Legal Definitions - demandress

A demandress is an archaic legal term that referred specifically to a woman who initiated a legal action, particularly in historical property disputes, to formally claim something she believed was rightfully hers. In modern legal language, she would typically be referred to as a plaintiff or claimant.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of a demandress:

• Example 1: Challenging an Inheritance

  Imagine a scenario in 17th-century England where a widow named Eleanor believes her late husband's brother has unlawfully taken possession of a parcel of land that, according to custom and law, should have passed to her and her children. Eleanor decides to file a legal action in court to reclaim the land.

  How this illustrates the term: In this context, Eleanor, as the woman initiating the formal legal process to demand the return of the land, would have been historically referred to as the demandress.

• Example 2: Asserting Dower Rights

  Consider a situation during the medieval period where Lady Isabella's husband dies, and his feudal lord attempts to deny her the dower lands—a portion of her husband's estate she was legally entitled to for her support. Lady Isabella brings a legal suit to assert her right to these lands and compel the lord to grant them to her.

  How this illustrates the term: As the woman formally demanding her legal entitlement to the dower lands through a court action, Lady Isabella would be considered the demandress.