Unfortunately, Trade Only Today recently shared that a Florida houseboater’s last appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the seizure and destruction of his floating home. Fane Lozman petitioned the justices to enforce their 2013 ruling and order the city of Riviera Beach to pay about $365,000 in order to cover legal fees and the floating home’s value, according to the Associated Press. The lower courts also chose to rule against the houseboater.

“I am disappointed that the lower courts were allowed to ignore the clear ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in my case without any corrective action being imposed,” Lozman had shared with the Associated Press in an email. “Equal justice under law, engraved above the entrance to the Supreme Court, unfortunately, did not happen this time around.”

Lozman’s dispute first started after he moved to a Riviera Beach marina in 2006. The city began plans to turn the marina over to a developer, which would lead to the seizure and destruction of his floating home. Lozman battled the city over its plans, but to no avail—his floating home was destroyed in 2010. According to Riviera Beach’s side of the argument, it shouldn’t be forced to pay Lozman because it was acting under the law of the time, before the Supreme Court’s decision. The 2013 ruling in question made it so strict federal maritime law couldn’t be applied to floating structure disputes with no traditional characteristics of a vessel (i.e., sails, engine, rudder, etc). 

You can check out the full report at Trade Only Today.