What is curtesy?

"Curtesy" is a legal term related to property law and was traditionally used to describe a husband's rights to his deceased wife's property. Specifically, curtesy referred to the life interest that a widower might have in his wife's real property, provided they had children who could inherit the estate. It's a concept rooted in common law, and its counterpart for wives is known as "dower."

Historically, under the doctrine of curtesy, a husband could claim a life estate in all of his deceased wife's inheritable property, meaning he had the right to use and benefit from her property during his lifetime, after which the property would pass to their children. This right was automatically granted upon the marriage being legally recognized and the couple having a child capable of inheritance.

It's important to note that curtesy rights have been largely abolished or modified in many jurisdictions due to changes in property and inheritance laws, which aim to provide more equitable solutions to inheritance and property distribution between spouses. Modern laws tend to focus on shared property rights and community property concepts, ensuring fairness regardless of gender.