Legal Definitions - jus relictae

Definition: Jus relictae is a legal term that refers to a widow's right to claim a portion of her deceased husband's movable estate.

In civil and Scots law, if the widow has children, she is entitled to one-third of the estate. If she does not have children, she is entitled to one-half of the estate.

Example: John passed away, leaving behind his wife and two children. His movable estate was worth $300,000. According to jus relictae, John's wife is entitled to one-third of the estate, which is $100,000.

Explanation: In this example, John's wife is entitled to one-third of his movable estate because she has children. Therefore, she will receive $100,000 of the $300,000 estate.