Compare a ship-sale buyer to the documentation eligibility categories
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Copy the buyer description the memorandum already states, and record which category in 46 USC section 12103(b) the description appears to name. Do not say a certificate will issue, and do not add a sale-form clause.
- What the lawyer must review
- Section 12103(a) provides that a certificate of documentation may be issued only if the vessel is wholly owned by eligible owners under subsection (b), is at least 5 net tons, and is not documented under a foreign country. Subsection (b) lists an individual United States citizen; an association, trust, joint venture, or other entity whose members are citizens and which can hold title; a partnership whose general partners are citizens and whose controlling interest is owned by citizens; a corporation incorporated under United States or state law whose chief executive officer and chairman of the board are citizens and whose noncitizen directors are no more than a minority of the number needed for a quorum; the United States Government; and the government of a State. Subsection (c) allows a temporary certificate before measurement, notwithstanding subsection (a)(2). A coastwise endorsement is a further question and is not decided by section 12103. No sale-form clauses were opened. You decide eligibility. Opinion 512.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.