By Andrea’ Barnes, MCJ Director, Heirs’ Property
Land is more than property. For many Mississippi families, it is history. It represents the sacrifice of ancestors and loved ones. It is tangible proof that someone — a grandparent, a great-uncle, a parent — built something and left it behind for the people they loved.
But for too many families across the state, that inheritance has come without a deed, a will, or a clear legal title. What is known as heirs’ property, land passed down informally from generation to generation, leaves families in a legally precarious position. Individual heirs cannot take out loans, lease the land, or make improvements without the consent of every heir, including those who may be unknown, unreachable, or unwilling. This legal uncertainty makes families uniquely vulnerable when disaster strikes. Families who have inherited land without a proper title or will often have very little recourse after hurricanes and tropical storms tear through their communities — unable to access federal disaster relief, unable to rebuild, and at real risk of losing family land.
That is why, although MCJ began this work in 2006 in response to the needs of families impacted by Hurricane Katrina, we launched a dedicated Heirs’ Property Campaign in 2021—and for the past five years, have expanded our efforts with a team of attorneys and professionals focused on protecting family land across Mississippi.
Our heirs’ property portfolio works with families directly to protect the land they have inherited; resolve disputes, or other challenges that come with heirs’ property, and most important work with these families to preserve and ensure this land builds generational wealth.
Over the next four weeks, through a blog series, we will be diving into what this work looks like in practice and how we work with families on the issues and challenges they often encounter with heir’s property. To kick off this series, here are five ways MCJ’s Heirs’ Property Campaign work has made a real difference.
1. Helped Families Avoid Foreclosure and Resolve Title Issues
When land ownership is unclear, families are vulnerable. Predatory developers, tax sales, and partition actions can strip families of land they have lived on and loved for decades. MCJ’s legal team has stepped in to resolve title disputes, clear clouded ownership records, and help families establish the legal standing they need to protect what is theirs.
2. Finalized Wills to Honor Families’ Wishes and Prevent the Creation of Heirs’ Property
One of the most powerful things MCJ does is also one of the most straightforward: helping families put their wishes in writing. By assisting landowners with drafting and finalizing wills, MCJ ensures that when a family member passes, their land passes smoothly to the people they intended without the legal chaos that can tear families apart and open the door to outside claims on the property.
3. Launched a Dedicated Forestry Team to Protect Family Land
Mississippi is home to vast stretches of timberland, much of it in the hands of Black families who have owned it for generations. MCJ’s dedicated forestry team works directly with landowners to help them understand, manage, and protect their wooded acreage — ensuring that family land remains a living asset and a lasting legacy, not a liability.
4. Built Strong Coalitions to Advocate for Policy Change
Real, lasting change requires more than individual cases. MCJ has built coalitions with community organizations, legal advocates, and policymakers to push for systemic protections for heirs’ property owners across Mississippi, including support for the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which provides critical safeguards when co-owners disagree about what to do with shared land.
5. Expanded Capacity to Serve More Landowners
Five years ago, the need far outpaced MCJ’s ability to respond. Through intentional investment in staff, expertise, and outreach, MCJ has grown its capacity to meet families where they are — offering timely, specialized legal support to more landowners than ever before, across more counties and more communities throughout the state.
The Work Continues — But It Needs Support
Five years in, the mission has never been clearer. Across Mississippi, families are holding on to land that represents everything their ancestors worked for. With the right legal support, that land can be protected, utilized, and passed on.
The funding that makes this work possible is under threat. If you believe Mississippi families deserve to keep what is theirs, now is the time to stand with the Mississippi Center for Justice.
To learn more about our Heirs’ Property Campaign, click here.
This blog is a part of a series that celebrates five years of the Heir’s Property Campaign and its work at the Mississippi Center for Justice. Below are links to the other blogs in this series:
Beyond Individual Cases: How Policy Protects Heirs’ Property for Generations
Estate Planning: A Critical Key to Preventing Heirs’ Property and Protecting Legacy
You May Own More Than You Think – Land Titles & Heirs’ Property
From Clear Title to Lasting Wealth: How Mississippi Families Can Make Their Land Work for Them