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HRS §533-13

Choosing Between Dower and a Marriage Settlement

If a wife was promised money or property instead of her dower rights, she must decide within six months of her husband's death whether to take that promise or claim her dower instead. If she does nothing, she keeps the promise and loses her dower.

spouses

The statute, as written — Election between dower and jointure or pecuniary provision, when

If any jointure or pecuniary provision in lieu of dower is made before the marriage and without the assent of the intended wife, or if it is made after marriage, it shall bar her dower, unless within six months after receiving notice of the death of her husband, and of the jointure or pecuniary provision, she makes her election to waive the jointure or provision, and to be endowed of the lands of her husband. [CC 1859, §1311; RL 1925, §3029; RL 1935, §4842; RL 1945, §12112; RL 1955, §319-13; HRS §533-13]
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.