Who is referred to as a usufructuary?

A usufructuary is defined as a person who has been granted the legal right to use and enjoy the benefits (or fruits) of someone else's property during a specified period of time, while the ownership of the property remains with another individual. The rights of a usufructuary include the ability to occupy the property and derive benefits from it, such as collecting rents or producing crops, but they do not have the ability to sell or fundamentally alter the property itself.

This distinction is crucial in understanding property rights under civil law, particularly in Louisiana, which follows a civil law system influenced by French and Spanish laws. The concept of usufruct is often used in estate planning and family law, wherein a parent might create a usufruct for a child over their properties for the child's use while retaining ownership.

In contrast, the other choices refer to different legal concepts: full ownership (which does not involve any restrictions or granted rights to another party), parties in contracts, and actions regarding expropriation (typically associated with government acquisition of property). Each of these concepts serves distinct legal purposes and does not convey the specific rights and responsibilities conferred upon a usufructuary.