Twiggs County Land Dispute Goes To Court

JEFFERSONVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)-There’s a dispute in Twiggs County over more than 400 acres of land, and today a hearing was held to give both sides in the case a chance to tell the court why they feel the land is theirs. The lawsuit was filed by Allan Evans who is from Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Evans claimed his family owned the land back in the Civil War era and lost it because they moved out of the state.

In court, Evans explained to James Nelson, Special Master presiding for the case, why 405 acres of land belongs to his family. Evans said he has tax records and census records proving the land is his family’s. But, Attorney Randal Harrison said Evans doesn’t have the deeds to prove he owns the land.

“I have been practicing law since 1974, and I have never been involved in a case where someone was claiming a title based on unrecorded deeds that where over 200 years old and not having possession of the property,” said Attorney Randal Harrison.

Evans said the reason he doesn’t have the deeds to the land is because it was burned in the Twiggs County Courthouse fire in 1901. Evans declined to talk on camera. The judge is expected to make a ruling on whether to move forward in this case within the next couple of weeks.