Escheat
| Part of a series on |
| Property law |
|---|
 |
| Types of property |
| Acquisition of title |
| Estates in land |
| Concurrent ownership |
| Conveyancing & registration |
| Future use control |
| Nonpossessory interests |
| Equity and Trusts |
| Indigenous land rights |
| Related topics |
|
Escheat /ɪsˈtʃiːt/ (from Latin excidere 'fall away') is a common law doctrine that transfers the real property of a person who has died without heirs to the government, or in the United Kingdom, crown. It serves to ensure that property is not left in "limbo" without recognized ownership. It originally applied to a number of situations where a legal interest in land was destroyed by operation of law, so that the ownership of the land reverted to the immediately superior feudal lord.