The US Department of Justice, coordinating with the Pentagon, is preparing to
restart a maritime prize court dormant since WWII to strengthen a blockade of
Iran and help offset wartime costs, sources said. Texas Southern District U.S.
Attorney Aaron Reitz confirmed the DOJ is restarting the mechanism. If
implemented, federal prosecutors could more quickly condemn and sell tankers or
oil seized during hostilities as US property, with proceeds remitted to the US
Treasury; DOJ is focused on routing cases through the Houston-based Texas
Southern District. The prize mechanism has been rarely used since 1898 and
dormant after WWII; legal challenges are expected over whether current
operations meet the Prize Act’s conditions and whether seizures without
congressional authorization are lawful.
