A New Jersey federal court will consider for a second time whether it should force the sale of the home of a tax-indebted man and his wife, following a precedential ruling issued Monday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

In a sternly worded opinion, Third Circuit Judge Kent A. Jordan said that Gary and Beverly Cardaci should have been happy with the district judge's original ruling that they could keep their home if Gary Cardaci paid $80,000 in back business taxes to the government in the form of rent.

The government appealed the ruling and the Cardacis cross-appealed, questioning whether the court had the authority to order rental payments in the first place.