LibGuides: Maritime Law Resources: Introductory Materials

Nutshells

Nutshells provide a concise overview of an area of law. The three Nutshells listed below introduce researchers to several important areas of Maritime Law.

Admiralty in a Nutshell, 6th by Frank L. Maraist; Thomas C. Galligan
Call Number: KF1105 .M34 2010 (Reserves)
ISBN: 0314926992
Addresses maritime tort law, collision law, worker injury claims, wrongful death, and platform injuries. Explores maritime property liens and the seaman's employment contract, wages, and compromise of claims. Discusses marine insurance, towage and pilotage, salvage, and general average. Also covers sovereign immunity; joint and several liability, indemnity, and contribution; liability limitations; and jurisdiction and procedure in maritime claims.
Coastal and Ocean Management Law by Donna R. Christie; Richard G. Hildreth
Call Number: KF5627 .Z9 C48 2007 (Reserves)
ISBN: 0314161546
Coastal and Ocean Management Law in a Nutshell surveys the continually evolving law of the coasts and oceans. The material is unique because it does not analyze the law of a discreet substantive field of law, but instead looks at the law in relation to a place the coasts and oceans. These areas are viewed from common law and modern regulatory perspectives, from the federal and state levels, and from an international perspective. Starting with principles of the common law concerning the public trust doctrine and ownership of waters and coastal lands, the book moves to modern issues of beach access, coastal development and regulation of coastal resources, and the Coastal Zone Management Act. Offshore resource management issues, including outer continental shelf oil development and mining, fisheries, historic wrecks, navigation and pollution control, and protection of marine species are also surveyed. Finally, recent developments in the law of the sea and the United States? ocean law and policy responses are reviewed.
The Law of the Sea in a Nutshell by Louis B. Sohn; Kristen Gustafson
Call Number: KZA1145 .S64 2010 (Reserves)
ISBN: 0314823484
This comprehensive guide summarizes the current principles and rules governing the international law of the sea. Topics include the rights and responsibilities of states in various zones of the oceans, fisheries and non-living resources,vessel nationality and jurisdiction over vessels, maritime terrorism and security, maritime boundary delimitation and baselines, marine environment and dispute settlement mechanisms. The text discusses the widely accepted United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant treaties, legislation, and jurisprudence, including U.S. And European laws, cases, and practice.

Specialized Maritime Terminology

Maritime Law, like all areas of law, has specialized terms of art. The following resources will assist researchers in locating the meaning of those terms.

Black's Law Dictionary
The gold standard of legal dictionaries, Black's will assist researchers in defining many Maritime Law terms.
Glossary of Maritime Law Terms, 2nd Ed., 2004
Compiled by Prof. William Tetley, this list of Maritime Law terms will assist researchers with any terms of art they may not be familiar with in the realm of Maritime Law.
Maritime and Waterways Law Dictionary
Part of Duhaime's Law Dictionary, this list provides definitions of terms related to Maritime Law, ships, vessels, salvage, and more.
Online Nautical Dictionaries
This link will provide researchers access to multiple online dictionaries defining nautical terms that may be encountered while conducting Maritime Law research.

Maritime Law Treatises

Listed below is a selection of Maritime Law treatises. This list is not exhaustive, however it is representative of the Maritime Law resources accessible at NCCU's Law Library. Researchers can also locate materials related to Maritime Law using the Law Library's catalog and searching with the following subject headings:

admiralty -- united states
coastal zone management -- law and legislation -- united states
law of the sea -- united states
maritime law -- united states
merchant marine -united states
merchant mariners -- legal status, laws, etc. -- united states
sailors -- legal status, laws, etc. -- united states
shipping -- united states

This is not an exhaustive list of possible subject headings. Please contact a Reference Librarian if you need further assistance.

