An estate for the life of a third person, whether limited to heirs or otherwise, shall be deemed a freehold only during the life of the grantee or devisee, but after his death it shall be deemed a chattel real and be a part of his personal estate.
D.C. Code § 42-505
Estates pur autre vie; when deemed freehold and when chattel real
Mar. 3, 1901, 31 Stat. 1351, ch. 854, § 1015
Official source: D.C. Law Library (Council of the District of Columbia). Reproduced from public-domain District of Columbia statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.