Thompson v. Lucas
Headline: Court affirms that crew members on a British ship can recover wages under the Seamen’s Act of 1915, despite a wage demand made more than five days after arrival, rejecting a desertion defense.
Holding:
- Allows crew to recover wages under Section 4 despite delayed wage demands.
- Rejects desertion as a bar to recovery in these facts.
- Affirms lower courts’ rulings applying prior related decision.
Summary
Background
A group of crew members sailed on the British steamer Westmeath for a voyage not to exceed one year. While the voyage was still within that year the ship reached New York harbor, where it loaded and unloaded cargo. The crew asked for one-half of their wages under Section 4 of the Seamen’s Act of 1915. That request was refused, and the crew sued for full wages. The ship’s side argued that the crew had deserted and so should not recover wages.
Reasoning
Lower courts — the District Court and the Circuit Court of Appeals — ruled that the crew had made their case under the statute and could recover. This Supreme Court opinion says the case is governed by the same principles used in a closely related earlier decision (No. 373) and notes the only difference here is that the crew’s demand was made more than five days after the ship arrived in a United States port. In all other important respects the earlier decision controls the outcome, so the Court affirms the appeals court decree.
Real world impact
The ruling upholds the crew’s right to recover under Section 4 in these facts, even with a delayed demand and despite the desertion claim. It follows and applies the Court’s earlier reasoning, so seamen in similar situations may rely on the same statutory interpretation when seeking wages in court.
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