Document: 532 U.S. 811121 S.Ct. 1927150 L.Ed.2d 34 NOTICE: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the preliminary print of United States Reports. Readers are requested notify Reporter Decisions, Supreme Court States, Washington, D. C. 20543, any typographical or other errors, order that corrections may be made goes press.NORFOLK SHIPBUILDING & DRYDOCK CORPORATION, PETITIONERv.CELESTINE GARRIS, administratrix ESTATE OF CHRISTOPHER DECEASED No. 00-346. SUPREME COURT THE UNITED STATES Argued April 18, 2001Decided June 4, 2001 Syllabus In her complaint filed District Court, respondent alleged son died as a result injuries sustained while performing sandblasting aboard vessel berthed navigable waters States. She further asserted were caused by negligence petitioner and another, prayed for damages under general maritime law. The dismissed failure state federal claim, stating no cause action exists, law, death resulting from negligence. Fourth Circuit reversed, explaining although this had not yet recognized wrongful negligence, principles contained Moragne v. Marine Lines, Inc., 398 375, such an appropriate. Held: Moragne-for violation duties, id., at 409-is available negligent breach duty care. Although Moragne's did limit its rule particular duty, facts limited seaworthiness, so issue has remained technically open. There rational basis, however, distinguishing unseaworthiness. Negligence less than choice-of-law remedial anomalies provoked withholding remedy severe. Nor precluded three relevant statutes provide remedies suffered admiralty: Jones Act, Death on High Seas Longshore Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Because Congress's extensive involvement legislating causes personal injuries, it will better course, many cases assert new claims beyond what those have seen fit allow, leave development Congress. See, e.g., American Dredging Co. Miller, 510 443, 455. today, only most technical sense. law tort more century, been clear since breaches actionable when they death, injury. Pp. 2-9. 210 F.3d 209, affirmed. ON WRIT CERTIORARI TO APPEALS FOR FOURTH CIRCUIT Scalia, J., delivered Parts I, II-A, II-B-1 which unanimous, Part II-B-2 was joined Rehnquist, Stevens, O'Connor, Kennedy, Thomas, JJ. Opinion Justice Scalia Court. 1 question presented case whether care 2 * According Eastern Virginia, son, Christopher Garris, 8, 1997, his one day later. App. Pet. Cert. 53. Garris work USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless employ Tidewater Temps, subcontractor Mid-Atlantic Coatings, turn Norfolk Shipbuilding Drydock Corporation. And caused, continued, subcontractors, case. injured, invoked admiralty jurisdiction, Const., Art. III, 2, cl. 1; 28 U.S.C. 1333 also Virginia statute, Va. Code Ann. 8.01-50 8.01-56 (2000). 3 categorical reason "no nonseaman territorial negligence." Civ. A. 2:98CV382, 1998 WL 1108934, *1 (ED Va., Aug. 31, 1998) (unpublished). Appeals reversed remanded proceedings, our decision 375 (1970), 211 Judge Hall concurred judgment because, view, itself action. Id., 222-227. denied petitioner's suggestion rehearing en banc, with two judges dissenting. 215 420 We granted certiorari. 531 1050 II 4 Three four issues settled, fourth us. It settled imposes duties avoid unseaworthiness see, Mitchell Trawler Racer, 362 539, 549-550 (1960) (unseaworthiness); Leathers Blessing, 105 626, 630 (1882) (negligence), nonfatal either compensable, Mahnich Southern S. Co., 321 96, 102-103 (1944) Robins Dry Dock Repair Dahl, 266 449, 457 (1925) seaworthiness supra, 409. Before us should, must direction treated differently. 5 For 80 years, 1886 until 1970, all considered resolved, though third manner we just described. governing then Harrisburg, 119 199, 213 (1886): provides relief does death. Harrisburg said compelled existence same common 213-214-although acknowledged, 205-212, courts held recoverable see Moragne, 387-388 (listing cases). 6 1969, certiorari express purpose considering "whether ... should longer regarded acceptable law." U.S., 375-376. inquired defensible policy displayed Congress enacted, 379-393, pre-empted judicial overruling 393-403, stare decisis required adherence 403-405, insuperable practical difficulties would accompany Harrisburg's overruling, 405-408. Answering every no, overruled declared law: "We hold lie duties." 