New Delhi, Sept. 15 -- A daughter can inherit her deceased father's share in joint family property even if her mother remarried, the Madras High Court has held. The court clarified that a disqualification applicable to a remarried widow cannot automatically be extended to the deceased man's other Class I legal heirs.

The ruling came in a dispute over the property of Venkatesan, a deceased coparcener in a Hindu joint family. His wife remarried after his death and did not claim any share in his estate. His daughter, who was his only Class I legal heir in the case, inherited his entire coparcenary interest and subsequently dealt with the property.

The dispute arose when another coparcener challenged the daughter's entitlement. The argument...