Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd.

United States Supreme Court

545 U.S. 119 (2005)

Relevant factsFree

Disabled passengers led by Spector (plaintiff) sued NCL (defendant), a U.S.-based cruise operator whose ships were registered abroad, alleging Title III ADA violations including higher fees for disabled passengers and inaccessible ship amenities; the court of appeals dismissed the claims entirely based on the clear-statement rule shielding foreign-flag vessels' internal affairs.

IssueFree

Whether general United States statutes apply to the purely internal affairs of foreign-flag vessels in United States territory absent a clear statement of congressional intent.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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