46 USC 11109 – Attachment of wages
(a) Wages due or accruing to a master or seaman are not subject to attachment or arrestment from any court, except for an order of a court about the payment by a master or seaman of any part of the master’s or seaman’s wages for the support and maintenance of the spouse or minor children of the master or seaman, or both. A payment of wages to a master or seaman is valid, notwithstanding any prior sale or assignment of wages or any attachment, encumbrance, or arrestment of the wages.
Terms Used In 46 USC 11109
- Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
- individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
- vessel: includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water. See 1 USC 3
(b) An assignment or sale of wages or salvage made before the payment of wages does not bind the party making it, except allotments authorized by section 10315 of this title.
(c) This section applies to an individual employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel.