Paying taxes on heir property

My mother-in-law was recently taken to court by her great nephew over 50 acres of heir property. The property originally belonged to my deceased father-in-law's great-grandfather. There was no will. The property was in the care of my father-in-law's grandfather. His mother paid the taxes until her death. My father-in-law paid the property taxes for over 40 years with no help from relatives who now claim to be joint heirs (and he asked for help paying). After my father-in-law's death, my mother-in-law continued to pay the taxes. Other family members found out that my mother-in-law is going sell sand and gravel off of the property. They took her to court and won. The judge ruled in their favor, and ordered that the other relatives be given their grand mother's share. My mother-in-law had a deed to the property and proof that she and my father-in-law (and his mother before him) have been paying the taxes all this time. What can she do? I think this so unfair. The other relatives always said they didn't want the property and would never help pay any of the taxes. Also, my mother-in-law's ex-lawyer recently got promoted to judge, and says there is nothing further that she can do to help.