This new casebook, written in "stand alone" fashion for maximum customization by instructors, provides a pragmatic look at contemporary admiralty practice as well as a solid foundation for students contemplating a maritime law career. In assembling the text, the authors have drawn from a mix of older and newer cases, edited with a light touch, and even added touches of humor and references to popular culture. They also have:

• incorporated generous amounts of material from "emerging" areas of admiralty practice (such as cruise ship and pleasure boat claims);
• given equal time to "brown water" and "blue water" issues;
• devoted considerable attention to professional ethics;
• prepared chapter overviews, extensive notes, numerous cites to secondary sources, and a comprehensive index to help guide students through the readings;
• included in each of the book's 62 sections a challenging problem (as well as a "citing" decision) to stimulate classroom discussion; and
• written a highly-detailed teacher's manual (available only to professors) that will aid both new and experienced instructors.