Legal Definitions - reprise

A reprise refers to a recurring financial obligation or payment that must be made annually from the income or assets generated by a property, historically a large estate or manor. It represents a regular deduction that reduces the net value or profitability of the property.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a historical scenario where a wealthy landowner, upon granting a parcel of land to a tenant, stipulated that the tenant must annually provide a certain quantity of harvested crops or a fixed sum of money to the landowner. This yearly contribution, paid out of the productivity of the granted land, would be considered a reprise. It's an ongoing duty or payment that diminishes the tenant's net benefit from the estate.

• Consider a modern charitable trust established by a deceased individual. The trust holds a large estate, including income-generating properties. The trust deed specifies that a fixed amount of money must be paid every year from the estate's overall income to support a particular educational scholarship fund. This mandated annual payment, which is a regular deduction from the estate's earnings, functions as a reprise.

• In some long-term property arrangements, an owner might lease a piece of land for an extended period, say 99 years, under a ground lease agreement. The agreement might require the lessee to pay a nominal but perpetual annual ground rent to the original landowner, separate from any taxes or other charges. This consistent, yearly payment, made out of the value or use of the leased estate, serves as a reprise, representing a fixed annual duty owed from the property.