How could a wife own property based on the Napoleonic Code?

Answer 1

Under the Napoleonic Code, a wife could own property primarily through the legal framework established for community property or separate property regimes. In a community property arrangement, both spouses jointly owned assets acquired during the marriage, but the wife could also retain ownership of her personal property brought into the marriage. Furthermore, a woman could independently acquire property through inheritance or gifts, making it her separate estate. Legal reforms over time have further expanded women's rights to property ownership, but these foundational principles were significant in the early application of the Napoleonic Code.