Louisiana Court Orders $15,000 Damages in 70‑foot Boundary Dispute

The Louisiana Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, on September 2024, upheld a lower court ruling that fixed a 70‑foot timber strip as the boundary between the Colvin and Jones families in Union Parish, ordering the Colvins to pay $15,000 in damages. The families had owned adjacent parcels for over a decade, with the dispute igniting after the Colvins claimed the strip lay entirely within their 23‑acre property, citing 1989 and 2012 surveys.

The trial court examined several surveys, including a 2012 professional survey by James Michael Duty that placed the old downed wire fence south of the Colvins’ northern boundary. Duty testified that the recorded property line was north of the fence, aligning with public records, while the Colvins’ 2022 survey—triggered by uncertainty—placed steel posts along that same line.

Tensions escalated when the Colvins erected “No trespassing” signs, bright lights, and even a dead cow near the contested area. On April 11, 2023, Jesse Colvin installed eight‑by‑12‑foot commercial signs, and by May 20 he mounted three larger four‑by‑16‑foot signs on eight‑foot poles, each bearing harassing slogans. The signs were illuminated by a generator that rattled the Joneses’ home, and the dead cow was placed near the boundary in a gesture that the court deemed a threat.

The appellate court rejected the Colvins’ appeal, holding that the trial court had correctly fixed the boundary at the old fence based on possession evidence. The ruling enforces the $15,000 damages and affirms a permanent injunction against further obstruction, setting a binding precedent for future property‑line disputes in Louisiana.

The Joneses, who had used the disputed strip for hunting, now face a court‑ordered financial penalty and must respect the injunction. The enforcement of the damages will be handled by the Louisiana Department of Revenue, while the injunction remains in effect pending any potential appeal by the Colvins.

Local residents in Union Parish noted the case’s high‑profile nature, with one neighbor remarking that the dispute had turned a quiet community into a courtroom drama. The outcome is expected to influence how future boundary disagreements are resolved, emphasizing the importance of accurate surveys and early mediation.