Also known as: tenant by curtesy · curtesy tenant · curtesy · tenancy by the curtesy
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A life estate that a surviving husband holds in real property of which his wife was seised during the marriage of an inheritable estate. The interest arises only when issue born alive and capable of inheriting was produced by the marriage. The estate is measured as though the wife had held fee simple absolute yet remains subordinate to any remainder, executory interest, possibility of reverter, power of termination, or reversion that limited her estate.
Theresa Tucker held Greenacre under a conveyance that would revert to the grantor if she died without surviving issue. After Theresa died without surviving issue, her husband Thaddeus Tran petitioned for a life estate as tenant by the curtesy. The court awarded him the life estate measured as though Theresa had held fee simple absolute, but the estate remained subordinate to the grantor’s possibility of reverter.
Tara Tran received a farm under a deed to her and the heirs of her body. Tara died survived by her husband Tyrone Tran and by their son. Tyrone claimed a life estate as tenant by the curtesy. The court granted the life estate measured as though Tara had held fee simple absolute, subject only to the remainder limited on the fee tail.
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Tessa Takahashi held land under a conveyance limited to her and the heirs of her body for her lifetime only. After Tessa died without surviving issue, her husband Tanner Thompson asserted a life estate as tenant by the curtesy. The court recognized the life estate measured as though Tessa had held fee simple absolute, yet held it subordinate to the remainder that followed the limited fee tail.
A wife received a territorial land grant that would inure to her husband upon perfection. Before the grant was completed the couple divorced. The former husband later claimed an interest as tenant by the curtesy in the perfected title. The court denied the claim because the divorce had ended the marriage before any seisin of an inheritable estate arose.
Yes. The surviving spouse receives a life estate measured as though the deceased had held fee simple absolute. The interest remains subordinate to any remainder, executory interest, possibility of reverter, power of termination, or reversion that limited the fee tail.
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No. The reversion does not destroy the interest. The surviving spouse receives the life estate, but the estate is subordinate to the reversion once the fee tail ends for want of issue.
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No. The spouse still receives the life estate measured by fee simple standards. The life estate is merely subordinate to the power of termination if the condition for exercise ever occurs.
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No. Curtesy requires that the deceased spouse have been seised of an inheritable estate during the marriage. A life estate supplies no such seisin and therefore supports no curtesy claim.
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…the marriage relation, were gone. A wife divorced has no right of dower in his property; a husband divorced has no right by the curtesy in her lands, unless the statute authorizing the divorce specially confers such right. It follows that the wife was not entitled to the east half of the donation claim. To entitle her to…