US court upholds homeowner's right to restrict private road access

A Louisiana state appeals court has upheld a homeowner's right to restrict neighbours from accessing a private road beyond the first 1,000 feet of her property, concluding a prolonged legal dispute over land access rights. Mona Matherne had contested her neighbours' use of the road running beside her country residence for more than ten years before the court ruled in her favour in November 2026. The appeals judges confirmed earlier court orders that classified only the initial 1,000-foot section of the road as public, with the remainder falling under Matherne's exclusive control. Matherne's neighbours had previously asserted that the entire road qualified as public access, a claim the court rejected after examining property records and usage rights. The decision reinforces principles of private property ownership in Louisiana and establishes clearer boundaries in disputes involving shared rural roads and access routes. Legal experts note the ruling provides homeowners with stronger grounds to enforce restrictions on through-traffic across their private land, particularly in cases where original deeds and usage agreements are ambiguous.