Legal Definitions - in mortua manu

Term: in mortua manu
Definition: In mortua manu means "in a dead hand" in Law Latin. It refers to property that is controlled according to the directions of a deceased person. This type of property is held perpetually, which means it can't be sold or transferred to someone else. For example, land held by a religious society is described as in mortua manu because the church can hold the property forever without having to provide feudal service. This term is also known as in manu mortua.
Examples: A wealthy man leaves his estate to his children, but with the condition that they can't sell the property and must keep it in the family forever. This is an example of property held in mortua manu because the deceased person's directions control the property perpetually. Another example is a trust fund set up by a person before their death, with specific instructions on how the money should be used. The trust fund is in mortua manu because the deceased person's directions control the money perpetually.