Maritime Legal Glossary: J
Jacob's ladder : a rope ladder suspended from the side of a vessel and used for boarding.
Jettison: act of throwing cargo or equipment (jetsam) overboard when a ship is in danger.
Jones act: merchant marine act of 1920, section 27, requires that all u.s. domestic waterborne trade be carried by u.s.-flag, u.s.-built, and u.s.-manned vessels.
Judgment: a court's official decision on the matters before it.
Judgment non obstante veredicto: known also as a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. A decision by a trial judge to rule in favor of a losing party even though the jury's verdict was in favor of the other side. Usually done when the facts or law do not support the jury's verdict.
Jurisdiction: a court's authority to rule on the questions of law at issue in a dispute, typically determined by geographic location and type of case.
Jury charge: the judge's instructions to the jurors on the law that applies in a case and definitions of the relevant legal concepts. These instructions
may be complex and are often pivotal in a jury's discussions.
Just cause: a legitimate reason.
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