of a shipwreck or abandoned vessel. ...

Role in the American Revolution

During the period after the French and Indian War, Admiralty Courts became an issue that was a part of the rising tension between the British Parliament and their American Colonies. Starting with the Proclamation of 1763, these courts were given jurisdiction over a number of laws affecting the colonies. The jurisdiction was expanded in later acts of the Parliament, such as the Stamp Act of 1765. Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. ... The French and Indian War is the American name for the decisive nine-year conflict (1754-1763) in North America between Great Britain and France, which was one of the theatres of the Seven Years War. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ... The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued October 7, 1763 by the British government in the name of King George III to prohibit settlement by British colonists beyond the Appalachian Mountains in the lands captured by Britain from France in the French and Indian War/Seven Years War and to... The Stamp Act 1765 was the fourth Stamp Act to be passed by the British Parliament and required all legal documents, permits, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards in the American colonies to carry a tax stamp. ... 1765 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The colonists' objections were based on several factors. The courts could try a case anywhere in the British Empire. Cases involving New York or Boston merchants were frequently heard in Nova Scotia, and sometimes even in England. The fact that judges were paid based in part on the fines that they levied, and naval officers were paid for bringing 'successful' cases led to abuses. There was no trial by jury, and evidence standards were weaker than in criminal courts. The government's objective was to improve the effectiveness of revenue and excise tax laws. In many past instances, smugglers would avoid taxes. Even when they were caught and brought to trial, local juries frequently acquitted the popular local merchants whom they perceived as being unfairly accused by an unpopular tax collector.

Maritime jurisdiction in the United States

In the United States, the federal district courts have jurisdiction over all admiralty and maritime actions. The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. ...

Tax protestor arguments

In recent years, some tax protesters in the United States have claimed that any American court displaying an American Flag with a gold fringe is in fact an Admiralty Court and thus has no jurisdiction. All courts have dismissed this as frivolous. In United States tax law enforcement, a tax protester (or tax protestor) is a person who resists or refuses payment of a tax for which he or she is liable based on a belief that the tax laws are inapplicable or unconstitutional. ... Flag ratio: 10:19; nicknames: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory The flag of the United States consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in...

External Links

• The Navigation Act of September 13, 1660