Harbor Tug & Barge Company v. Papai (1996)
- Docket
- 95-1621
- Decided
- 1996-01-01
Summary
Question: Could a reasonable jury conclude that John Papai is a Jones Act seaman in accordance with his record of employment? Conclusion: No. In a 6-3 decision, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court ruled that John Papai's record would not permit a reasonable jury to conclude that he is a Jones Act seaman. Jones Act coverage is confined to seamen, those workers who face regular exposure to the perils of the sea. Justice Kennedy wrote, "[a]n important part of the test for determining who is a seaman is whether the injured worker has a substantial connection to a vessel or to a fleet of vessels, and the latter concept requires a requisite degree of common ownership or control."