Case Name: Betsey Smith, Libellant, versus Thomas Smith
Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Decision Date: 1816-06
Citations: 12 Tyng 231
Docket Number: 
Parties: Betsey Smith, Libellant, versus Thomas Smith.
Judges: 
Reporter: Massachusetts Reports
Volume: 13
Pages: 189–190

Head Matter:
Betsey Smith, Libellant, versus Thomas Smith.
Upon a divorce a vinculo, for the adultery of the husband, the wife must obtain her dower as if the husband were dead ; this Court will not assign it upon the libel.f
[i See Rev. Stat. c. 76, § 32. — Ed.]
This was a libel for a divorce a vinculo, and contained a prayer that dower might be assigned to the libellant of the estate of the respondent, if the divorce should be had. A divorce being decreed, Bond, for the libellant, inquired whether the Court would now appoint commissioners to set off the dower.

Opinion:
The Court said, this had not been their practice; and, upon looking into the statute, they were satisfied they had no such authority under this * process. The libellant has the same rights as if her husband were naturally dead ; and she must pursue her remedy in the same manner.
Stat. 1785, c. 69, § 5