What is the most distinguished feature of a joint tenancy?

The most distinguished feature of a joint tenancy is the right of survivorship. This legal concept means that when one joint tenant passes away, their ownership interest automatically transfers to the remaining joint tenants, rather than being passed on to heirs or through probate. This characteristic ensures that the property remains within the surviving owners, reinforcing the partnership and often collaborative nature of joint tenancy arrangements.

While other factors can be relevant in the context of joint tenancies, such as the ability to transfer ownership, the equality of ownership shares, and the potential requirement for written agreements in certain jurisdictions, they do not capture the essence of what defines a joint tenancy. The right of survivorship stands out as a fundamental principle that differentiates joint tenancies from other forms of property ownership, such as tenancies in common, where there is no right of survivorship and ownership shares can be inherited.