United States v. Lee - Significance, Search On High Seas Lawful, Was There A High Seas Search?, Impact, Related Cases

United States v. Lee - Further Readings

United States v. Lee - Significance

The ruling resolved the question of whether the U.S. Coast Guard could board and search American vessels on the high seas and arrest persons on the vessels for violations of the Tariff Act of 1922 and the National Prohibition Act. The Court concluded that if probable cause existed to believe that the vessel and persons in it were violating U.S. revenue laws, the Coast Guard could seize, board, and…

United States v. Lee - Search On High Seas Lawful

The Supreme Court, in a decision authored by Justice Brandeis, reversed the circuit court of appeals. In the Supreme Court, the government argued that the Coast Guard has authority to visit, search, and seize an American vessel on the high seas beyond the 12-mile limit when probable cause exists that a U.S. law is being violated. The government also argued that the Coast Guard has authority to arr…

United States v. Lee - Was There A High Seas Search?

United States v. Lee - Impact

The Court's ruling in this case and in Maul v. United States, legalized expansion of the U.S. Coast Guard's jurisdiction to enforce the Tariff Act and the National Prohibition Act beyond the territorial waters and the high seas 12 miles outward from the coast. The ruling reflected the government's efforts to intensify the pressure against "rum-runners" who circumvented the prohibition laws by smug…

United States v. Lee - Related Cases