The constitutional foundation

Article III includes admiralty and maritime cases within federal judicial power. The Constitution Annotated explains the historical development and categories of cases. Read the constitutional analysis.

The federal statute

28 U.S.C. § 1333 assigns original jurisdiction over civil admiralty and maritime cases to federal district courts while preserving other remedies through its saving-to-suitors clause. Read the full statute and notes.

Applying jurisdictional rules to a specific dispute requires analysis of its facts and applicable decisions. This page does not determine a court’s authority in an individual case.