March 23, 1776 - Congress Authorizes State Admiralty Courts
Various state governments had been issuing letters of marquee authorizing privateers to attack British shipping since hostilities had broken out in 1775. Connecticut had authorized its courts to act as admiralty courts in 1775, as had Virginia and Massachusetts. George Washington had also commissioned privateer vessels. These various courts differed in their rules of conduct for privateers. The Continental Congress formalized the process and created a uniform code of conduct for these courts with the passage of this act on March 23, 1776. Most of the states established admiralty courts during the remainder of 1776 and thereafter. New York did not establish an admiralty court due to the British occupation of the state, beginning in 1776.
Admiralty Court
An admiralty court has jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offenses. One duty of the admiralty court was to decide if a prize taken in wartime by a privateer was a legal prize, under the terms of the letter of marquee. During the Revolutionary War most admiralty courts did not allow an appeal on a judgment to the Continental Congress. Of the twelve admiralty courts established, only Maryland and New Hampshire allowed an appeal to Congress. In the remainder a decision by a judge was final.
Various state governments had been issuing letters of marquee authorizing privateers to attack British shipping since hostilities had broken out in 1775. Connecticut had authorized its courts to act as admiralty courts in 1775, as had Virginia and Massachusetts. George Washington had also commissioned privateer vessels. These various courts differed in their rules of conduct for privateers. The Continental Congress formalized the process and created a uniform code of conduct for these courts with the passage of this act on March 23, 1776. Most of the states established admiralty courts during the remainder of 1776 and thereafter. New York did not establish an admiralty court due to the British occupation of the state, beginning in 1776.
Admiralty Court
An admiralty court has jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offenses. One duty of the admiralty court was to decide if a prize taken in wartime by a privateer was a legal prize, under the terms of the letter of marquee. During the Revolutionary War most admiralty courts did not allow an appeal on a judgment to the Continental Congress. Of the twelve admiralty courts established, only Maryland and New Hampshire allowed an appeal to Congress. In the remainder a decision by a judge was final.
