West Chatham Admiralty & Maritime Lawyer, Massachusetts

... Though Federal District Courts generally and traditionally have original and exclusive jurisdiction over "[a]ny civil case of admiralty or maritime jurisdiction," see 28 USC § 1333(1) (2006), such claims can be set forth at law in State court pursuant to the "saving to suitors" clause. ...

... 7] interpreting the analogous Federal forfeiture statute are not instructive on this point because 319 21 USC § 881(b) (1988) (amended 2000), stated that civil forfeiture proceedings were governed by the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset ...

... 3. Discussion. [6] While sitting in admiralty in The Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co., 407 US 1 (1972), the United States Supreme Court considered the enforceability of a forum-selection clause contained in an international towage agreement. ...