What does the right of escheat entail?

The right of escheat refers to the process by which the state or government takes ownership of property when an individual dies without a legal will or any identifiable heirs. This legal mechanism ensures that property does not remain ownerless; instead, it reverts to the state, which can then manage or redistribute it according to law. This concept is rooted in the idea that property should not lie fallow and thus serves a public interest.

Understanding the context of escheat is critical in property law, as it outlines the state's role in ensuring continuity of property ownership and management when private ownership is no longer available. The other options presented do not accurately represent the essence of escheat: property transfer upon abandonment, public easement acquisition, and legal title transfer in joint tenancy pertain to different legal principles and mechanisms not related to the concept of escheat.