Exercising jurisdiction over maritime matters, under the authority of the United States Constitution and the Judiciary Act. See U.S.C. Constitution Art. III, Sec. 2, C1.1; 28 U.S.C. §1333. Admiralty jurisdiction includes only maritime matters or subjects, and may not be extended to non-maritime matters on the ground of convenience or because a particular case involves both maritime and non-maritime matters. 360 F. Supp. 674, 675; 14 F. 2d 949, 950. Federal courts, however, do not have exclusive admiralty jurisdiction since Congress enacted the "saving to suitors" clause, 28 U.S.C. §1333(1), which reserves concurrent jurisdiction to the state courts when a suit under admiralty law may be brought to obtain other than admiralty remedies. State courts hearing such claims must, however, apply admiralty law as developed by the federal courts.
Admiralty law is not a complete system and in the absence of clear precedents, "admiralty courts" may look to common law sources or the prevailing law of the jurisdiction. 185 F. 2d 212; "admiralty courts" are not courts of equity and will not enforce an independent equitable claim merely because it pertains to maritime property. They may, however, grant injunctions.
