The Case of the S.S. "Lotus"

E240555

The Case of the S.S. "Lotus" is a landmark 1927 decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice that shaped principles of jurisdiction in international law following a high-seas collision between French and Turkish vessels.

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The Case of the S.S. "Lotus" canonical 2

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf international court case
judgment of the Permanent Court of International Justice
landmark case in international law
alsoKnownAs France v. Turkey
Lotus case
applicantState France
areaOfLaw law of the sea
public international law
aroseFrom collision between the French steamship Lotus and the Turkish collier Boz-Kourt
collision on the high seas
citedBy later international tribunals
citedIn commentaries on the law of the sea
textbooks on public international law
contains dissenting opinions
court Permanent Court of International Justice
decisionDate 1927-09-07
decisionType judgment on the merits
flagStateOfOneVessel France
flagStateOfOtherVessel Turkey
historicalContext interwar period
incidentLocation high seas
influenced development of international criminal jurisdiction doctrines
scholarly debates on the nature of international law
subsequent jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice
jurisdictionTypeConsidered flag state jurisdiction
objective territorial principle
territorial jurisdiction
keyHolding Turkey did not act in conflict with international law by instituting criminal proceedings against the French officer
states may exercise jurisdiction unless there is a prohibitive rule of international law
languageOfProceedings French
legalIssue interpretation of customary international law on collisions at sea
scope of territorial jurisdiction in international law
whether Turkey could exercise criminal jurisdiction over a French officer for acts committed on the high seas
notableFor formulation of the Lotus principle on jurisdiction
strong affirmation of state sovereignty in absence of prohibitive rules
party French Republic
Turkey
surface form: Republic of Turkey
placeOfCourt The Hague
principleEstablished Lotus principle
permissive nature of international law regarding jurisdiction
respondentState Turkey
subjectMatter criminal jurisdiction on the high seas
international jurisdiction
law of the sea
state sovereignty
vote majority decision
yearDecided 1927

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Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lotus case officialName The Case of the S.S. "Lotus"