§ 413. Cy pres
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, if a particular charitable purpose becomes unlawful, impracticable, impossible to achieve, or wasteful:
(1) the trust does not fail, in whole or in part;
(2) the trust property does not revert to the settlor or the settlor’s successors in interest; and
(3) the Probate Division of the Superior Court, on motion of any trustee, or any interested person, or the Attorney General, may apply cy pres to modify or terminate the trust by directing that the trust property be applied or distributed, in whole or in part, in a manner consistent with the settlor’s charitable purposes.
(b) A provision in the terms of a charitable trust that would result in distribution of the trust property to a noncharitable beneficiary prevails over the power of the Probate Division of the Superior Court under subsection (a) of this section to apply cy pres to modify or terminate the trust only if, when the provision takes effect:
(1) the trust property is to revert to the settlor and the settlor is still living; or
(2) fewer than 21 years have elapsed since the date of the trust’s creation. (Added 2009, No. 20, § 1; amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 236, eff. February 1, 2011.)
Structure Vermont Statutes
Chapter 4 - Creation, Validity, Modification, and Termination of Trust
§ 401. Methods of creating trust
§ 402. Requirements for creation
§ 403. Trusts created in other jurisdictions
§ 405. Charitable purposes; enforcement
§ 406. Creation of trust induced by fraud, duress, or undue influence
§ 408. Trust for care of animal
§ 409. Noncharitable trust without ascertainable beneficiary
§ 410. Modification or termination of trust; proceedings for approval or disapproval
§ 411. Modification or termination of noncharitable irrevocable trust by consent
§ 414. Modification or termination of uneconomic trust
§ 415. Reformation to correct mistakes
§ 416. Modification to achieve settlor’s tax objectives
§ 417. Combination and division of trusts
§ 418. Intentional and unlawful killing; termination of interest in trust