Legal Definition and Related Resources of Captain

(Lat. capitaneus; from caput, head). The commander of a company of soldiers. The term is also used of officers in the municipal police in a somewhat similar sense; as, captain of police; captain of the watch. The master or commander of a merchant vessel, or a vessel of war. A subordinate officer having charge of a certain part of a vessel of war. In the United States, the commander of a merchant vessel is, in statutes and legal proceedings -and language, more generally termed “master (q.v.) In foreign laws and languages he is frequently styled “patron.” The rank of captain in the United States navy is next above that of commander, and captains are generally appointed from this rank in the order of seniority. The president has the appointing power, subject to the approval and consent of the senate.

What does Captain mean in American Law?

The definition of Captain in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

While today principally describing a particular military, especially nautical, rank (and an important one in the latter case, for a captain is ordinarily one in command of a ship), “captain” once described more generally any commanding officer. Only later were the various ranks of captains distinguished, e.g., by calling one with authority over several others “captain general,” i.e., general captain whence our modem “general.”

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This definition of Captain Is based on the The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary . This definition needs to be proofread..

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