Every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made on or after April 2, 1839, for literary or educational purposes, and every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made on or after April 6, 1976, for charitable purposes, whether made in any case to any type of entity or to a natural person, shall be as valid as if made to or for the benefit of a certain natural person, except such devises or bequests, if any, that have failed or become void by virtue of the seventh section of the Act of the General Assembly passed on April 2, 1839, entitled "an act concerning devises made to schools, academies, and colleges." Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to give validity to any devise or bequest to or for the use of any unincorporated theological seminary. Every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made for literary, educational, or charitable purposes before April 6, 1976, is hereby validated.
1976, c. 546, § 55-26.1; 2019, c. 712.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 57 - Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries
Chapter 2 - Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects
§ 57-3. Appropriation of glebe lands and church property
§ 57-4. Donations to vestries for charitable purposes
§ 57-5. R. E. Lee Camp; Pelham Chapel
§ 57-6. Lee Memorial Association
§ 57-6.1. Validity of literary, educational, and charitable gifts, grants, devises, or bequests
§ 57-7.1. What transfers for religious purposes valid
§ 57-9. How property rights determined on division of church or society
§ 57-10. How trustees to hold personal property
§ 57-11. Suits by and against trustees
§ 57-13. Suits by members against trustees to compel proper application of property
§ 57-14. Suits by members to have land sold or mortgaged
§ 57-15. Proceedings by trustees or members for similar purposes, exception for certain transfers
§ 57-15.1. Order may provide that fiscal officer may sign instrument without personal liability
§ 57-16. Property held, etc., by ecclesiastical officers
§ 57-16.1. Property of unincorporated church held by corporation
§ 57-17. Conveyance of church land held in adverse possession
§ 57-18. Conveyance for charitable purpose to unincorporated bodies or societies
§ 57-19. Conveyances of land to benevolent and other associations to be subject to certain sections
§ 57-20. Quantity of land benevolent and other associations may hold