Legal Definitions - donatory

Definition: A donatory is a recipient of a gift, specifically a donee of the Crown in Scots law.

For example, if the Crown gives a piece of land to someone, that person is the donatory of the gift. The term is used exclusively in Scotland to refer to the person who receives a gift from the Crown, such as escheat or ultimus haeres.

The term "donatory" is important in Scots law because it helps to distinguish between the giver (the Crown) and the receiver (the donatory) of a gift. This can be useful in legal disputes or when determining who has ownership of a particular piece of property.