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Simple English definitions for legal terms
levir
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A quick definition of levir:
Term: LEVIR
Definition: A levir is a person who is either a husband's brother or a wife's brother-in-law according to Roman law.
Simply put, a levir is a family member who is related to you through marriage. If you are a woman, your husband's brother is your levir. If you are a man, your wife's brother is your levir.
A more thorough explanation:
LEVIR
A levir is a term used in Roman law to refer to either a husband's brother or a wife's brother-in-law.
1. After John's death, his wife Mary was expected to marry his levir, which was John's brother.
2. When Sarah got married, she gained a levir, which was her husband's brother.
The first example illustrates the first definition of levir, which is a husband's brother. In Roman law, it was customary for a widow to marry her deceased husband's brother to ensure that the family line continued. The second example illustrates the second definition of levir, which is a wife's brother-in-law. When a woman gets married, she gains a new family, including her husband's siblings, who become her levirs.