Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Droits of Admiralty: The rights of the Lord High Admiral over things related to the sea, like recovering things from shipwrecks, enemy goods taken at the start of a war, treasure, and big fish. The money from these rights goes to the government. The Lord High Admiral got these rights from the king, and they came with some power to make decisions. People often fought over these rights in court. Nowadays, the money from these rights goes to the government's consolidated fund.
Definition: Droits of admiralty (droyts) are the rights of the Lord High Admiral related to the sea. These rights include the ability to recover proceeds from shipwrecks, enemy goods confiscated at the beginning of hostilities, jetsam, flotsam, treasure, deodand, fines, forfeitures, sturgeons, whales, and other large fishes. The proceeds from these droits are paid to the Exchequer's office for the public's use.
Examples: The crown had certain rights to property found upon the sea or stranded upon the shore. These included great fish like whales or porpoises, deodands, wreck of the sea, flotsam, jetsam, and lagan, ships or goods of the enemy found in English ports or captured by uncommissioned vessels, and goods taken or retaken from pirates. The Lord High Admiral became entitled to these droits by royal grant. Inquisitions were held into these droits at the ports, or the Vice-Admirals or droit gatherers reported them to the Admiral. The Admiralty droits are now transferred to the consolidated fund.
Explanation: The examples illustrate the different types of property that fall under the droits of admiralty. These include items like shipwrecks, enemy goods, and large fish. The Lord High Admiral had the right to these items and could recover the proceeds from them. The examples also show how these droits were managed and reported, either through inquisitions or reports to the Admiral. Finally, the examples demonstrate how these droits are now handled, with the proceeds going to the consolidated fund.