Dower [noun]

In most states this interest or dower is paramount to the claims of her husband's creditors.

When her dower is in mortgaged land, she cannot get possession until the mortgage has been paid.

In other words she loses her dower whenever her husband has no estate from which her dower can be carved out.

Whenever a marriage can be set aside for some illegality, and is not, it will sustain her dower on his death.

If eager to get the most possible, she would reject the gift of money and claim her dower rights.

If lands have been exchanged by the husband, she can elect in which she shall take her dower, but not in both.

There can be no dower in a mere personal privilege, or in a revocable license pertaining to land.

It may be added that the principles of the common law relating to dower have been largely modified by statute in all the states.

Quite frequently, the statute provides that there shall be no dower in case of divorce for the wife's fault.

An absolute divorce, even though for the husband's fault, divests the wife of dower, unless her right is saved by statute.