46 U.S.C. § 70504Chapter 705

§70504. Jurisdiction and venue

Primary source

Verbatim text below is from the United States Code (GovInfo), a public-domain U.S. government work.

Full Text

§70504. Jurisdiction and venue

(a) Jurisdiction.—Jurisdiction of the United States with respect to a vessel subject to this chapter is not an element of an offense. Jurisdictional issues arising under this chapter are preliminary questions of law to be determined solely by the trial judge.

(b) Venue.—A person violating section 70503 or 70508—

(1) shall be tried in the district in which such offense was committed; or

(2) if the offense was begun or committed upon the high seas, or elsewhere outside the jurisdiction of any particular State or district, may be tried in any district.

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
70504	46 App.:1903(f).	Pub. L. 96–350, §3(f), Sept. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 1160; Pub. L. 99–570, title III, §3202, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–97; Pub. L. 99–640, §17, Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3554; Pub. L. 104–324, §1138(a)(5), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3989.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–91 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows:

"(b) Venue.—A person violating section 70503 or 70508 of this title shall be tried in the district court of the United States for—

"(1) the district at which the person enters the United States; or

"(2) the District of Columbia."

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–407 inserted "or 70508" after "70503" in introductory provisions.

Last amended: December 31, 2024

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.