United States Fifth Circuit

In a Carriage of Goods by Sea Act claim for rust damage caused by seawater, the district court did not improperly shift the burden of proof by finding that cargo was undamaged before loading and damaged at unloading, and properly found that defendants did not exercise due diligence in making the vessel seaworthy.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/14/2003
• Published 05/14/2003

Judges

• PATRICK E. HIGGINBOTHAM, Circuit Judge:, Before HIGGINBOTHAM, EMILIO M. GARZA and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fifth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Christopher E. Carey (argued), Montgomery, Barnett, Brown, Read, Hammond & Mintz, New Orleans, LA, for Steel Coils, Inc., Cynthia Anne Wegmann (argued), Charles F. Lozes, Terriberry, Carroll & Yancey, New Orleans, LA, for Western Bulk Carriers K/S Oslo., Francis J. Barry, Jr. (argued), Joseph Edward Lee, III, Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles, New Orleans, LA, for Itochu Intern., Inc.


• For Appellees:
  
• Andrew S. de Klerk (argued), Pamela Lynn Schultz, Frilot, Partridge, Kohnke & Clements, New Orleans, LA, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees.