Of the Statutes in the different Slates and Territories and the District of Columbia concerning the Rights and Powers of Married Women, and of the Husband in relation to his Wife's Property.

In Alabama, All a wife's property held before, or acquired after marriage is her separate property free from her husband's liabilities, Act of February, 1887, § 1. Her earnings are her separate property, but she is entitled to no pay for services to her husband or family, § 2. Damages recovered for injuries to her person or property are her separate property, § 3. She is liable as if sole for contracts made or torts committed before marriage. Husband is not liable, § 4. She is liable on contracts made by her after marriage with her husband's consent. He is not liable on such contracts, nor for torts unless he takes part in them, § 5. She may contract as if sole with her husband's written consent, § 6. She must sue or be sued alone upon her contracts or for her torts, § 7. She cannot convey real estate without her husband's consent, unless her husband is non compos, has abandoned her, is a non-resident, or is imprisoned under a sentence of not less than two years, § 8. Husband and wife may contract with each other, but wife may not become surety for her husband, § 9. She may carry on business in her own name on filing her husband's written consent in Probate Court; and without such consent if her husband is non compos, has abandoned her, or is a non-resident, § 10.

In Arizona, all of a married woman's property owned before marriage and acquired thereafter by gift, devise, bequest, or descent, is her separate property, Compiled Laws of 1877, p. 328, § 1, of which, if of the age of twenty-one years, she has the sole control, and may convey without the husband's joinder, as fully as if unmarried, p. 332, § 1. All after-acquired property, except as above, is common property, p. 328, § 2. Such separate estate must be inventoried and recorded to exempt it from the husband's debts, p. 328, §§ 3, 4, 5. During the wife's nonage the husband shall control her separate property, but may not convey it except by a writing signed by her with certain formalities, p. 328, § 6. If she sells for his benefit or he uses the proceeds with her written consent, it is a gift to him, p. 328, § 7. If the husband mismanages, a trustee may be appointed, p. 328, § 8. The husband has sole charge of the common property, which includes the profits of her estate, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the gift to her, p. 329, § 9. She takes no dower, p. 329, § 10. One half of the common property at death goes to the survivor, and the other half to the other's issue, subject to debts; if no issue, the whole to the survivor so subject, p. 329, § 11. On divorce, the common property is equally divided, except for adultery and extreme cruelty, in which cases the court has a discretion towards the guilty party, p. 329, § 12. Her separate property continues liable for her debts after marriage, p. 329, § 13. Married women may carry on business on complying with certain regulations, pp. 330, 331, §§ 24, 25, 26, in doing which she must be responsible for her children's maintenance, p. 331, § 27; and her husband, unless he consents in writing, will not be responsible for her trade debts, p. 331, § 29. She may insure her husband's life, free from his debts, unless the premium exceeds $300, payable to herself, p. 332, § 32, or payable to her children or guardian, § 33.

In Arkansas, the before or after acquired real or personal property of a married woman is her separate estate, free from her husband's debts, and she may convey or dispose of it by will as if unmarried, Const. of 1874, Art. 9, § 7. But her property is liable for his debts contracted by him as her agent for the Support of herself and children, Laws of 1873, p. 382, § 2. She may contract with reference to her property, do business and perform any services on her sole account, and her earnings are her own, and she alone may sue or be sued with reference thereto, § 3. Her husband is not liable on any of her contracts, § 4. The husband cannot bind a child to service, dispose of it, or appoint a testamentary guardian therefor, without the mother's consent, if living, § 7. She may sue and be sued as if unmarried, § 9. She must have her real estate recorded in her name in her county, § 10. Contracts of service for more than a month must be in writing and approved by the husband, Laws of 1S75, p. 230, § 2. See Mansfield's Dig. §§ 4621-4633. If property of a married woman is not scheduled as provided by law the burden of proof is upon her to show that it is her separate estate. Mansfield's Dig. §§ 4634-4640.

In California, husband and wife may contract as if sole (Code, ed. 1835) § 158, but may not by contract alter their legal relation to each other, except that they may agree in writing to an immediate separation and may make provision for support of either or of their children, § 159. They may hold property as joint tenants, tenants in common, or as community property, § 161. All property of the wife owned before marriage and that acquired afterwards by gift, bequest, devise, or descent is her separate property, and may be conveyed by her without her husband's consent, § 162; so, of the husband, § 163. All other property acquired by either after marriage is community property, § 164, of which the husband has management and disposition (other than testamentary), § 172. Inventory of wife's separate property may be recorded and is prima facie evidence of her title, §§ 165, 166. The wife's earnings are not liable for her husband's debts, § 168, and when living separate are her separate property, § 169. Curtesy and dower are not allowed, § 173. The husband is liable for support furnished his wife, § 175, unless she has left him without cause or has agreed to a separation, § 176. The wife must support her husband if there is no community property and he has no separate property and is unable to support himself. A married woman, either personally or by agent, independently of her husband, may transfer her shares of stock, receive the dividends and grant proxies thereon, as if unmarried, § 325. She may hold shares in homestead, and loan and savings corporations, bought with her own earnings and those of her children, or with property bequeathed or given to her by others than her husband, §§ 561, 575. Her conveyance of her real estate and her power of attorney given for that purpose are ineffective unless acknowledged by her, apart from her husband, to have been made and given freely, when they have the same effect as if she were unmarried, §§ 1093, 1094, 1186, 1187. She may dispose of her property by will as if unmarried, § 1273. She may sue or be sued alone concerning her estate or homestead, when the action is between herself and husband, or when living apart from her husband by reason of his desertion or their mutual agreement in writing, Code of Civil Procedure of 1872, § 370. If the husband and wife are sued together, she may defend in her own right, and for him also if he neglect so to do, § 371 She may become a sole trader on due notice and petition to the court, §§ 1811, 1812, 1813. She may invest therein of the community or her husband's separate property not exceeding §500, § 1814. On leave of court she may carry on the business specified in her own name, and the investments and profits belong to her, free from the husband's debts, and she has the same rights and liabilities as if unmarried, § 1819. She is also liable, as such trader, for the maintenance of her minor children, and her husband is not liable for her debts unless he so consents in writing, §§ 1820, 1821.