Atlantic Works v. Tug Glide

This is a petition under Pub. Sts. c. 192, § 17, to enforce a lien given by § 14 of the same chapter, for repairs furnished to a vessel — in this case a tug-boat—in her home port. The respondents filed a motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction, which was allowed by the Superior Court. The only question is whether the Superior Court has a right to exercise the jurisdiction which the statute purports to confer upon it.

There is no doubt that, when the maritime law gives a lien and a proceeding in rent, a State statute cannot give the State courts concurrent jurisdiction by professing to…