Opinion ID: 78532
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: The judicial power of the federal courts extends to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction. U.S. Const. art. III, § 2, cl. 1. The jurisdiction of the federal courts is limited, however, by the Eleventh Amendment, which provides that [t]he Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State. U.S. Const. amend. XI. While early cases cast doubt on whether the Eleventh Amendment is applicable in this context, the Supreme Court has more recently held in rem admiralty actions are not wholly exempt from the Amendment's limitations on federal jurisdiction. See California v. Deep Sea Research, Inc., 523 U.S. 491, 502-03, 118 S.Ct. 1464, 1470-71, 140 L.Ed.2d 626 (1998). Although the Eleventh Amendment bars federal jurisdiction over general title disputes relating to state property interests, it does not defeat federal jurisdiction over all in rem admiralty actions to which a state claims an interest. Id. at 506, 118 S.Ct. at 1472. As in all cases involving sovereign immunity, the state must not consent to the federal court's jurisdiction or otherwise waive its immunity. Coll. Sav. Bank v. Fla. Prepaid Postsecondary Educ. Expense Bd., 527 U.S. 666, 675, 119 S.Ct. 2219, 2226, 144 L.Ed.2d 605 (1999). The state must also have a colorable claim to possession of the res. Fla. Dept. of State v. Treasure Salvors, Inc., 458 U.S. 670, 697, 102 S.Ct. 3304, 3321, 73 L.Ed.2d 1057 (1982). Finally, the state must be in possession of the res. Deep Sea Research, 523 U.S. at 507-08, 118 S.Ct. at 1473. Georgia has not waived its immunity and has asserted at least a colorable claim to ownership of the res. The sole issue raised on appeal is thus whether Georgia had possession of the logs lying at the bottom of the Altamaha and Flint Rivers. [5]