William P. Brooks Construction Co. v. Guthrie

A question of jurisdiction and one of the right to a jury trial are presented by these appeals. The object of the litigation is a shrimp trawler, the Moon River II. It is undisputed that William P. Brooks Construction Co. (Brooks) was at all relevant times the titleholder of record of the trawler. This litigation began when Brooks brought an action in the District Court to recover possession of the trawler from Guthrie. Brooks invoked the District Court’s admiralty jurisdiction pursuant to F.R.Civ.Proc. 9(h). Guthrie filed a cross-action, asserting rightful possession by virtue of an oral…