White House Planning to Reactivate Civil War-Era Court to Accelerate Theft of Iranian Oil

Piracy? US invokes Civil War-era court to justify seizing Iranian shipping

US president Donald Trump’s justice department wants to bring back a long-dead court to seize Iranian tankers. These so-called ‘prize courts’ date back to the 18th century and were last seriously used in the US Civil War and the world wars. The Trump administration believes they can be used to decide on ship seizures. In […] By Joe Glenton

DOJ plans to revive maritime prize courts to seize Iranian oil tankers as war prizes: report

The Department of Justice is planning to reactivate maritime prize courts in an effort to make it easier to claim Iranian oil tankers as war prizes to help offset the cost of the war, according to a new report. Utilizing prize courts would give the government a clearer path to legally claiming ships seized by the U.S. Navy in the course of its enforcement of a naval blockade of Iran as the government’s property.  That process would allow the gov…

White House Planning to Reactivate Civil War-Era Court to Accelerate Theft of Iranian Oil

The US Justice Department is preparing to reactivate prize courts to “adjudicate the disposition of [Iranian] captured vessels and cargo.” Bloomberg reported speaking with an attorney working with the Justice Department on reviving the court. “Our national security interests may require the United States military to seize vessels or cargo…

Report: U.S. Mulls Reviving Wartime 'Prize Courts' to Seize Iranian Tankers

"The seized goods would then be sold with proceeds transferred to the treasury." The post Report: U.S. Mulls Reviving Wartime ‘Prize Courts’ to Seize Iranian Tankers first appeared on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion.

US To Revive Civil War-Era Court To Seize Iranian Oil

Bloomberg Law reports: The Justice Department is preparing to activate a long-dormant maritime war court to streamline military capture of Iranian oil tankers as US prizes, according to three people familiar with the plans. Reviving prize courts, which is expected to face legal challenges, is intended to strengthen the blockade of Iran and offset the cost of the conflict. Aaron Reitz, the Houston-based US attorney whose office is partnering with…

White House weighs reviving 19th-century ‘Prize Courts’ to hijack Iranian oil tankers: Report

The US is seeking ways to tighten its blockade of Iran while fearing retaliation from China, Iran's economic 'lifeline'