A woman conveys ownership of a lot to a hospital "so long as it is used for hospital purposes". What type of estate does the hospital acquire?

The correct answer refers to a fee simple determinable estate, which is established when a property is conveyed with a condition attached to its use. In this case, the woman has transferred ownership of the lot to the hospital, but with the explicit stipulation that the lot must be used for hospital purposes.

This conveyance creates a proprietary interest that automatically terminates if the condition – the use for hospital purposes – is violated. Therefore, if the hospital fails to use the property as specified, ownership reverts back to the original grantor or her heirs without the need for any legal action. The key characteristic of a fee simple determinable is that it comes with a built-in termination clause based on a condition related to the use of the property.

In contrast, a fee simple absolute estate would provide full ownership rights without any conditions or limitations. A license is a temporary and revocable permission to enter or use someone else's property and does not convey an ownership interest. Lastly, a leasehold estate represents a tenant’s interest in real property, typically not applicable in this scenario as the hospital received ownership rather than simply renting the land.

Thus, the correct answer highlights the conditional nature of the estate transferred to the hospital, aligning it with the definition of a