Vessels › SCOTUS

Floating Homes Are Not Boats, Supreme Court Rules

Floating homes that aren’t designed to actually travel across the water should not be classified as boats and don’t have to follow federal admiralty law, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week....more

Supreme Court Issues New "Reasonable Observer" Test on What Constitutes a Vessel

In Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, Florida, No. 11-626 (January 15, 2013), the U.S. Supreme Court "reformulated" the definition of "vessel." It explained that an objective test, which looks to the physical characteristics of...more

If it Floats, it May Not be a Boat – the U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies the Definition of a Vessel

The U.S. Supreme Court settled an important conflict between the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits this week, holding a floating home, incapable of propelling itself, was not a “vessel” within the meaning of the Rules of...more

Jones Act Status Remains Unavailable On SPARS

Jones Act status remains unavailable on SPAR Platforms, a type of deepwater floating oil drilling and production facility used in the offshore petroleum industry. While, as noted in the recent blog by Joseph Devall, Jr., the...more