Woman jailed after refusal to sign over family’s 1,300 acres of Mississippi land claim

Jennine Labuzan says she spent two weeks in federal custody after refusing to sign a court‑ordered deed that would end her claim to more than 1,300 acres of Mississippi land her family traces back nearly two centuries.

A Search for Family History Led to a Land Dispute

According to Capital B News, Labuzan began researching her ancestry after years of hearing relatives recite names of long‑gone family members. During that search, she found documents showing her third‑great‑grandfather, Charles Augustus Labuzan, a New Orleans native, held an interest in 1,361 acres in Washington County, Mississippi.

Federal records show Charles Labuzan and two partners purchased the land in 1836 and received a patent in 1840. The patent included the phrase “to heirs and assigns forever,” a detail Labuzan believes supports her claim as a direct descendant.

A Case That Grew Larger Over Time

Labuzan paid for a title abstract and filed a deed to record her claim. In 2022, she sued several law firms, farms and agricultural businesses she says have occupied the land without rightful ownership. She expected a straightforward process. Instead, the case expanded into a complex dispute involving multiple courts and repeated setbacks.

The defendants — Cochran & Cochran Land Co., Cochran Farms, Lakeland Farms, Greenlee Family LLC, Jennings Farms LLC, and the estate of David T. Cochran — argue she is not the rightful owner. They say her ancestor sold his interest to the Merchant Bank of New Orleans in 1848 and accuse her of slandering their title.

Her attempt to bring the case before the U.S. Supreme Court failed when the court declined to hear it. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld a lower court ruling against her.

Contempt Order Led to Jail

In March, U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock held Labuzan in contempt after she refused to sign a quitclaim deed. Aycock said Labuzan had ignored two previous orders, issued in 2024 and 2025, directing her to execute the deed.

By June, Labuzan again refused to sign. U.S. Marshals took her into custody and transported her from Georgia to Tennessee and then to Mississippi. She told Capital B News the experience was “disheartening,” noting she had never been jailed before.

Even so, she says she remains committed to protecting what she believes is her family’s historical property.

A Growing Online Campaign to support Jennine Labuzan

Labuzan’s daughter has been one of her most visible supporters. She posted videos on Instagram that drew widespread attention and helped push the case into national conversation.

Jennine Labuzan (center)

Labuzan continues to represent herself and has launched a GoFundMe to cover legal costs. The campaign has raised more than $13,000 as supporters share her story across social media platforms. Her fight has resonated with families confronting similar disputes over ancestral land tied to federal patents and long‑standing claims.

A Judge Questions the Government’s Position

Capital B reports in a July 14 memorandum opinion, U.S. District Judge Robert P. Chamberlin denied the government’s motion to dismiss a related claim. He wrote that the government failed to show how much land Charles Labuzan owned or whether he conveyed all of it in the 1848 deed.

“There is nothing to suggest that Charles only owned an undivided fourth part,” Chamberlin wrote. “For all the Court knows at this point, Charles could have owned up to a third, and perhaps more.”

The case will continue.

Jennine Labuzan’s New Legal Front

Earlier this year, Labuzan filed a separate lawsuit against the federal government after learning the Army Corps of Engineers is allegedly occupying 94 acres tied to her ancestors.

With increased attention on her case, she has expanded her genealogy and land‑records business. She says she wants to help others understand how land patents and grants shaped ownership across the United States.

“We need to let people understand in a simple way how American lands were given out,” she told Capital B. “Once we get these doors knocked down, people can walk through them, too.”

A Fight That Continues

Labuzan says the ordeal has taken a mental, physical and financial toll. She expects she will need therapy, but she remains surrounded by family, including her daughter Fajr, who has helped her navigate the process.

Despite the setbacks, Labuzan’s appeal remains active. She says she intends to continue seeking recognition of her family’s ownership and hopes the courts will acknowledge the historical record she uncovered.