United States v. Peters (1795)

United States v. Peters, 3 U.S. (3 Dall.) 121 (1795), was a United States Supreme Court case determining that the federal district court has no jurisdiction over a foreign privateer where the intended captured ship was not within the jurisdiction of the court. The Supreme Court may prohibit the district court from proceeding in such a matter. In the decision the court held:

United States v. Peters
Argued August 22, 1795
Full case nameThe United States v. Richard Peters, District Judge
Citations3 U.S. 121 (more)
3 Dall. 121; 1 L. Ed. 535; 1795 U.S. LEXIS 330
Holding
The Supreme Court can compel a federal trial judge to halt proceedings in a case which the Supreme Court feels is lacking sufficient evidence to proceed.
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Rutledge
Associate Justices
James Wilson · William Cushing
John Blair Jr. · James Iredell
William Paterson
Case opinion
MajorityRutledge, joined by unanimous

The district court has no jurisdiction of a libel for damages, against a privateer, commissioned by a foreign belligerent power, for the capture of an American vessel as prize—the captured vessel not being within the jurisdiction.

The supreme court will grant a writ of prohibition to a district judge, when he is proceeding in a cause of which the district court has no jurisdiction.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Reports of cases ruled and adjudged in the several courts of the United States, and of Pennsylvania: held at the seat of the federal government, Volume 3, Banks Law Pub. Co., 1905, pg. 120 [1]
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