Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A pilot is someone who controls a plane or a ship. There are two types of ship pilots: compulsory and voluntary. A compulsory pilot is required by law to guide a ship for a specific purpose, like piloting the ship into a harbor. If a compulsory pilot causes a collision, the ship's owner is not personally liable. A voluntary pilot is someone who controls a ship with the owner's permission. If a voluntary pilot causes a collision, the ship's owner is responsible for any damage.
Definition: A pilot is a person who is in control of a vessel or an airplane.
In maritime law, there are two types of pilots:
For example, if a ship is entering a harbor and a compulsory pilot is guiding it, and the ship collides with another vessel, the ship's owner is not personally liable for the damage caused by the collision. However, the ship itself can be held responsible. On the other hand, if a ship owner hires a voluntary pilot to guide the ship and the ship collides with another vessel, the ship owner is personally liable for the damage caused by the collision.