7 As noted earlier opinion, wrongful-death Yamaha Motor Corp., Calhoun, 516 214, n. 11 (1996) (dictum), but able find seaworthiness. distinctively seaworthiness: common-law adopted retained unmodified admiralty, adjusted their context, Kermarec Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, 358 625, 630-632 (1959), century ago exchanged law's contributory comparative Max Morris, 137 1, 14-15 (1890); Pope Talbot, Inc. Hawn, 346 406, 408-409 (1953). Consequently "tensions discrepancies" precedent arising "from necessity accommodate exclusively substantive concepts"-which ultimately drove abandon 401-were pronounced fact, both cited exemplify discrepancies involved 401 (citing Hess 361 314 (1960); Goett Union Carbide 340 (per curiam)); Nelson 639 F.2d 469, 473 (CA9 1980) (opinion then-Judge Kennedy) (concluding uniformity concerns application negligence). true, observes, accommodation constitutionally permissible, Western Fuel Garcia, 257 233, 242 (1921); Tungus Skovgaard, 588, 594 (1959),1 resolve here: requiring refusing recognize preferable matter policy. think not. 8 anomaly occasioned providing injury strange Of victims injured instant location covered provided injuries. Byrd Napoleon Avenue Ferry 125 F. Supp. 573, 578 La. 1954) (in involving single car accident ferry, applying claim deceased husband's surviving wife's injuries), aff'd, 227 958 (CA5 1955) curiam). cutting off person "a striking departure dictated elementary remedies," 381, breached "Where existing primary violations compensable if injury, nothing ordinary notions justice suggests nonactionable simply because serious enough death." Ibid. Finally, favoring recovery found implicit statutory cannot unseaworthiness, acts relied permit 46 688(a); Act (DOHSA), 761 et seq.; Engel Davenport, 271 33, 36-37 (1926) (Jones Act). sum, being assumed posture case,2 basis within exists denying son. B 9 Weightier arguments against recognizing without, admiralty. explained Miles Apex 498 19, 27 (1990), "[w]e live era seamen loved ones look primarily source legal protection death; [has] legislated extensively these areas." And, even "we authority substitute views expressed duly enacted statute." Mobil Oil Corp. Higginbotham, 436 618, 626 (1978). Hence, statute resolves issue, comply resolution. Dooley Korean Air Lines 524 116, 123-124 (1998). therefore make careful study here. 10 688(a), establishes course employment, seamen. See generally Chandris, Latsis, 515 347 (1995) (describing test seaman status). Respondent's who seaman, bears implication actions brought nonseamen. Export Alvez, 446 274, 282-283 (1980). Moreover, seamen, predicated imposes. 28-30 (seaworthiness). preclude respondent's DOHSA creates 395, representatives people killed "beyond marine league shore State," 761. waters, where expressly provisions "shall [not] apply," 767. after discussing interpreted terms do apply, 395-396, "was intended availability situations Act," 402. Or, "[t]o put another way, intention appears effect foreclosing nonstatutory might appropriate effectuate policies 400. pre-empt 12 (LHWCA), 44 Stat. 1424, amended, 33 901 seq., workers 902(3) (defining employees), no-fault workers' compensation (against employer, 904(b)) vessel, 905(b)) defendants, LHWCA pre-empts claims, 905(a), (b); cf. Sun Ship, Pennsylvania, 447 715, 723-726 (1980) (holding some employer pre-empted), preserves parties, 933(a), (i). party: neither employed nor owned he killed. 13 Petitioner argues, 933's preservation-of-other-claims intent reserve That argument withstand precedent, consistently 933 preserve well Shipping Sieracki, 328 85, 100-102 (1946); Cooper Stevedoring Fritz Kopke, 417 106, 113 (1974), including 411-413 (upholding longshoreman LHWCA). Petitioner's contention-that 1972 amendments bars text (which left unchanged) permits it-cannot succeed. find, does, anti-maritime-wrongful-death amendment 905(b), 86 1263, eliminated Bloomer Liberty Mut. Ins. 445 74, 83 ("Congress abolished longshoremen, 85 (1946)"). directed particular, generally, Edmonds 443 256, 262 (1979) acted 1972, among things, eliminate shipowner's liability ...-in words, overrule Sieracki"). To extent 905(b) reflects here, ratifying longshore harbor 259-260. 14 Even pre-emptive reach statutes, acknowledged contain prudential effect. "While there established continuing tradition lawmaking developed, insofar possible, harmonize enactments field." 455 (1994). Cf. Grupo Mexicano de Desarrollo, Alliance Bond Fund, 527 308, 332-333 (1999) (equitable power bankruptcy statute). occupation field already logically precedents. 15 16 equally 17 affirm Appeals. 18 ordered. 19 Ginsburg, concurring part, Souter Breyer, JJ., joined. NOTES: addressed 199 (1996), instances supplement remedy, case, pursuing remedies. After state-law jurisdictional grounds, re-filed court, resolved her. Brief Respondent 1. threshold that, regardless breach, could recovery. 2. free present regarding remand preserved. 20 whom Breyer join, part. 21 I join Court's opinion. 22 Following reasoning today holds agree reservation. II-B-2, counsels: "Because Congress." Ante, 9. itself, tugs opposite direction. Inspecting legislation, measures counseling elaboration advanced. 399-402, 409; 393 ("Where imposed absence legislative except class cases."). accord shared venture "federal lawmaking" stand still, "harmonize[s] (quoting (1994)). dictum.

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