N.J. Stat. tit. 3A, ch. 37

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 3A:37-1 Bar by devise; election of widow or widower

If a husband or wife makes a valid devise of real estate to his or her spouse, for life or otherwise, without expressing whether or not it is intended to be in lieu or bar of dower or curtesy, the surviving spouse shall not be entitled to dower or curtesy in any real estate devised by the will, unless, within 6 months after probate of the will, he or she files with the surrogate of the county wherein he or she resides or wherein the real estate so devised to him or her is situate, a written refusal to receive the same in satisfaction and bar of dower or curtesy in other real estate. By such refusal he or she shall be deemed to have renounced the said devise.

N.J. Stat. § 3A:37-2 Bar by adultery

If a married person voluntarily leaves his or her spouse and goes away and continues with his or her paramour, such person shall be forever barred from having jointure, dower or curtesy, as the case may be, unless the deserted spouse voluntarily becomes reconciled to and lives with the deserting spouse, in which case jointure, dower or curtesy shall be restored.

N.J. Stat. § 3A:37-4 Bar by jointure; dower

A widow may be barred of her dower by jointure.

N.J. Stat. § 3A:37-5 Waiver of jointure; effect of demand

If a jointure is made before an intended wife becomes of age, or during her marriage, the widow may, at her election, waive the jointure and demand and have her dower. If a jointure shall, through any defect, fail to be a legal bar to dower and the widow, availing herself of such defect, shall demand her dower, the estate or interest so conveyed or assured to such widow shall thereupon cease and determine.

N.J. Stat. § 3A:37-6 Eviction from jointure

If a widow be lawfully expelled or evicted from her jointure, or from any part thereof, without fraud, by lawful entry or action, she shall be endowed of such much of the residue of her husband's real estate whereof she would have been endowed but for the jointure, as shall equal in amount or extent the real estate from which she is so expelled or evicted.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026