NATCHEZ — A ruling by a Jackson bankruptcy judge Wednesday paved the way for the sale of land that once belonged to West Enterprises.

John Underwood, who represents Apex Mortgage, which foreclosed on several parcels of land owned by West in May, said the judge ruled land belonging to West can be sold as a result of the foreclosure despite recent bankruptcy filings.

West’s former President Theodore “Bubber” West filed two bankruptcy filings, one as early as the day before the foreclosure, in an effort to halt the foreclosure proceedings, Underwood said.

However, a previous ruling issued on a 2008 West Enterprises bankruptcy filing allowed for sale of the property in that bankruptcy and subsequent bankruptcies, Underwood said.

And Wednesday’s decision confirmed that posistion.

“This is what we expected,” Underwood said. “We just didn’t get confirmation until today.”

West deferred all comments to his attorney Hal Dockins, who could not be reached for comment.

Underwood said now that a ruling has been issued, he expects Apex will want to move quickly to sell the land and recoup $275,000 in delinquent mortgage payments.

In May, Natchez businessman Robert Johnson Sr. voiced a desire to purchase the property once the bankruptcy issue had been cleared.

However, Johnson’s attorney Bobby Cox could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Members of the West family are also interested in purchasing the land back from Apex.

Dockins, who represents the family, has said family members and outside investors are attempting to raise the capital necessary to purchase the land.

While Dockins speculated the money would have been raised by July 22, that day came and went with no formal offer, Underwood said.

“Since then we haven’t spoken,” he said. “There hasn’t been any contact.”