BATON ROUGE - A judge has ruled that a woman must sell her house to split the assets with the family of her deceased boyfriend. She feels blindsided by the move and reached out to 2 On Your Side for help.

It's a succession of property that Nicole Jackson never saw coming. Jackson thought she was doing something nice for her partner, David Newman, by adding his name to the home's deed. Now, that thoughtful act could cost her her home.

Jackson's Monticello home serves as the special place where she makes music and lives her dream. She's invested her time, money, and life in the place. 

"I'm about to lose my home, which is where I lay my head," she said.

In January 2011, Jackson paid cash for her house. Fourteen days later, she amended the deed, adding her partner's name to the property to give him right of occupancy. In other words, they co-owned the home.

"I decided to add him on so that if something happened to me, he would have a place to lay his head," Jackson said.

The two were together for 17 years. While Jackson and Newman didn't have children together, she says he helped raise her four girls.

In 2022, Newman died. Ever since, she's fought a legal battle to keep her home. A battle made necessary when Newman's sister filed succession paperwork in order to gain proceeds left to her after her brother's death.

"She knew I added his name on my house. She knew he had no proceeds in this, so that's why I know it's a money thing. She just wants money," Jackson said.

Over the years, Jackson has made improvements to the home. She has taken down walls and refurbished the kitchen. Jackson says while Newman assisted with utilities, she paid the property taxes. But in 2022, someone else paid the property taxes before she could. Jackson then resumed payments in 2025. Those documents indicate that Newman's sister began paying them in 2022 at her brother's request. 

Court documents paint the deceased very differently. The filings claim Newman made the bulk of the initial house payment. Those documents also say the administrator for the succession is acting on behalf of Newman's daughter, someone who Jackson says she has never met.

The house was listed for sale on Coldwell Banker One's website as of Wednesday afternoon for $285,000. It shows two exterior shots. Jackson says no one has been to her home for an appraisal. 

"I have cried, I'm a nervous wreck," Jackson said.

On Wednesday, 2 On Your Side reached out to the successor's attorney and have not heard back. Newman's sister declined to comment to WBRZ. 

Jackson's attorney, James Word, has filed an appeal with the First Circuit, but barring success in court, Jackson may have to sell her dream home before then.