DE ADMENSURATIONE DOTIS

de admensuratione dotis (dee ad-men-s[y]uu-ray-shee-oh-nee  doh-tis),  n.[Law Latin “of  the

admeasurement of dower”] Hist. A writ available to an heir (or the heir’s guardian if the heir is an

infant)  to  reduce  the  dower  of  the  ancestor’s  widow  who,  while  the  heir  was  an  infant,  was

assigned more dower than she was entitled to.

“If  the  heir  or  his  guardian  do  not  assign  her  dower  within  the  term  of  quarantine,  or  do

assign it unfairly, she has her remedy at law, and the sheriff is appointed to assign it. Or if the heir

(being  under  age)  or  his  guardian  assign  more  than  she  ought  to  have,  it  may  be  afterwards

remedied by writ of admeasurement of dower.” 2 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws

of England 136 (1766). [Blacks Law 8th]