Legal Definitions - dotal property

Definition: Dotal property is a type of separate property that a wife brings to a marriage to help with the expenses of the marriage. It is different from extradotal property, which is property that a wife owns apart from her dowry.

Example: In Louisiana, any property acquired by the wife that is not community property is neither dotal nor extradotal; it is simply her separate property, as has always been true of the husband.

Explanation: This means that if a wife in Louisiana acquires property during the marriage that is not community property, it is considered her separate property and not dotal or extradotal property. This is different from other states where dotal property may still exist as a separate category of property.