Kerala High Court Rules That Son-In-Law Has No Claim To His Father-In- Law's Property

The Kerala high court ruled that a son-in-law will have no access to his father-in law's-property, even if he has invested money on that particular home's construction.

Davis Raphel of Kannur had filed a plea (RSA No. 418/2019) appealing a munsiff court's ruling that he had no authority to meddle in the ownership of property by his father-in-law, Hendry Thomas (FIL).

The son-in-law (SIL) argued in court that by marrying the FIL's sole daughter, he was adopted into the family and has a residency rights in the property. He also claimed that he had invested funds on the property's construction of a dwelling. Although refusing to agree, the supreme court stated that SIL's presence in the property is only permissible. As a result, even if SIL has invested money on the building's development, the court determined that SIL has no legal right to his FIL's property and building.

However, the court also stated that the SIL's claim that he was adopted as a family member following his wedding to the FIL's daughter is disgraceful. The court concluded that when the FIL has ownership of the property, the SIL cannot claim that he was adopted as a member of the family after the marriage and has a right to the property.