Legal Definitions - ex assensu patris

Definition: Ex assensu patris (eks-sen-s[y]oo pay-tris) is a Latin term that means "by or with the consent of the father." In history, it referred to a type of dower ad ostium ecclesiae, where a husband would endow his wife with a portion of his father's lands with the express consent of his father. However, this type of dower was abolished in England by the Dower Act (1833).

Example: A man named John wants to give his wife, Mary, a portion of his father's land as a dower. He cannot do so without his father's express consent, which is given through ex assensu patris. This means that John's father agrees to the transfer of the land to Mary.

The example illustrates how ex assensu patris was used to ensure that the transfer of land from a father to his son's wife was done with the father's consent. This was important because it prevented any disputes or legal issues that could arise from the transfer of property without the father's knowledge or approval.