Document: 543 U.S. 481 STEWARTv.DUTRA CONSTRUCTION CO. No. 03-814. Supreme Court of United States. Argued November 1, 2004. Decided February 22, 2005. As part a project to extend the Massachusetts Turnpike, respondent Dutra Construction Company dug trench beneath Boston Harbor using its dredge, Super Scoop, floating platform with bucket that removes silt from ocean floor and dumps it onto adjacent scows. The Scoop has limited means self-propulsion, but can navigate short distances by manipulating anchors cables. When dredging here, typically moved once every couple hours. Petitioner, marine engineer hired maintain Scoop's mechanical systems, was seriously injured while repairing scow's engine when scow collided. He sued under Jones Act, alleging he seaman Dutra's negligence, § 5(b) Longshore Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), 33 U. S. C. 905(b), which authorizes covered employees sue "vessel" owner as third party for an injury caused owner's negligence. District granted summary judgment on claim, First Circuit affirmed. On remand, LHWCA claim. In affirming, noted had conceded found alleged negligence been committed in capacity employer not vessel's owner. Held: A dredge is LHWCA. Pp. 487-497. (a) Congress enacted 1920 remove bar suits seamen. Although does define "seaman," maritime law backdrop at time passed shows "seaman" term art established meaning general law. LHWCA, 1927 provide scheduled compensation land-based workers "a master or member crew any vessel," 902(3)(G), works tandem Act: provides tort remedies sea-based workers' employees. McDermott Int'l, Inc. v. Wilander, 498 337, Chandris, Latsis, 515 347, this addressed relationship worker must have vessel order be "master member" crew. Now turns other half LHWCA's equation: determining whether watercraft vessel. 487-488. (b) did enacted, §§ 1 3 Revised Statutes 1873 specified that, after 25, 1871, "`vessel' includes description water-craft artificial contrivance used, capable being transportation water." such Act. Section 3's definition remained virtually unchanged present continues supply default throughout Code. merely codified acquired fact, prior passage lower courts treated dredges vessels. By those Acts became 1920's, settled defined their purposes, structure's status depended structure instrument naval transportation. See Ellis States, 206 246, 259. Then now, served waterborne function: performing work they carried machinery, equipment, over water. This continued treat defining construe consistently Norton Warner Co., 321 565. 488-492. (c) Cope Vallette Dry Dock 119 625, Evansville & Bowling Green Packet Co. Chero Cola Bottling 271 19, adopt vesselhood narrower than 3. Rather, made sensible distinction between temporarily stationed particular location permanently anchored shore floor. used transport meaningful sense if moored otherwise rendered practically incapable movement. including special-purpose vessels like dredges, sweeps broadly, prerequisites qualifying some limits. seeking prove his duties contributed function mission connection substantial nature duration. supra, 376. 493-495. (d) held because primary purpose navigation commerce actual transit Stewart's injury. Neither prong test consistent text law's "vessel." requires only "used, water," primarily purpose. "capable used" equipment passengers water — so used. Similarly, requiring motion qualify sort "snapshot" rejected Chandris. That "in navigation," 373-374, locomotion given moment matters, structures may lose character withdrawn extended period. navigation" requirement thus relevant craft used," inquiry involve factual issues jury, here no facts were dispute. stationary repaired; taken out service, anchored, transport. Finally, imposes liability owners longshoremen. However, meaningfully either 902(3)(G) defines 495-497. 343 F. 3d 10, reversed remanded. THOMAS, J., delivered opinion Court, all Members joined, except REHNQUIST, who took decision case. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR FIRST CIRCUIT. 2 David B. Kaplan argued cause petitioner. With him briefs Thomas M. Bond, W. Robertson, Michael Sturley. Lisa Blatt States amicus curiae urging reversal. her brief former Solicitor General Olson, Deputy Hungar, Howard Radzely, Allen H. Feldman, Mark Flynn. 4 Frederick E. Connelly, Jr., respondent. Harvey Weiner John J. O'Connor.* 5 JUSTICE THOMAS Court. 6 question case 2(3)(G) 44 Stat. (pt. 2) 1425, added 2(a) Pub. L. 98-426, 902(3)(G). We hold is. 7 * Boston's Central Artery/Tunnel Project, "Big Dig," Commonwealth undertook Turnpike through tunnel running South Logan Airport. employed assist undertaking. At time, owned world's largest digging 50-foot-deep, 100-foot-wide, three-quarter-mile-long now Ted Williams Tunnel. 