Harbor in United States

Harbor Definition

(Saxon, here berga, station for an army). A place where ships may ride with safety; any navigable water protected by the surrounding country; a haven. It is public property. 1 Bouv. Inst, note 435. Harbor is to be distinguished from “port,” which has a reference to the delivery of cargo. See 7 Man. & G. 870; 9 Mete. (Mass.) 371-377; 2 Barn & Aid. 460. Thus, we have the “said harbor basin and docks of the port of Hull.” 2 Barn. & Aid. 60. But they are generally used as synonymous. Webster. In Torts. To receive clandestinely or without lawful authority a person for the purpose of so concealing him that another having a right to the lawful custody of such person shall be deprived of the same; for example, the harboring of a wife or an apprentice in order to deprive the husband or the master of them; or, in a less technical sense, it is the reception of persons improperly. 10 N. H. 247; 5 111. 498. The harboring of such persons will subject the harborer to an action for the injury; but, in order to put him completely in the wrong, a demand should be made for their restoration, for in cases where the harborer has not committed any other wrong than merely receiving the plaintiff’s wife, child, or apprentice, he may be under no obligation to return them without a demand. 1 Chit. Prac. 564; Dane, Abr. Index; 2 N. C. Law Rep. 249; 5 How. (U. S.) 215, 227.

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Legal Issue for Attorneys

(Saxon, here berga, station for an army). A place where ships may ride with safety; any navigable water protected by the surrounding country; a haven. It is public property. 1 Bouv. Inst, note 435. Harbor is to be distinguished from “port,” which has a reference to the delivery of cargo. See 7 Man. & G. 870; 9 Mete. (Mass.) 371-377; 2 Barn & Aid. 460. Thus, we have the “said harbor basin and docks of the port of Hull.” 2 Barn. & Aid. 60. But they are generally used as synonymous. Webster. In Torts. To receive clandestinely or without lawful authority a person for the purpose of so concealing him that another having a right to the lawful custody of such person shall be deprived of the same; for example, the harboring of a wife or an apprentice in order to deprive the husband or the master of them; or, in a less technical sense, it is the reception of persons improperly. 10 N. H. 247; 5 111. 498. The harboring of such persons will subject the harborer to an action for the injury; but, in order to put him completely in the wrong, a demand should be made for their restoration, for in cases where the harborer has not committed any other wrong than merely receiving the plaintiff’s wife, child, or apprentice, he may be under no obligation to return them without a demand. 1 Chit. Prac. 564; Dane, Abr. Index; 2 N. C. Law Rep. 249; 5 How. (U. S.) 215, 227.

This definition of Harbor is based on The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary. This entry needs to be proofread.

Finding the law: Harbor in the U.S. Code

A collection of general and permanent laws relating to harbor, passed by the United States Congress, are organized by subject matter arrangements in the United States Code (U.S.C.; this label examines harbor topics), to make them easy to use (usually, organized by legal areas into Titles, Chapters and Sections). The platform provides introductory material to the U.S. Code, and cross references to case law. View the U.S. Code’s table of contents here.