InScots law,tailzie (/ˈteɪli/) is afeudal concept of theinheritance ofimmovable property according to an arbitrary course that has been laid out, such as in a document known as a "deed of tailzie". It was codified by theEntail Act 1685.[1][2][3]
Tailzie is similar to thecommon law concept offee tail, as the "heir in tailzie" is entailed to the property. An "heir in tailzie" could not sell the property so inherited, except to thefeu superior (that is, to the holder of thedominum directum of thefeu).
Other spellings of the word aretailie,taillie,tailze,tailyie,tailye,taylzie,teally,teilzie,telyie,teylyietyle,talyee. It is derived from theOld Frenchtailler 'to cut' andtaille 'cutting'. The 'z' was, until the simplification of printing to 26 characters, ayogh (tailȝie) and so is not sounded.[4][not specific enough to verify]
TheEntail Amendment Act 1848 gave all heirs in tailzie power to apply to theCourt of Session to cease the deed of tailzie, compensate respective claims, thus take estate possession infee simple. Part 5 of theAbolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 disentailed all entailed land inScotland and required theKeeper of the Registers of Scotland to close the Register of Entails.
