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[GRAPHIC: John Hughes Cooper, P.C., Quality legal services in admiralty and maritime law, We cover the waterfront, 1-843-883-9099, www.JHCooper.com, 1808 Middle Street, P.O. Box 395, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482]

JOHN HUGHES COOPER: Maritime liens arise as a matter of law when there is a vessel collision, personal injury on a vessel, when a vessel damages other property, when a vessel owner, for instance, doesn't pay for materials or necessaries. And of course, there's a maritime lien that provides security on a preferred ship mortgage that's properly recorded.

The services of an attorney are recommended in enforcing a maritime lien in order to get the U.S. District Court to sign the proper orders and issue the proper warrant to encourage the U.S. Marshall Service to go with dispatch to serve the papers and arrest the vessel before it leaves.

Vessels are mobile and a vessel against which a client may have a lien can just sail away. And if that happens, then you have to find the vessel somewhere else in the world and start the process all over. So time is of the essence.

Conversely, with regard to defending against maritime liens, ship owners, vessel owners need a maritime lawyer to take the proper steps to avoid the arrest of the vessel.

[GRAPHIC: John Hughes Cooper, P.C., Quality legal services in admiralty and maritime law, We cover the waterfront, 1-843-883-9099, www.JHCooper.com, 1808 Middle Street, P.O. Box 395, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482]