8 massive clamshell suspended sediment one two scows float alongside dredge. certain characteristics common seagoing vessels, captain crew, navigational lights, ballast tanks, dining area. But lacks others. Most conspicuously, self-propulsion. It long tugboat. (To Big Dig, towed home base California Panama Canal up eastern seaboard Harbor.) navigates trench, way hours, covering distance 30-to-50 feet each time. 9 petitioner Willard Stewart, engineer, systems during harbor. accident, lay idle scows, Scow 4, suffered malfunction sea. Stewart board feeding wires open hatch located about 10 above While perched beside hatch, move scow. process, collided causing jolt plunged headfirst deck below. injured. 38 1185, amended, 41 1007 96 1955, 46 App. 688(a), also filed alternative claim 11 arguing seaman. company acknowledged [Super Scoop's] crew," 230 461, 466 (CA1 2000); spent "[n]inety-nine percent job" aboard 20 (Defendant's Memorandum Support Summary Judgment); "duties function" id., 32. purposes pointed Appeals' en banc DiGiovanni Traylor Brothers, Inc., 959 2d 1119 1992), "if barge ... float's business commerce, then assigned thereto enterprise are considered seamen transit" plaintiff's Id., 1123 (internal quotation marks omitted). Dutra, rather 12 interlocutory appeal, Appeals affirmed, concluding too bound DiGiovanni. 3d, 467-468. court reasoned construction "[a]ny required incidental function." 468. concluded movement accident help (which stationary) 469. 13 favor liable 905(b). again explaining "the `vessel' `significantly more inclusive evaluating Act.'" 2003) (quoting Morehead Atkinson-Kiewit, J/V, 97 603, 607 1996) (en banc)). nonetheless agreed Court's conclusion 14 certiorari resolve confusion how determine 540 1177 (2004). II 15 Prior usually entitled fell sick both maintenance cure (or right cared paid wages voyage, see, e. g., Harden Gordon, Cas. 480, 482-483 (No. 6,047) (CC Me. 1823) (Story, J.)), damages "injuries received consequence unseaworthiness ship," Osceola, 189 158, 175 (1903). Suits against shipowners however, barred. Courts presumed seaman, signing articles employment assumed risks occupation; "not allowed recover indemnity master, crew." Ibid. 16 354 (1995). Specifically, provides: 17 "Any shall suffer personal course may, election, action law, trial statutes modifying extending common-law remedy cases railway apply." 688(a). 18 statute silent Congress' subsequent enactments guidance. 19 First, available employment," it. 355 (citing Goltra, 293 155, 159 (1934)); G. Gilmore Black, Law Admiralty 6-21, pp. 328-329 (2d ed. 1975). Second, provided further guidance excepts coverage vessel." exception simply refinement `seaman' Act." 347 (1991). Thus, complementary regimes tandem: workers, Ibid.; Swanson Marra 328 6-7 (1946). 21 Still, discerning contours status, even language aids interpretation, easy. 356. began clarifying pair cases, turn 22 Just Act,1 itself.2 elsewhere. enactment, specified: 23 "In revised statutes, act resolution twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred seventy-one, . [t]he word water."3 Stat., pt. p. 1. 24 Sections show use "includes 25 definition, repealed recodified 1947 Rules §3, present.4 Even Code, "unless context indicates otherwise." surrounding enactment 26 Friedell, Benedict 165 (rev. 7th 2004). decades following regularly jurisprudence. Taking issue presented here—whether vessel—prior often conclude vessels.5 27 From very beginning, these understood differences traditional Though smaller, earliest essentially same here. For instance, could speaking equally Alabama declared: 28 "The propulsion own anchors, windlass, rope, distances, carrying dredging. Both place where towed, tows upon high seas. adapted carriage freight passengers, evidence point ever employed." Alabama, 544, 545 (SD Ala. 1884). 29 Huismann Pioneer, 30 (EDNY 1886). None prevented recognizing navigated waters." 546; see 207; International, 89 484, 485 (CA3 1898). first implicitly "Virginia Ehrman" "Agnese," 309 (1878), explicitly 246 (1907). Ellis, considered, inter alia, various federal labor case, appellants "vessels" within Rev. 3, S., 249. responded all, "towed port port." 253. Citing Justice Holmes Government's argument, stating "[t]he vessels" "were admiralty jurisdiction States." 31 These early statutes. R. Hughes, Handbook 5, 1920). then, function, since See, Butler 45 951, 955 (CA4 1930) (finding "sustained overwhelming weight authority"); Hurricane, 70, 72 (ED Pa. 1924) (expressing "no doubt" vessels), aff'd, 396 1925). 