Ask a Maritime Attorney - Page 51 of 66

David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.

Protecting Your Rights in an Insurance Claim Investigation

January 22, 2010

Our boat suffered a “partial submersion” while we were under way during a short cruise a couple of months ago. We managed to make it back to the dock in the company of the Harbor Patrol and a commercial assist company,...

What Happens When a Boat Is Jointly Owned and One Partner Files Bankruptcy?

December 23, 2009

My husband and I own a sailboat and keep it in a marina in Los Angeles Harbor. We have a past due balance with our marina and my husband is in the process of filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. I am not filing bankruptcy, but my...

Deposit Extortion: A Poorly Drafted Contract Leads to a Lawsuit

December 10, 2009

In our last installment of “Ask a Maritime Attorney,” we departed from our usual format and shared a legal “war story,” rather than answering a specific question. Our readers seemed to have some fun with that format,...

A Title Nightmare: Two Titles and Two Owners for One Yacht

November 25, 2009

For this installment of “Ask a Maritime Attorney,” we are departing somewhat from our usual format. We are asked from time to time to share legal “war stories,” so rather than answering a specific question, we will...

What’s the Difference Between Maritime Liens and Mortgages?

November 13, 2009

I reviewed one of your recent columns in The Log, discussing the fact that maritime liens will amount to a valid claim against a boat, even if the claim is never recorded with the Coast Guard. Can you explain whether this is...