Georgia Homeowner Arrested After Attempting to Reclaim House Occupied by Squatter

Loletha Hale was charged with criminal trespass despite a court ruling in her favor, as legal complexities delayed the squatter’s formal eviction.

Loletha Hale, a homeowner in Clayton County, Georgia, was arrested on December 9 after trying to re-enter her home, which had been occupied by a squatter, Sakemeyia Johnson.
Despite a November 18 court ruling in Hale's favor, police stated she lacked the required writ of possession to legally remove Johnson from the property.
Hale claims she returned to her home under the assumption Johnson had vacated, only to find the locks broken and Johnson still residing there.
The squatter, Johnson, has not been charged with any crimes, while Hale faces charges of criminal trespass and making terroristic threats.
Georgia has seen a significant rise in squatter-related legal cases in recent years, with 198 civil cases reported in 2023, up from just three in 2017.