Which term describes ownership by a single owner, not under a co-ownership?

• A. Severalty
• B. Joint tenancy
• C. Tenancy in common
• D. Tenancy by entirety

Answer: (A)

Severalty describes ownership by a single owner. When property is held in severalty, one person or entity has all rights to possess, use, and transfer the property, with complete control and no right of survivorship. This stands in contrast to co-ownership forms where there are multiple owners and different rules about survivorship or shares. For example, if one person owns a property in severalty, they can decide who inherits it through a will, sell it, or encumber it without needing consent from others. Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and tenancy by entirety all involve more than one owner and include features like survivorship or specific ownership arrangements, which is why they are not described as ownership in severalty.