Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102

§6303 Rights of Parties in Interest

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part D — Marine Casualties › CHAPTER 63 — INVESTIGATING MARINE CASUALTIES › § 6303

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

In investigations under this chapter, five groups—owners; holders of a license or registry certificate or of a merchant mariner’s document; people being investigated; and other interested parties—may have a lawyer, question witnesses, and call witnesses.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §6303

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In an investigation conducted under this chapter, the following shall be allowed to be represented by counsel, to cross-examine witnesses, and to call witnesses:
(1)an owner,
(2)any holder of a license or certificate of registry,
(3)any holder of a merchant mariner’s document,
(4)any other person whose conduct is under investigation, and
(5)any other party in interest.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 630346:239(d) section 6303 provides for the rights of parties in interest to an investigation by allowing them to be represented by counsel, to cross examine witnesses, and to call witnesses. This section merely states the rights of a party in interest but does not necessarily determine who is to be considered a party in interest. Clause (4) states that these rights are to be afforded to “any other person whose conduct is under investigation” (emphasis added). This implies that clauses (1) through (3) apply to individuals whose conduct is under investigation. If any individual does not qualify for these rights under clauses (1) through (4), that individual can still be entitled to these rights under clause (5), if designated as a party in interest. Since parties in interest are not clearly set out by statute, the Secretary has the authority to do this by regulation under section 6301. Thus the rights of these parties as presently provided for in existing law have been retained.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 6303

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102