The Uniform Trust Code (“UTC”), with Modifications Considered Appropriate to This State’S Institu- Tions, Traditions, and Jurisprudence
DONALDSON MASTER 401 10/19/2005 11:53:23 AM THE VIRGINIA UNIFORM TRUST CODE John E. Donaldson * Robert T. Danforth ** I. INTRODUCTION In its 2005 Session, the Virginia General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 891,1 thus adopting the Uniform Trust Code (“UTC”), with modifications considered appropriate to this state’s institu- tions, traditions, and jurisprudence. The Virginia Uniform Trust Code (“Virginia UTC”), set forth in new Chapter 31 of Title 55 of the Virginia Code, has an effective date of July 1, 2006, but, once in effect, it will be applicable (with some exceptions) to trusts cre- ated before, on, or after that date.2 The new Virginia UTC, which encompasses the great bulk of the principles and rules that comprise the law of trusts in Vir- ginia, has great relevance and importance to lawyers who special- ize in estate planning and to lawyers who represent trustees or trust beneficiaries. It also affects lawyers whose clients, as “third * Ball Professor of Law, Emeritus, College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law. B.A., 1960, University of Richmond; J.D., 1963, College of William and Mary; LL.M., 1966, Georgetown University. This article is based in substantial part on materials prepared by Professor Donaldson and presented by him at the Douglas W. Con- nor 26th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Administration Seminar in April 2005, sponsored by Virginia C.L.E.; those materials were used with the permission of Virginia C.L.E. An abbreviated version of Professor Donaldson’s materials also appeared in the Spring 2005 issue of the Virginia State Bar Trusts and Estates Section Newsletter.
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