{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/64.2-705.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/64.2-705.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/64.2-705.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/64.2-705.html"}],"law_id":376373,"edition_id":2,"section_id":376373,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-705","catch_line":"Governing law","history":"2005, c. 935, \u00a7 55-541.07; 2012, c. 614.","full_text":"The meaning and effect of the terms of a trust are determined by:\n\n1\n\nThe law of the jurisdiction designated in the terms unless the designation of that jurisdiction’s law is contrary to a strong public policy of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue; or\n\n2\n\nIn the absence of a controlling designation in the terms of the trust, the law of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1405198,"text":"The meaning and effect of the terms of a trust are determined by:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":1405199,"text":"The law of the jurisdiction designated in the terms unless the designation of that jurisdiction’s law is contrary to a strong public policy of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue; or","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":1405200,"text":"In the absence of a controlling designation in the terms of the trust, the law of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":53525,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions and Definitions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":53524,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:17:42","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:10","permalink":{"id":1501111,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53525,"identifier":"1","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1","url":"\/64.2\/III\/7\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53524,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Trust Code","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":53428,"metadata":{"child_laws":150,"child_structures":13},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:17:42","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:10","permalink":{"id":1501109,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53524,"identifier":"7","token":"64.2\/III\/7","url":"\/64.2\/III\/7\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53428,"edition_id":2,"name":"Trusts","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":53424,"metadata":{"child_laws":232,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:10","permalink":{"id":1500813,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53428,"identifier":"III","token":"64.2\/III","url":"\/64.2\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53424,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries","identifier":"64.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":136,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":776,"child_structures":114},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499783,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53424,"identifier":"64.2","token":"64.2","url":"\/64.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":376368,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-700","catch_line":"Scope","url":"\/64.2-700\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-700","metadata":false},{"id":376369,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-701","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/64.2-701\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-701","metadata":false},{"id":376370,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-702","catch_line":"Knowledge","url":"\/64.2-702\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-702","metadata":false},{"id":376371,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-703","catch_line":"Default and mandatory rules","url":"\/64.2-703\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-703","metadata":false},{"id":376372,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-704","catch_line":"Common law of trusts; principles of equity","url":"\/64.2-704\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-704","metadata":false},{"id":376373,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-705","catch_line":"Governing law","url":"\/64.2-705\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-705","metadata":false},{"id":376374,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-706","catch_line":"Principal place of administration","url":"\/64.2-706\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-706","metadata":false},{"id":376375,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-707","catch_line":"Methods and waiver of notice","url":"\/64.2-707\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-707","metadata":false},{"id":376376,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-708","catch_line":"Others treated as qualified beneficiaries","url":"\/64.2-708\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-708","metadata":false},{"id":376377,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-709","catch_line":"Nonjudicial settlement agreements","url":"\/64.2-709\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-709","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":376372,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-704","catch_line":"Common law of trusts; principles of equity","url":"\/64.2-704\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-704","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":376374,"structure_id":53525,"section_number":"64.2-706","catch_line":"Principal place of administration","url":"\/64.2-706\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-706","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/64.2-705\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2005. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 935<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2012, chapter 614<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1501133,"object_type":"law","relational_id":376373,"identifier":"64.2-705","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-705","url":"\/64.2-705\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/64.2-705\/","token":"64.2\/III\/7\/1\/64.2-705","dublin_core":{"Title":"Governing law","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 64.2-705","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The meaning and effect of the terms of a trust are determined by:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The law<\/span> of the jurisdiction<\/span> designated in the terms unless the designation of that jurisdiction<\/span>’s law<\/span> is contrary to a strong public policy of the jurisdiction<\/span> having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue<\/span>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> In the absence of a controlling designation in the terms of the trust, the law<\/span> of the jurisdiction<\/span> having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nGOVERNING LAW (\u00a7 64.2-705)\n\nThe meaning and effect of the terms of a trust are determined by:\n\n1. The law of the jurisdiction designated in the terms unless the designation of\nthat jurisdiction’s law is contrary to a strong public policy of the\njurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue; or\n\n2. In the absence of a controlling designation in the terms of the trust, the\nlaw of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter\nat issue.\n\nHISTORY: 2005, c. 935, \u00a7 55-541.07; 2012, c. 614.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}