In joint tenancy, what feature ensures that ownership passes to remaining co-owners upon a co-owner's death?

• A. Right of survivorship
• B. Partition
• C. Quiet title
• D. Tenancy at sufferance

Answer: (A)

The right of survivorship is the feature that ensures ownership passes to the remaining co-owners when one co-owner dies. In joint tenancy, all owners hold equal shares at the same time with four unities: time, title, interest, and possession. Because these unities exist, the death of one owner automatically transfers that owner’s share to the survivors, so the property remains with the living co-owners and typically avoids probate for that portion. This automatic transfer to the survivors is what distinguishes joint tenancy from other forms of ownership, like tenancy in common, where a deceased owner’s share can pass to heirs or as directed by a will. The other options don’t describe this automatic transfer: partition is the process of dividing the property and ending the joint tenancy, a quiet title action resolves ownership disputes, and tenancy at sufferance describes a holdover tenancy, not a form of joint ownership.