In United States v. Olivera et al., the Supreme Court considered whether a federal court had jurisdiction to try an individual for piracy on the high seas, even though he was not a citizen of any country and did not commit his crime within U.S. territorial waters or against its citizens or vessels. The defendants argued that because they were stateless persons, they could only be tried in their own countries if those countries chose to do so; otherwise, no nation had jurisdiction over them and thus no trial could take place at all. The Supreme Court disagreed with this argument and held that under international law, piracy is an offense against all nations regardless of citizenship status or location of commission; therefore, it falls within the exclusive cognizance of courts established by Congress as part of its power to define offenses committed on the high seas and punish offenders accordingly. Accordingly, it found that federal courts have jurisdiction over such cases involving non-citizens who are accused of committing acts outside U.S.-controlled territory but which still constitute violations under international law—in this case piracy—and affirmed the conviction below

In United States v. Olivera et al., the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a district court had jurisdiction over an indictment for piracy and murder on board a Spanish vessel in international waters. The majority of the Court held that it did, finding that Congress had given the federal courts exclusive jurisdiction over such cases by statute. However, Justice Grier dissented from this opinion, arguing that since there was no proof of any act committed within U.S. territory or against its citizens or property, Congress could not constitutionally extend its criminal laws beyond its own borders into foreign countries and their vessels at sea without violating principles of international law and comity between nations. He further argued that even if Congress had authority to do so under certain circumstances, it would have been necessary for them to make specific provisions in order for such crimes as piracy and murder on board foreign ships in international waters to be punishable by U.S courts; however they failed to do so here which meant the district court lacked jurisdiction over this case