Executive Jet Aviation, Inc., et al. v. City of Cleveland et al.

Decided December 18, 1972. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 71-678 · 409 U.S. 249 (1972) · Cited 929 times

Holding

Neither the fact that an aircraft goes down on navigable waters nor that the negligence 'occurs' while the aircraft is flying over such waters is sufficient to confer federal admiralty jurisdiction over aviation tort claims, and in the absence of legislation to the contrary such jurisdiction exists with respect to those claims only when there is a significant relationship to traditional maritime activity.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Victory Carriers, Inc. v. Law · 404 U.S. 202 (1971)
• T. Smith & Son, Inc. v. Taylor · 276 U.S. 179 (1928)
• Gutierrez v. Waterman Steamship Corp. · 373 U.S. 206 (1963)
• Atlantic Transport Co. of W. Va. v. Imbrovek · 234 U.S. 52 (1914)
• Healy v. Ratta · 292 U.S. 263 (1934)
• Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. · 395 U.S. 352 (1969)
• Chelentis v. Luckenbach Steamship Co. · 247 U.S. 372 (1918)
• The Propeller Genesee Chief v. Fitzhugh · 53 U.S. 443 (1852)
• O'Donnell v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. · 318 U.S. 36 (1943)
• Nacirema Operating Co. v. Johnson · 396 U.S. 212 (1969)
• Philadelphia, Wilmington, & Baltimore Railroad v. Philadelphia & Havre De Grace Steam Towboat Co. · 64 U.S. 209 (1860)
• The Admiral Peoples · 295 U.S. 649 (1935)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Foremost Insurance v. Richardson · 457 U.S. 668 (1982)
• Sisson v. Ruby · 497 U.S. 358 (1990)
• Jerome B. Grubart, Inc. v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. · 513 U.S. 527 (1995)
• Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs v. Perini North River Associates · 459 U.S. 297 (1983)
• East River Steamship Corp. v. Transamerica Delaval Inc. · 476 U.S. 858 (1986)
• Offshore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire · 477 U.S. 207 (1986)
• Finley v. United States · 490 U.S. 545 (1989)
• Mobil Oil Corp. v. Higginbotham · 436 U.S. 618 (1978)
• Zicherman Ex Rel. Estate of Kole v. Korean Air Lines Co. · 516 U.S. 217 (1996)
• Askew v. American Waterways Operators, Inc. · 411 U.S. 325 (1973)
• Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach · 568 U.S. 115 (2013)
• Axon Enterprise, Inc. v. FTC · 598 U.S. 175 (2023)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1972). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).