Prize court

A prize court is a court (or even a single individual, such as an ambassador or consul) authorized to consider whether prizes have been lawfully captured, typically whether a ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war or under the terms of the seizing ship's letters of marque and reprisal.

Prize courts were common in the 17th through 19th centuries, during times of American or European naval warfare.

§§ 7651–7681, the district courts have exclusive jurisdiction in prize cases.

Due to changes in the nature of naval warfare, no prize cases have been heard since the statutes were adopted in 1956.

The way of appeal is open to the President of the French Republic acting as judge.