In a dispute about real property located in another state, which factor governs the choice of law for property?

• A. Situs of property for real estate
• B. Place of property for personal property
• C. Decedent domicile for intestate
• D. Where the lawsuit was filed

Answer: (A)

Real property is governed by the law of the place where the land sits. This rule, often called lex loci rei sitae, ties the rights in the property—such as title, conveyances, and encumbrances—to the location of the land itself. So if the real property is in another state, that state's law determines the property rights, not the law of the state where the suit is filed or the owner's or decedent’s domicile, and not some rule about personal property. The other options don’t fit because they concern different contexts: personal property follows different conflict-of-laws rules, intestate matters typically hinge on the decedent’s domicile, and the forum where the lawsuit is filed does not control the property’s governing law.