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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102

§7802 Admiralty Claims Against the United States

Title 10 › Subtitle B — Army › PART IV — SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROCUREMENT › CHAPTER 781 — MILITARY CLAIMS › § 7802

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Army can settle certain maritime claims against the United States. It covers three kinds of claims: damage caused by Army vessels or other Army-controlled property; payment for towage and salvage (including contract salvage) for Army vessels or property; and damage from maritime wrongs by Army employees or Army property. If the settlement is $500,000 or less, the Secretary may pay it. If it is more than $500,000, he must send it to Congress. For any payment of $100,000 or less, the Secretary may give his settlement power to a person in the Department that he chooses.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §7802

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Army may settle or compromise an admiralty claim against the United States for—
(1)damage caused by a vessel of, or in the service of, the Department of the Army or by other property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army;
(2)compensation for towage and salvage service, including contract salvage, rendered to a vessel of, or in the service of, the Department of the Army or to other property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army; or
(3)damage caused by a maritime tort committed by any agent or employee of the Department of the Army or by property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army.
(b)If a claim under subsection (a) is settled or compromised for $500,000 or less, the Secretary of the Army may pay it. If it is settled or compromised for more than $500,000, he shall certify it to Congress.
(c)In any case where the amount to be paid is not more than $100,000, the Secretary of the Army may delegate his authority under subsection (a) to any person in the Department of the Army designated by him.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 4802(a) 4802(b)4802(c)10:1861 (less 35 words before 1st proviso, and less last proviso).10:1861 (last proviso).10:1866 (as applicable to 10:1861).Oct. 20, 1951, ch. 524, §§ 1 (less 35 words before 1st proviso), 6 (as applicable to § 1), 65 Stat. 572, 573. In subsection (a), the words “consider, ascertain, adjust, determine” are omitted as covered by the word “settle”, as defined in section 4801 of this title. 10:1861 (1st proviso) is omitted as unnecessary, since other applicable claims laws are restated in this title. 10:1861 (2d proviso) is omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 4802 of this title as this section. 1989—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–189 substituted “$100,000” for “$10,000”. 1972—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–417 substituted “Admiralty claims against the United States” for “Damage by United States vessels, towage and salvage of United States vessels” in section catchline, in text preceding par. (1), struck out requirement that the Secretary of the Army discharge his functions under the direction of the Secretary of Defense, in par. (1) inserted “or by other property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army,” in par. (2) inserted “or to other property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army; or,” and added par. (3). 1965—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–67 substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 7802

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102