§ 18-7-19. Renunciation, resignation, death, or removal of custodian — Designation of successor custodian.
(a) A person nominated under § 18-7-4 or designated under § 18-7-10 as custodian may decline to serve by delivering a disclaimer to the person who made the nomination or to the transferor or the transferor’s legal representative. If the event giving rise to a transfer has not occurred and no substitute custodian able, willing, and eligible to serve was nominated under § 18-7-4, the person who made the nomination may nominate a substitute custodian under § 18-7-4; otherwise, the transferor or the transferor’s legal representative shall designate a substitute custodian at the time of the transfer, in either case from among the persons eligible to serve as custodian for that kind of property under § 18-7-10(a). The designated custodian has the rights of a successor custodian.
(b) A custodian at any time may designate a trust company or an adult other than a transferor under § 18-7-5 as successor custodian by executing and dating an instrument of designation before a subscribing witness other than the successor. If the instrument of designation does not contain or is not accompanied by the resignation of the custodian, the designation of the successor does not take effect until the custodian resigns, dies, becomes incapacitated, or is removed.
(c) A custodian may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the minor if the minor has attained the age of fourteen (14) years and to the successor custodian, and by delivering the custodial property to the successor custodian.
(d) If a custodian is ineligible, dies, or becomes incapacitated without having effectively designated a successor and the minor has attained the age of fourteen (14) years, the minor may designate as successor custodian, in the manner prescribed in subsection (b) of this section, an adult member of the minor’s family, a guardian of the minor, or a trust company. If the minor has not attained the age of fourteen (14) years or fails to act within sixty (60) days after the ineligibility, death, or incapacity, the guardian of the minor becomes successor custodian. If the minor has no guardian or the guardian declines to act, the transferor, the legal representative of the transferor or of the custodian, an adult member of the minor’s family, or any other interested person may petition the court to designate a successor custodian.
(e) A custodian who declines to serve under subsection (a) of this section or resigns under subsection (c) of this section, or the legal representative of a deceased or incapacitated custodian, as soon as practicable, shall put the custodial property and records in the possession and control of the successor custodian. The successor custodian by action may enforce the obligation to deliver custodial property and records and becomes responsible for each item as received.
(f) A transferor, the legal representative of a transferor, an adult member of the minor’s family, a guardian of the person or the estate of the minor, or the minor if the minor has attained the age of fourteen (14) years may petition the court to remove the custodian for cause and to designate a successor custodian other than a transferor under § 18-7-5 or to require the custodian to give appropriate bond.
History of Section.P.L. 1985, ch. 389, § 2.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 18-7 - Uniform Transfers to Minors Act
Section 18-7-1. - Short title.
Section 18-7-2. - Definitions.
Section 18-7-3. - Scope and jurisdiction.
Section 18-7-4. - Nomination of custodian.
Section 18-7-5. - Transfer by gift or exercise of power of appointment.
Section 18-7-6. - Transfer authorized by will or trust.
Section 18-7-7. - Other transfer by fiduciary.
Section 18-7-8. - Transfer by obligor.
Section 18-7-9. - Receipt for custodial property.
Section 18-7-11. - Single custodianship.
Section 18-7-12. - Validity and effect of transfer.
Section 18-7-13. - Care of custodial property.
Section 18-7-14. - Powers of custodian.
Section 18-7-15. - Use of custodial property.
Section 18-7-16. - Custodian’s expenses, compensation, and bond.
Section 18-7-17. - Exemption of third person from liability.
Section 18-7-18. - Liability to third person.
Section 18-7-20. - Accounting by and determination of liability of custodian.
Section 18-7-21. - Termination of custodianship.
Section 18-7-22. - Applicability.
Section 18-7-23. - Effect on existing custodianships.
Section 18-7-24. - Uniformity of application and construction.