1817–1862: To manage the complex legal issues surrounding the detention of slaving vessels, several maritime powers established “Courts of Mixed Commission” …

1817–1862: To manage the complex legal issues surrounding the detention of slaving vessels, several maritime powers established “Courts of Mixed Commission” at key Atlantic locations. These joint adjudicative bodies, which included representatives from multiple nations, were stationed in ports such as Freetown, Havana, Luanda, and New York. While the courts had the authority to confiscate ships and release captives, they were legally restricted and could not exact penalties against the crews or owners of the vessels. The United States and France initially refused to participate fully in this international system, preferring to adjudicate suspects only within their own domestic courts.