Assignment One

Weeks One and Two will be busy because there is much important introductory material to cover--while online work scheduling is very flexible, it is important to stay on task! Note too, the Summer Term is shorter than a regular semester and the workload is more compressed to accommodate the shorter period.

This and Assignment-Week-Two are a fairly comprehensive introduction to the subject matter. If you acquire a comprehension of this material you should have little difficulty understanding the remaining substantive subject matter. On mastery, you should be able to read most any maritime decision thereby avoiding inevitable misunderstandings accompanying a lack of these conceptual groundings.

to do:

1. Read the Characteristic Features of The Admiralty for the historical background of U.S. admiralty law. [You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader on the computer you are using if other than a law school lab machine--if this link does not open, download the free Acrobat Reader from http://www.adobe.com]. You will most likely want to print this reading (14 pages).

2. Read casebook pages 8-83. The cases in this chapter have been extensively edited; they introduce the doctrinal and conceptual framework that controls and determines the federal scope of authority governing maritime matters. Note that they also demonstrate the nature of the political struggle for that control in the 19th century. Here is an important tip of information for your learning: take the time to "squib brief" each case for yourself--you will not be called on in class to recite :-)but there is, alas, a final examination to prepare for.

3. Answer this question and email your response to jpmcalis@samford.edu:

[Be certain to identify yourself in the email along with the assignment number]

Assume that the restaurant incident in Palumbo v. Boston Boat Co.(casebook at 32) occurred recently in Georgia on Lake Oconee. Go to: http://www.fishoconee.com/pages/oconee/oconee_map.html (explore the site and learn about the lake).
The plaintiff learned the "lessons" from Palumbo and does not plead a claim for pure economic loss. Is there federal maritime jurisdiction? Briefly explain.