Joint tenancy is characterized by:

• A. Unequal ownership interests
• B. Equal ownership interests
• C. Right of survivorship is not present
• D. Interest passes to heirs upon death

Answer: (D)

Joint tenancy is defined by equal ownership among co-owners and the right of survivorship. Everyone holds an undivided one share (or equal shares) with shared possession of the whole property, and there are four unities: time, title, interest, and possession. The crucial feature is the right of survivorship—when one owner dies, that owner’s interest automatically passes to the surviving joint tenants, not to heirs or through a will. So the statement that the interest passes to heirs upon death describes tenancy in common, not joint tenancy. Therefore, the characteristic best describing joint tenancy is equal ownership interests (with the right of survivorship).