A Tampa Bay area couple is trying to save their beloved treehouse, and they're taking their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

  • Lynn Tran, Richard Hazen built large treehouse on property
  • Holmes Beach mayor says it has to be taken down
  • Couple is appealing their case to the US Supreme Court

What was built as a place for relaxation has caused many sleepless nights for Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen. 

For the past six years, their treehouse has towered over Holmes Beach, a spectacle for people who pass by. 

"We can't imagine it not being there," Richard Hazen said. 

A year after the treehouse was built, the city ordered them to take it down, citing code violations and a lack of permits. 

The mayor of Holmes Beach said the treehouse was not allowed to be built there and needs to come down.

But the couple is fighting to keep it.

"It has gone through the circuit court, it has gone through the district court, the Florida district court. The district court refused to hear us, so now we end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether they will hear us or not," Lynn Tran said. 

It may seem like a lot of effort to fight for something so simple, but the couple said they have done everything the city has asked to keep the sanctuary up.

At this point, they said, the appeal is about proving a point.

"We're a small property owner, and we didn't do anything wrong. It is our property rights, it is our petition rights," they said. 

After surviving Hurricane Irma, the couple said they won't let anyone or anything push them around.

The U.S. Supreme Court's website states the high court takes cases with national significance. On average, about 7,000 cases are submitted for review, and the high court's justices take on about 150.