Legal Definitions - tail

Definition: A type of estate limitation that allows inheritance only by the fee owner's issue or a specific class of issue.

There are different types of tails:

• FEE TAIL: A tail that designates the fee owner's direct descendants as the only eligible heirs.
• TAIL FEMALE: A limitation to female heirs.
• TAIL MALE: A limitation to male heirs.
• TAIL GENERAL: A tail that designates the fee owner's issue, but not necessarily the issue of a specific couple.
• TAIL SPECIAL: A tail that designates specific heirs of the fee owner's body.

For example, if a landowner creates a fee tail that limits inheritance to their direct descendants, only their children, grandchildren, and so on can inherit the property. If the landowner creates a tail female, only female descendants can inherit. If they create a tail male, only male descendants can inherit.

These types of estate limitations were common in the past but are now rare. They were used to keep property within a family and prevent it from being sold or transferred to outsiders.