Appellate Law

Eleventh Circuit: The Power of Two, And Of A Picture

By Matt Conigliaro

This decision by the Eleventh Circuit caught my eye for three reasons.

First, the panel ultimately consisted of only two judges because a third judge originally assigned to the case retired months ago. The quorum agreed on the case’s disposition and resolved the case.

Second, the decision contains some interesting challenges involving the Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act, including a discussion of how the United States may regulate stateless, unflagged vessels traveling in international waters. The interdiction at issue occurred 163 nautical miles off the Colombian coast, which Colombia considers within its territorial waters.

Third, the decision ends with an appendix containing a color picture, apparently taken from a helicopter and showing the interdiction of the sinking semi-submersible vessel at issue in the case.

Full post as published by Abstract Appeal on February 16, 2011 (boomark / email).