Ponce Federal Bank, F.S.B. v. The Vessel "Lady Abby", Cristobal Burgos Rodriguez

BREYER, Chief Judge.

Ponce Federal Bank brought an in rem action in admiralty to foreclose its mortgage on a ship, the “Lady Abby.” It added an in personam claim, under the law of Puerto Rico, for a deficiency judgment against the Lady Abby’s current possessor, Cristobal Burgos. Burgos had bought the ship from the borrowers; he had promised the borrowers he would keep up the mortgage payments; and, he had failed to do so. The district court granted the deficiency judgment. 780 F.Supp. 878. Burgos appeals. We affirm the district court.

I

Jurisdiction

Burgos argues that the district court did not…