SECTIONS 15600-15604 - California Statutes

PROBATE CODE

SECTION 15600-15604

15600. (a) The person named as trustee may accept the trust, or a
modification of the trust, by one of the following methods:
(1) Signing the trust instrument or the trust instrument as
modified, or signing a separate written acceptance.
(2) Knowingly exercising powers or performing duties under the
trust instrument or the trust instrument as modified, except as
provided in subdivision (b).
(b) In a case where there is an immediate risk of damage to the
trust property, the person named as trustee may act to preserve the
trust property without accepting the trust or a modification of the
trust, if within a reasonable time after acting the person delivers a
written rejection of the trust or the modification of the trust to
the settlor or, if the settlor is dead or incompetent, to a
beneficiary. This subdivision does not impose a duty on the person
named as trustee to act.

15601. (a) A person named as trustee may in writing reject the
trust or a modification of the trust.
(b) If the person named as trustee does not accept the trust or a
modification of the trust by a method provided in subdivision (a) of
Section 15600 within a reasonable time after learning of being named
as trustee or of the modification, the person has rejected the trust
or the modification.
(c) A person named as trustee who rejects the trust or a
modification of the trust is not liable with respect to the rejected
trust or modification.

15602. (a) A trustee is not required to give a bond to secure
performance of the trustee's duties, unless any of the following
circumstances occurs:
(1) A bond is required by the trust instrument.
(2) Notwithstanding a waiver of a bond in the trust instrument, a
bond is found by the court to be necessary to protect the interests
of beneficiaries or other persons having an interest in the trust.
(3) An individual who is not named as a trustee in the trust
instrument is appointed as a trustee by the court.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (3) of subdivision (a), the
court may excuse a requirement of a bond, reduce or increase the
amount of a bond, release a surety, or permit the substitution of
another bond with the same or different sureties. The court may not,
however, excuse the requirement of a bond for an individual described
in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), except under compelling
circumstances. For the purposes of this section, a request by all the
adult beneficiaries of a trust that bond be waived for an individual
described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) for their trust is
deemed to constitute a compelling circumstance.
(c) If a bond is required, it shall be filed or served and shall
be in the amount and with sureties and liabilities ordered by the
court.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in the trust instrument or
ordered by the court, the cost of the bond shall be charged against
the trust.
(e) A trust company may not be required to give a bond,
notwithstanding a contrary provision in the trust instrument.

15603. On application by the trustee, the court clerk shall issue a
certificate that the trustee is a duly appointed and acting trustee
under the trust if the court file shows the incumbency of the
trustee.

15604. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a nonprofit
charitable corporation may be appointed as trustee of a trust created
pursuant to this division, if all of the following conditions are
met:
(1) The corporation is incorporated in this state.
(2) The articles of incorporation specifically authorize the
corporation to accept appointments as trustee.
(3) For the three years prior to the filing of a petition under
this section, the nonprofit charitable corporation has been exempt
from payment of income taxes pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code and has served as a private professional
conservator in the state.
(4) The settlor or an existing trustee consents to the appointment
of the nonprofit corporation as trustee or successor trustee, either
in the petition or in a writing signed either before or after the
petition is filed.
(5) The court determines the trust to be in the best interest of
the settlor.
(6) The court determines that the appointment of the nonprofit
corporation as trustee is in the best interest of the settlor and the
trust estate.
(b) A petition for appointment of a nonprofit corporation as
trustee under this section may be filed by any of the following:
(1) The settlor or the spouse of the settlor.
(2) The nonprofit charitable corporation.
(3) An existing trustee.
(c) The petition shall include in the caption the name of a
responsible corporate officer who shall act for the corporation for
purposes of this section. If, for any reason, the officer so named
ceases to act as the responsible corporate officer for purposes of
this section, the corporation shall file with the court a notice
containing (1) the name of the successor responsible corporate
officer and (2) the date the successor becomes the responsible
corporate officer.
(d) The petition shall request that a trustee be appointed for the
estate, shall specify the name, address, and telephone number of the
proposed trustee and the name, address, and telephone number of the
settlor or proposed settlor, and state the reasons why the
appointment of the trustee is necessary.
(e) The petition shall set forth, so far as the information is
known to the petitioner, the names and addresses of all persons
entitled to notice of a conservatorship petition, as specified in
subdivision (b) of Section 1821.
(f) Notice of the hearing on the petition shall be given in the
same manner as provided in Sections 1822 and 1824.
(g) The trustee appointed by the court pursuant to this section
shall do all of the following:
(1) File the required bond for the benefit of the trust estate in
the same manner provided for conservators of the estate as set forth
in Section 2320. This bond may not be waived, but the court may, in
its discretion, permit the filing of a bond in an amount less than
would otherwise be required under Section 2320.
(2) Comply with the requirements for registration and filing of
annual statements pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section
2340) of Chapter 4 of Part 4 of Division 4.
(3) File with the court inventories and appraisals of the trust
estate and present its accounts of the trust estate in the manner
provided for conservators of the estate set forth in Chapter 7
(commencing with Section 2600) of Part 4 of Division 4.
(4) Be reimbursed for expenses and compensated as trustee in the
manner provided for conservators of the estate as described in
Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2640) of Part 4 of Division 4.
However, compensation as trustee appointed under this section shall
be allowed only for services actually rendered.
(5) Be represented by counsel in all proceedings before the court.
Any fee allowed for an attorney for the nonprofit charitable
corporation shall be for services actually rendered.
(h) The trustee appointed by the court under this section may be
removed by the court, or may resign in accordance with Chapter 9
(commencing with Section 2650) of Part 4 of Division 4. If the
nonprofit charitable corporation resigns or is removed by the court,
the settlor may appoint another person as successor trustee, or
another nonprofit charitable corporation as trustee under this
section.
(i) The trustee appointed by the court under this section is bound
by the trust instrument created by the settlor, and shall be subject
to the duties and responsibilities of a trustee as provided in this
code.