Why is a corporation prohibited from holding title to real property in California as a joint tenant?

A corporation is prohibited from holding title to real property in California as a joint tenant because it does not have perpetual existence in the same way that individual joint tenants do. Joint tenancy is characterized by the right of survivorship, where if one joint tenant passes away, their share automatically goes to the surviving joint tenants. While individuals can easily pass ownership in this manner, a corporation's existence is not contingent upon individual members; it is a separate legal entity.

Thus, the concept of joint tenancy, which relies on the personal relationship and survivorship between co-owners, does not apply to corporations. Corporations can own property, but they typically do so in a manner that reflects their nature as legal entities rather than individuals, often holding properties as tenants in common, which does not involve the right of survivorship. This means that when a shareholder in a corporation passes away, their shares are treated differently than a joint tenant's interest, which complicates the application of the joint tenancy principle to corporate ownership.