32 light term's 565 (1944), harbor vessel" finding "barge [was] Act," quoted "vessel," cited support holding several earlier based 571, n. 4. therefore confirmed should construed Since Norton, said comparable LHWCA.6 B Despite reliance argues narrowed definition. says drydock, 630 (1887), wharfboat attached mainland, (1926), people, freight, cargo place. According adopted text. 34 misreads Evansville. Cope, plaintiff sought salvage award having drydock sinking steamship 625-626. dock "moored lying [the] usual place" occupied past years. 626. circumstances, "fixed structure" "permanently moored," anchored. 627. involved secured cables mainland. Local water, electricity, telephone lines ran wharfboat, evincing "permanent location." 22. And neither "taken nor "used carry another." "was transportation." 35 drawn affixed resting F., 546 (noting possess "mobility navigate," distinct fixed wharves, drydocks, bridges). Simply put, 36 sensible: ship do depending anchor, docked loading unloading, berthed minor repairs, ships practical matter remain remote possibility day sail again. Pavone Mississippi Riverboat Amusement Corp., 52 560, 570 (CA5 1995) (floating casino longer semi-permanent indefinite manner"); Kathriner Unisea, 975 657, 660 (CA9 1992) processing plant "large opening [had been] cut into hull," rendering moving water). informed would sweep reach array commonly thought e.g., Leocal Ashcroft, ante, ("When interpreting statute, we give words `ordinary natural' meaning" Smith 508 223, 228 (1993))). 37 Applying brings purview sorts limits, notwithstanding breadth. mission, though eligible "master[s] member[s]" C Appeals, relying previous 468-469. 39 water" require 485. recognized, "function Harbor, bottom moved." 12. words, water—it things. Indeed, Tunnel unable traverse Stewart. 40 Also, need Looking motionless "oscillate back forth activity engaged injured," 363, pass accident. Granted, sometimes spoken never indicate mattered. periods Roper 368 20, 21, (1961); West 361 118, 122 (1959). mean stood apart might nevertheless "vessel Templeton, 378 845, 851 (CA8 2004) ("[T]he `vessel navigation' expansive `vessel'"). 42 Instead, element watercraft. lodged shipyard put sea, less loose sail. remains watercraft's "as theoretical one. Supra, 11-12. 373, others scow; 43 although provision excludes Act's coverage, below concession necessary previously 905(b)'s "`significantly 607). approach tenable. appears 2, III since, Under transportation, regardless state moment. Because injury, seeming incongruity grouping seafaring done precisely that: "[I]t seems stretch imagination class hands mud quiet waters Potomac creek bold skillful mariners breast angry waves Atlantic; far-reaching principles underlie adapt themselves new kinds property sets operatives conditions brought existence progress world." Saylor Taylor, 77 476, 479 1896). reversed, remanded proceedings opinion. 47 ordered. 48 CHIEF Notes: Briefs ofamici reversal Association Trial Lawyers America deGravelles Casey, Jr.; Diamond Offshore Drilling, et al. James Patrick Cooney; Brotherhood Carpenters Joiners Hillsman T. DeCarlo. amici affirmance Signal Mutual Indemnity Walsh; LaQuay Dredging, Gus Oppermann V. Shipping 1916, 801. speaks "vessels," "seamen." event, identified reference exclusion, ("a vessel"), matters. And, explain, suggests controlling 1972 Amendments amended what blush "vessel": "Unless otherwise, person benefits chapter suffers death arising employment, owner, pro hac vice, agent, operator, charter bare boat charterer, officer, member." 902(21). conjunction third-party Rather specifying vessel, 902(21) instead lists parties negligent operation SeeMcCarthy Bark Peking, 716 130, 133 (CA2 1983) (§ "circular" "does precise included substantially before, 1866 antismuggling 178, 1870 "provid[ing] Relief disabled Seamen," ch. CLXIX, 169 (italics deleted); seeid., 7, 170. During codification, hyphen removed "watercraft." 61 633 See,e.g., 1884) (dredge subject liens); 206, 207 1886) 3); 477 1896) seamen); 484-485 1898) Eastern Corp. Great Lakes Dredge 256 497, 500-501 1919) (type called "drillboat" Los Angeles Dredging 364, 365-366 1926) engineers seamen). Jerome Grubart, 513 527, 535, (1995) (indicating crane Extension Jurisdiction Act); Southwest Marine, Gizoni, 502 81, 92 (1991) (holding jury reasonably find platforms "vessels Laughlin Steel Pfeifer, 462 523, 528-530 (1983) (treating coal 905(b)); cf. Senko LaCrosse 352 370, 372 (1957) (assuming vessel); 375, (Harlan, dissenting) (same).

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