Legal Definitions - assign dower

Definition: Assign dower refers to the legal process of setting out the description of a widow's share of her deceased husband's estate.

Explanation: When a husband dies, his wife is entitled to a share of his estate. This share is known as dower. The legal process of assigning dower involves setting out the legal description of the widow's share of the estate.

Example: At common law, a wife was entitled to a life estate in one-third of the land that her husband owned in fee. This means that she had the right to use and enjoy the land for the rest of her life, but she could not sell or transfer it. In some states, the concept of dower has been expanded to include a life estate in all the land that the husband owned in fee.

Illustration: For example, if a husband owned a farm and several rental properties, his wife would be entitled to a share of all of these assets. The legal process of assigning dower would involve setting out the legal description of the wife's share of each property, so that she could use and enjoy it for the rest of her life.