Admiralty by Gilmore; Black
Call Number: KF1104 .G5 1975
ISBN: 0882774093
Publication Date: 1975-10-01
While an older text, this work is recognized as a leading general authority in the field of Maritime Law.
Admiralty and Maritime Law by Thomas J. Schoenbaum; Jessica Mcclellan
Call Number: KF1104 .S36 2012 (Reserves)
ISBN: 031491157X
The Fifth Edition of this leading treatise, which is widely cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal and state courts, contains an updated, comprehensive analysis of the law of admiralty and shipping. Every section has new footnotes and there is over 100 pages of new or revised text. New documents were added as well. This resource is widely recognized as the standard work in the field.
Benedict on Admiralty by Frank L. Wiswall
Call Number: Electronic Resource via LexisNexis
ISBN: 0820511307
Benedict on Admiralty is a multivolume treatise providing information on nearly every topic falling under the purview of Maritime Law.

This resource must be accessed via LexisNexis using your individual log in information.
Carriage of Goods by Sea by Stephen Girvin
Call Number: KD1819 .G57 2007
ISBN: 0198764588
Publication Date: 2007-02-22
Carriage of Goods by Seacontains contains a lucid analysis of the law on the subject written primarily from the perspective of English law but with reference to cases in other major commonwealth countries. This book fills an important gap in the existing literature on the subject. It is one of a small number of one volume texts covering the subject in its entirety, with the added benefit of being fully up-to-date and appealing both to a practitioner and a student audience. Coverage includes all the traditional topics, such as bills of lading and charterparties (voyage, time, and demise), and focuses also on each of the international conventions regulating the subject. Additionally, the content of the book extends to such issues as limitation, admiralty claims (in the cargo context), and a brief discussion of maritime arbitration. Although written from the perspective of English law, a particular feature is the extensive cross-referencing to (and analysis of) the law in other major common law jurisdictions (especially Australasia, Malaysia and Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Africa).
Federal Judicial Center's Admiralty & Maritime Law by Federal Judicial Center
Call Number: JU 13.2:AD 6 Government Documents and via Westlaw
The FJC's Admiralty & Maritime Law introduces federal judges and lawyers to admiralty and maritime law, including both general maritime and statutory law. The author examines the rules relating to jurisdiction and procedure that are peculiar to this field. Topics include areas relating to commercial law, such as charter parties, carriage of goods, and marine insurance. The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Pomerene Act, and the Harter Act receive extensive treatment. The monograph explains the body of law dealing with maritime personal injury and death, including damages and seamen's remedies, the Jones Act, and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Collision, towage, pilotage, salvage, limitation of liability, maritime liens, and general average are also covered.

This resource can also be accessed via WestlawNext using your individual log in information.
The Law of Maritime Personal Injuries by Robert Force; Martin J. Norris
Call Number: Electronic Resource via Westlaw
Comprehensive coverage of maritime personal injury issues. Contains thorough technical explanations and practical applications of the leading cases, devoting entire sections to landmark decisions such as Scandia Steam Navigation Co. v. De Los Santos. Details rules to follow when you're faced with a maritime personal injury lawsuit. Analyzes increasing number of passenger personal injury cases regarding negligence, navigation, medical attention, protection from harm, passenger negligence, and more. Provides thorough treatment of the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act.

This resource must be accessed via WestlawNext using your individual log in information.
The Law of Seamen by Martin J. Norris
Call Number: Electronic Resource via Westlaw
Authoritative coverage of maritime law governing rights and obligations of merchant seamen. Includes statutes, rules, and case law. Covers jurisdiction, definitions, duties of American consuls, relation of foreign counsels to seamen, maritime administrative law, shipping articles, log books, desertion, crew salvage, criminal offenses, loss of clothing and personal effects, wages, change of rating, fine and forfeitures, deductions and set-offs, improper discharge, transportation and repatriation, the wreck statute, maritime liens, punishment, false imprisonment, seamen’s releases, duties of mater and crew, maintenance and cure, seaworthiness, suits against the government, the Death on the High Seas and Jones Acts, products liability, and practice and procedure.

This resource must be accessed via WestlawNext using your individual log in information.
Schoenbaum's Admiralty and Maritime Law by Thomas J. Schoenbaum
Call Number: Electronic Resource available via Westlaw
A comprehensive guide to the special procedures, rules, jurisdictional questions, and remedies for American and international admiralty and maritime law.

This resource must be accessed via WestlawNext using your individual log in information.