For a lot of Louisiana families, the first time they see the word "usufruct" is in a judgment of possession. A parent passes away, the succession is handled, and the paperwork says the surviving spouse has "the usufruct" and the children are "naked owners." Everyone signs, and life goes on. Years later, someone wants to sell the land, lease the minerals or cut the timber, and the family realizes nobody ever quite explained what that sentence meant.
Usufruct is one of the most common and useful tools in Louisiana property law. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Whether you are planning your own estate or you already own property subject to someone else's usufruct, it pays to understand
