A detailed, eighteenth‑century legal study of how contingent remainders and executory devises work in property law.
Learn the rules, the reasoning, and how cases shape the law.
This new edition presents the first volume of Charles Fearne’s work on contingent remainders, focusing on how certain future interests take effect and what constraints govern their operation. It offers historical commentary, model arguments, and cited cases that illuminate the complex interplay of thinking about inheritance and estates in land.
Readers will encounter foundational discussions on the nature of contingencies, the interpretation of terms like heirs and defences of descent, and how distinctions between life estates, remainders, and executory interests are treated by authorities of the period. The volume blends legal theory with practical reference to classic cases, useful to students, scholars, and practitioners with an interest in property law history.
- Clear explanation of contingent remainders and how they differ from other future interests
- Discussion of how historical authorities interpret terms of limitation and heirs
- Extensive references to cases and authorities cited within the text
- Context for the evolution of property law concepts in the late 18th century
Ideal for readers of legal history, property law students, and researchers seeking a window into classical scholarship on lands and inheritances.