ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- As plans were made to remove the confederate monument in front of the St. Landry Parish courthouse, a dispute of land ownership has challenged the process.

"If it doesn't belong to the parish, then I don't have the right to touch it. We had a date to take it down. We had everything planned out," explained Parish President Jessie Bellard.

Bellard says a crew was on sight to remove the monument six months ago when they were stopped by an attorney representing the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The attorney said both the monument and the grounds it sits on were donated by the group.

"June 11, 1910. A petition from the United Veterans Camp No. 14, asking that a plot of ground on the northeast corner of the courthouse square be donated for the purpose of erecting a monument to the memory of General Mouton," said attorney Thomas DeJean.

This new information has created a problem for Bellard.

"So it put us in a dilemma now because we don't know who owns this. So, I think the next question is going to be: who owns the land? And who has the right to say what goes on that land?" explained Bellard.

Bellard says The Claritan, the official journal of the parish in 1910, published an article saying the police jury donated the land to the confederacy. However their courthouse records do not reflect that statement.

According to Bellard, lawyers are currently researching the records to find out who the land belongs to.

"I'm not going to touch the monument until I know first who owns it, and number two who owns the property underneath it. I see it going to a court. I'm not a lawyer so I just say whatever they decide I'm good with it. They just have to tell me and let me know what the legal process is, and we'll take it from there."