Doctrine Of Coverture

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..... d wife were a single legal identity. This was based on notions of biblical morality that a husband and wife were "one in flesh and blood". The effect of "coverture" was that a married woman‟s legal rights were subsumed by that of her husband. A married woman could not own property, execute legal documents, enter into a contract, or obtain an education against her husband& .....

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..... bilities, that either of them acquires by the marriage. I speak not at present of the rights of property, but of such as are merely personal. For this reason, a man cannot grant anything to his wife, or enter into covenant with her: for the grant would be to suppose her separate existence; and to covenant with her, would be only to covenant with himself: and therefore it is also generally true, th .....

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