Lawyers fail to recognize a vessel
Long time ago on the South Shore Harbor there was a riverboat casino called Bally’s. The combination of storm surge and wind knocked the old girl around and sent her off to dry dock for repairs. And here comes the funny thing. While repair were under way, the Orleans Levee District sent in the bailiffs to seize her for non-payment of rent. It seems the rent for tying up at the dock was payable even though the poor old thing might sink. Once the advocates were involved, money began being spend much more intensively. By the time they’d finished, the claim for rent was $20.6m, there were “fees” of $1.6m, and a repair bill of $1.5m - the riverboat knocked into the marina dock and did some damage. So the owners sold the riverboat (always sell your assets when sued). It’s renamed the Amanda Belle and up at Bayou Boeuf in St. Mary Parish. The judges offered the insight that a riverboat is a “vessel” (it floats and has a paddle to make it move) but the lease was for buildings. Without a maritime lease, there was no cause of action.
