Joint tenancy
Defined in 4 dictionaries — Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Black's (1891)
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Joint tenancy exists where there has been a limitation of the same estate, by deed, will or parol, to two are said to have four unities, time, title, interest and possession; Bassler v. Rewodliqski, 130 Wis. 26, 109 N. W. 1032, 7 L. R. _ A. (N, S.) 701. The estate of both must arise under the same limitation; but under the statute of uses the necessity that the titles of all the joint tenants should commence at the same time is avoided. Every kind of property, real and personal, may be so held; Freeman, Co-Ten. & Part § 16. If one convey his whole interest to a I stranger it works a severan<^e; but if he convey a less interest it probably does not. The marriage of a female joint tenant is not a severance; nor is a subsequent lease for years by the husband and the other joint tenant, reserving rent jointly; [1807] 1 Ch. 134. Neither a devise by one joint tenant nor an encumbrance created by one joint tenant defeats the full right of the survivor. If one of two joint tenants dies, the survivor becomes solely entitled to the estate; Co. Litt. 181 a; but not as against a grantee inter vivos of one of the joint tenants; nor against a judgment debt on which execution had been levied in the life time of the debtor. Survivorship has been abolished, except as to trust estates, in many states; See Demb. Land Titles 27; it has never existed in Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska or Idaho; id. 198; nor in Connecticut; Washb. R. P. The presumption is that all tenants holding jointly hold as tenants in common, unless a clear intention to the contrary be shown; Webster v. Vandeventer, 6 Gray (Mass.) 428; Parsons v. Boyd, 20 Ala. 112; Miles V. Fisher, 10 Ohio 1, 36 Am. Dec. 61; Bambaugh v. Bambaugh, 11 S. & R. (Pa.) 191; Purdy v. Purdy, 3 Md. Ch. Dec. 547; Allen V. Logan, 96 Mo. 501, 10 S. W. 149; Hershy v. Clark, 35 Ark. 17, 37 Am. Rep. 1; Rowland v. Rowland, 93 N. 0, 214. In some states this is by statute. In some, words that would have created a joint tenancy now create a tenancy in common. Where there is a devise to two or more by name without a clear intention to vest It in the survivor, it vests severally; Goldstein V. Hammell, 236 Pa. 30.5, 84 Atl. 772. Joint tenants at common law have no right to compulsory partition; Co. Litt. 187 o. They convey to each other by Release, in which words of inheritance are unnecessary; id. 273 5. They must plead and be impleaded jointly; id. 180 b., 195 b; but in [1880] 16 Ch. D. 63, it was held that one might sue alone for cutting timber on the land. See Jus Accrescendi; Survivor.
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
An estate in joint tenancy is an estate in fee-simple, fee-tail, for life, for years, or'at will, arising by purchase or grant to two or more persons. Joint tenants have one and the same interest, accruing by one and the same conveyance, commencing at one and the same time, and held by one and the same undivided possession. The grand incident of joint tenancy is survivorship, by which the entire tenancy on the decease of any joint tenant remains to the survivors, and at length to the last survivor. Pub. St. Mass. 1882, p. 1292; Simons v. McLain, 51 Kan. 153, 32 Pac. 919; Thornburg v. Wiggins, 135 Ind. 178, 34 N. E. 999, 22 L. R. A. 42, 41 Am. St. Rep. 422; Appeal of Lewis, 85 Mich. 340, 48 N. W. 580, 24 Am. St. Rep. 94; Redemptorist Fathers v. Lawler, 205 Pa. 24, 54 Atl. 487. A joint interest is one owned by several persons in equal shares, by a title created by a single will Or transfer, when expressly declared in the will or transfer to be a joint tenancy, or when granted or devised to executors or trustees as joint tenants. Civ. Code Cal. § 683.
Defined under Tenancy in Black's Law Dictionary.
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
An estate in joint tenancy is an estate in fee-simple, fee-tail, for life, for years, or at will, arising by purchase or grant totwoormorepersons. Joint tenants have one and the same interest, accruing by one and the same conveyance, commencing at one and the same time, and heid by one and the same undivided posses« sion. The grand incident of joint tenaney is survivorship, by whieh the entire tenuney on the decease of any joint tenant remains to the survivors, and at length to the last survivor. Pub. St. Mass. 1882, p, 1292, A joint interest is one owned by several persons in equal shares, by a title created by a single will or transfer, when expressly declared in the will or transfer to be a joint tenancy, or when granted or devised to executors or trustees as joint tenants, Civil Code Cal. § 683.