There are lists of lien priorities in the documents below, but we do not know the source of those lists. Priority over common law liens is stated in 6. Their priority over statutory liens is stated in 7. Maritime liens have a higher priority than all other liens. The UNITED STATES is also the only government that has codified maritime liens into statutes, which is Title 46, Chapter 313. This law was initiated during the Civil War to confiscate property owned by enemies of the UNITED STATES government. The UNITED STATES is the only government that enforces admiralty law inland. The courts have termed this a " secret lien" because it is not filed anywhere. Thus a Notice of Lien can be sent to an alleged debtor without any proof or any filing. The creditor does not have to prove that the debt is owed unless someone files a counterclaim in a court. This is called an "in rem" action, in which the vessel or its cargo is seized without any proof. Therefore a creditor can have a vessel arrested by the police without any proof that the debt exists and without filing the lien. Because ships can sail out of a jurisdiction, the merchants needed swift execution to collect debts. Merchants and governments like admiralty law because it provides less rights to a debtor than the common law. Maritime liens are ancient encumbrances on vessels under Admiralty Law to enforce the payment of debts.
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