A Mississippi family is facing jail time, a $500 fine and criminal charges for cheering at a high school graduation ceremony last month.

Ursula Miller says that she and three of her relatives recently received an arrest warrant for disturbing the peace at Senatobia High School's graduation ceremony on May 21. According to Miller, she cheered for her 18-year-old niece as she walked across the stage despite the fact that high school officials asked audience members to hold their applause until after each student received their diploma.

"I just called her name out. 'Lakaydra,' Just like that," Miller told CNN affiliate WREG.

In addition, Lakaydra's brother, Henry Walker, waved a towel and yelled, "You did it baby," to his sister.

Weeks after the ceremony, Miller, Walker and two other members of their family were slapped with warrants mandating that they appear in court or face at least a $500 fine.

"It's crazy," Walker told WREG, who said the punishment is excessive. "The fact that I might have to bond out of jail, pay court costs ... for expressing my love -- it's ridiculous, man."

Miller said that she was aware that shouting her niece's name at the north Mississippi high school graduation could lead to her getting kicked out of the arena. However, she never expected Senatobia school district Superintendent Jay Foster to go as far as pressing charges.

"I understood as a consequence I was going to be escorted out of the graduation, but no one told me there were going to be criminal charges against me," Miller told The Associated Press.

However, the Superintendent defended his action, telling The Clarion-Ledger newspaper that the behavior showed disrespect to other graduates.

"I did go and sign papers on them for disturbing the peace," he said. "My point is not to have somebody have to pay money, but I want them to know there are consequences for their behavior, and I want us to have a dignified service."

Still, Miller argues that said she was just trying to celebrate her niece's achievement.

"That's what we do in our family, is we celebrate this occasion," Miller said. "She deserved that cheer and I would do it again."