DEMISE

demise  (di-mIz),  n.1.  The  conveyance  of  an  estate,  usu.  for  a  term  of  years;  a  lease  <the

demise of the land for one year>.2. The instrument by which such a conveyance is accomplished

<the demise set forth the terms of the transfer>.3. The passing of property by descent or bequest

<a testator’s demise of $100,000 to charity>.4. The  death of a person  or (figuratively) of a thing

<the corporation’s untimely demise>. See DEATH. — Abbr. dem. — demise,vb.

demise of the Crown.The immediate, automatic transfer of a kingdom to a successor upon a

sovereign’s death or long absence from the throne.

“The king never dies. Henry, Edward, or George may die; but the king survives them all. For

immediately  upon  the  decease  of  the  reigning  prince  in  his  natural  capacity,  his  kingship  or

imperial dignity,  by  act of  law,  without any  …  interval,  is vested  at  once  in  his heir; who  is, eo

instanti, king to all intents and purposes. And so tender is the law of supposing even a possibility

of  his  death,  that  his  natural  dissolution  is  generally  called  his  demise…  an  expression  which signifies merely a transfer of property; for … when we say the demise of the crown, we mean only

that, in consequence of the disunion of the king’s body natural from his body politic, the kingdom

is transferred or demised to his successor; and so the royal dignity remains perpetual.” 1 William

Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 242 (1765).

joint  demise.In  an  ejectment  action,  a  demise  made  by  two  or  more  persons  in  one

declaration. [Cases: Ejectment    65. C.J.S. Ejectment § 61.]

separate demise.In an ejectment action, a demise made solely by the lessor.

several  demise.(often  pl.)  Hist.  In  an  ejectment  action,  a  list  of  demises  by  all  people

potentially owning the property at issue, used to ensure that the plaintiff had proved a lease from

the person actually having title. See EJECTMENT.

single demise.In an ejectment action, a declaration containing one demise. See EJECTMENT.

[Cases: Ejectment    65. C.J.S. Ejectment § 61.] [Blacks Law 8th]