SAVING-TO-SUITORS CLAUSE

saving-to-suitors clause.Maritime law. In the federal statutory provision granting admiralty

and maritime jurisdiction to the federal courts, a clause that preserves the option to file suit in a

nonadmiralty court. 28 USCA § 1333(1). • The nonadmiralty court is typically either a state court

or a law-side federal court. Under the reverse-Erie doctrine, the nonadmiralty court is required to

apply the same law that the admiralty court would have used. — Also termed saving clause.

[Cases: Admiralty 2. C.J.S. Admiralty §§ 13–18.] [Blacks Law 8^th]