property
life estate pur autre vie
A life estate pur autre vie is a life estate measured by the life of someone other than the person holding the estate. The life tenant has the right to possess and use the property until the measuring person dies, at which point the estate ends and the property passes to the remainderman or reverts to the grantor. If the life tenant dies first, the estate typically passes to the life tenant's heirs until the measuring life ends.
- Exam tip
- The key trap is whose life measures the estate: here it is a third party, not the tenant. A life tenant can sell or lease the interest, but only for the length of the measuring life.
- Example
- Ann deeds a house to Bob for the life of Bob's mother, Carol. Bob may live there until Carol dies, then the property goes to the named remainderman.
Related terms & state variants
Sources
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Last verified: 2026-10-23