Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§256 Jurisdiction of Consular Officers in Disputes Between Seamen

Title 22 › CHAPTER 6 — FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS › § 256

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States will enforce treaty rules that give a foreign nation's consular officers sole authority over fights or disputes at sea or in ports. That covers disagreements involving a ship’s master, officers, or crew and is carried out under sections 257 and 258. Before this applies to any country’s ships, the President must be satisfied that the other country has made the same arrangements and must issue a proclamation saying it is in force for that nation.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §256

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whenever it is stipulated by treaty or convention between the United States and any foreign nation that the consul general, consuls, vice consuls, or consular or commercial agents of each nation, shall have exclusive jurisdiction of controversies, difficulties, or disorders arising at sea or in the waters or ports of the other nation, between the master or officers and any of the crew, or between any of the crew themselves, of any vessel belonging to the nation represented by such consular officer, such stipulations shall be executed and enforced within the jurisdiction of the United States as declared in section 257 and 258 of this title. But before this section shall take effect as to the vessels of any particular nation having such treaty with the United States, the President shall be satisfied that similar provisions have been made for the execution of such treaty by the other contracting party, and shall issue his proclamation to that effect, declaring this section to be in force as to such nation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification R.S. § 4079 derived from act June 11, 1864, ch. 116, § 1, 13 Stat. 121.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 256

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102