Delaware Statutory Trust Act

Delaware · Decedents’ Estates and Fiduciary Relations · §§ 12-3801 to 12-3888 · 50 sections

Overview

The act establishes the statutory trust as a distinct form of unincorporated business entity recognized and governed by state law rather than by common-law trust principles alone. It addresses how such a trust comes into legal existence, the roles and duties of the trustees who manage it, the beneficial interests held by those on whose behalf it is administered, and the extent to which trustees and beneficial owners are shielded from personal liability for the trust's obligations. It further supplies default governance rules that a trust's own governing instrument may in large part displace, together with procedures for amending, restructuring, and terminating the trust.

Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.

Sections covered

Del. Code tit. 12, § 3801Definitions
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3802Contributions by beneficial owners
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3803Liability of beneficial owners and trustees
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3804Legal proceedings [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3805Rights of beneficial owners and trustees in trust property
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3806Management of statutory trust
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3807Trustee in State; registered agent
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3808Existence of statutory trust
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3809Applicability of trust law
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3810Certificate of trust; amendment; restatement; cancellation
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3811Execution
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3812Filing of certificate
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3813Fees [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3814Use of names regulated
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3815Merger and consolidation [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3816Derivative actions
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3817Indemnification
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3818Treasury interests
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3819Access to and confidentiality of information; records
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3820Conversion of other business entities to a statutory trust
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3821Conversion of a statutory trust
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3822Domestication of non-United States entities
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3823Transfer or continuance of domestic statutory trusts
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3824Judicial cancellation of certificate of trust; proceedings
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3825Division of a statutory trust
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3826Document form, signature and delivery
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3827Reserved power of State to amend or repeal chapter
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3828Construction and application of chapter and governing instrument
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3829Short title
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3851Law governing
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3852Registration required; application
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3853Issuance of registration
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3854Name; registered office; registered agent
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3855Amendments to application
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3856Cancellation of registration
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3857Doing business without registration
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3858Foreign statutory trusts doing business without having qualified; injunctions
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3859Execution — Liability
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3860Service of process on registered foreign statutory trusts [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3861Service of process on unregistered foreign statutory trusts [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3862Fees [Effective Aug. 1, 2026]
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3863Activities not constituting doing business
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3881Control beneficial interest acquisition definitions
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3882Related acquisitions; beneficial interests held for the benefit of others
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3883Voting rights; approvals and exemptions; application
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3884Acquiring person statement
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3885Acquiring person meeting request
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3886Special meeting requirements; limitations
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3887Special meeting notice
Del. Code tit. 12, § 3888Disclosure of control beneficial interest acquisitions and related information

Enacted in other states

Connecticut, Maryland, Wyoming

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