---
title: "Life Estate"
type: Legal Term
source: https://casebriefly.com/legal-terms/life-estate
---

# Life Estate

A life estate is an ownership interest in property that lasts for the duration of a person's life (typically the grantee's). The life tenant has the right to possess, use, and enjoy the property but must not commit waste — acts that permanently diminish the property's value. Upon the life tenant's death, the property passes to the remainderman (if a remainder was created) or reverts to the grantor (reversion). Life estates can be measured by the life of someone other than the tenant (pur autre vie).

## Related Terms

- fee-simple-absolute
- remainder
- reversion

## Related Cases

- baker-v-weedon
- white-v-brown

## Example

O conveys Blackacre "to A for life, then to B." A has a life estate and B has a vested remainder in fee simple absolute.

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Source: [Life Estate — CaseBriefly](https://casebriefly.com/legal-terms/life-estate)