With joint tenancy the right of survivorship is implied, so if one joint tenant dies, the other joint tenant or tenants automatically become the owners of the deceased tenant's interest in the property without the property having to pass through probate.
If any one joint tenant conveys away his entire interest to a third party the joint tenancy is sev- ered as between the conveying party and his joint tenants, and the conveyee becomes a tenant in common with the remaining tenant." Also if a joint tenant conveys his entire interest to one of his co-tenants, there is a ...
Joint tenancy is a way for two or more people to own property in equal shares so that when one of the joint tenants dies, the property can pass to the surviving joint tenant(s) without having to go through probate court.
A joint tenancy can be terminated by a court judgment, through a mutual agreement between the joint tenants, or by one joint tenant conveying their property interest to a third party, among other methods. (Civ. Code § 683.2(a).) Once the joint tenancy is terminated, the joint tenants become tenants in common.
Joint tenancy is most common among married couples because it helps property owners avoid probate. Without joint tenancy, a spouse would have to wait for their partner's Last Will to go through a legal review process—which can take months or even years.
A Joint Tenancy must include these four unities: Unity of interest: The interest of each owner is equal. Unity of time: The interest of the owners is acquired at the same time. Unity of possession: The owners have the right of survivorship.
This avoids the need for a probate court proceeding – the lengthy, public, and costly legal process that determines property ownership after death. In California, this principle applies to specific types of joint property ownership, including joint tenancy and community property with the right of survivorship.