Source: https://chestofbooks.com/real-estate/Law-Of-Real-Property/Powers.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:08:44+00:00

Document:
186. A power is an authority to create some estate in lands, or a charge thereon, or to revoke an existing estate in the same way that the owner, granting the power, might himself do.
161 2 Bl. Comm. 209; Miller v. Miller, 10 Metc. (Mass.) 393; Cook v. Hammond, 4 Mason, 467, Fed. Cas. No. 3,159.
162 2 Washb. Real Prop. (5th Ed.) 803; West v. Williams, 15 Ark. 682.
163 Preston v. Carr, 29 N. H. 453; Doe v. Roe, 2 Har. (Del.) 103; Cook v. Hammond, 4 Mason, 467, Fed. Cas. No. 3,159.
164 Barnitz's Lessee v. Casey, 7 Cranch, 456; Ackless v. Seekright, 1 111. 76; Medley v. Medley, 81 Va. 265.
187. The one who creates a power is called the donor.
188. The one to whom a power is given is called the donee.
189. The one for whose benefit the power is exercised is called the appointee.
A power is simply a right to create or change an estate in lands.168 Before the statute of uses, lands could be conveyed to be held to such uses as the grantor might declare; and, after the statute, such a right to declare the uses of land was called a power,169 and the uses so declared were executed by the statute, and took effect as if they had been limited in the original instrument creating the power.170 But if a limitation is in the form, "to and to the use of A., to such uses as he may appoint," or "to A., to the use of A.," etc., the uses which he may appoint will not be executed by the statute, on the principle that the statute will not execute a use upon a use.171 The instrument creating the power does not generally limit the uses, but merely gives an authority to create them.
165 See post, p. 431.
166 1 stim. Am. St Law, §§ 1650-1659.
167 1 Stim. Am. St. Law, § 1703(8).
168 Burleigh v. Clough, 52 N. H. 267; Rodgers v. Wallace, 5 Jones (N. C.) 181.
169 Harrison v. Battle, 1 Dev. & B. Eq. (N. C.) 213.
170 Rodgers v. Wallace, 5 Jones (N. C.) 181; Smith v. Garey, 2 Dev. & B. Eq. (N. C.) 42; Leggett v. Doremus, 25 N. J. Eq. 122.
171 See ante, p. 254.
Powers are distinguished from estates, In that the former are mere rights over land, and not interests in it.173 A power may, however, be coupled with an interest in the land.174 The owner of an estate has power to alienate it, in connection with the other incidents of the estate; but the owner of a power has merely a right to alienate, without any other right A power and an estate in the same land may co-exist. For example, a man may be given an estate for life, with a general power of alienation, and in default of appointment a remainder in fee. In such case he could transfer a fee simple in the lands, either by the exercise of the power, or out of the estate which he owns, in default of appointment.175 In wills it is many times difficult to ascertain whether a testator meant to dispose of his estate, or to exercise a power which he had in the lands. In such cases the testator's intention governs, as far as it can be ascertained.176 Under deeds the same difficulty seldom arises, because technical words are used in limiting the estates. These are, however, questions of construction of instruments, and are not properly part of the law of real property.
172 Edw. Prop. in Land (2d Ed.) 203.
173 Eaton v. Straw, 18 N. H. 320; Sewall v. Wilmer, 132 Mass. 131. 174 Peter v. Beverly, 10 Pet. 532; Osgood v. Franklin, 2 Johns. Ch. (N. Y.) 1; Shearman v. Hicks, 14 Grat (Va.) 96.
Powers of Revocation and Appointment.

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