<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>370773</law_id><section_number>57-21</section_number><catch_line>May hold personal property through trustees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>57-11</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="123" identifier="57">Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="2">Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="3">Benevolent Associations and Objects</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any such unincorporated body, society, group, association, or post referenced in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Conveyance for charitable purpose to unincorporated bodies, societies, groups, associations, or posts" href="/57-18/">57-18</a> or <a class="law" title="Conveyances of land to benevolent and other associations to be subject to certain sections" href="/57-19/">57-19</a> may acquire personal property for its use, and hold the same and any such as it may have heretofore acquired, through the intervention of trustees in whom the legal title shall be vested for its benefit; and the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the locality in which the meetings of such unincorporated body, society, group, association, or post are usually held, or the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of such <span class="dictionary">court</span> in vacation, may, on the application of the proper authorities of the unincorporated body, society, group, association, or post, from time to time, appoint trustees, either where there were or are none, or in place of former trustees, and change those so appointed, as may seem to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> to be proper; and the legal title to such personal property shall be vested in the trustees, for the time being, and their successors, for the use and benefit of the unincorporated body, society, group, association, or post.</p></section></text><history>Code 1919, &#xA7; 49; 2005, c. 772; 2023, c. 541.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Sea Hunt, Inc. v. the Unidentified, Shipwrecked Vessel or .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </name><case_number>2:98CV281</case_number><citation>47 F. Supp. 2d 678</citation><date>1999-04-27</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2527737/sea-hunt-inc-v-the-unidentified-shipwrecked-vessel-or-vessels/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 47 F.Supp.2d 678 (1999) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>District Court, E.D. Virginia</court_html></item><item key="1"><name> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Sea Hunt, Inc. v. the Unidentified Shipwrecked Vessel or .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </name><case_number>99-2035, 99-2036</case_number><citation>221 F.3d 634</citation><date>2000-07-21</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2967232/sea-hunt-inc-v-the-unidentified-shipwrecked-vessel-or-vessels/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Affirmed in part and reversed in part by published opinion. Chief Judge WILKINSON wrote the opinion, .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="2"><name> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Kingdom Of Spain v. Unidentified Shipwrecked Vessel Or .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </name><case_number>99-2035</case_number><citation>221 F.3d 634</citation><date>2000-07-21</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/769769/kingdom-of-spain-v-unidentified-shipwrecked-vessel-or-vessels/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 221 F.3d 634 (4th Cir. 2000) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="3"><name>Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. v. Testerman</name><case_number>1484103</case_number><citation>711 S.E.2d 232</citation><date>2011-07-12</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1061912/utility-trailer-manufacturing-co-v-testerman/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. *484PETTY, J., .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="4"><name>Pilot Freight Carriers, Inc. v. Reeves</name><case_number>Record No. 0878-85</case_number><citation>339 S.E.2d 570</citation><date>1986-02-04</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1251157/pilot-freight-carriers-inc-v-reeves/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 339 S.E.2d 570 (1986) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="5"><name>Interstate Petroleum Corp. v. Morgan</name><case_number>Nos. 97-1409, 97-1481</case_number><citation>228 F.3d 331</citation><date>2000-09-08</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/7082116/interstate-petroleum-corp-v-morgan/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. WILKINS, Circuit Judge, .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="6"><name>Kothe v. Continental Teves, Inc.</name><case_number>Civil 3:05cv00064</case_number><citation>461 F. Supp. 2d 466</citation><date>2006-11-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2349391/kothe-v-continental-teves-inc/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 461 F.Supp.2d 466 (2006) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>District Court, W.D. Virginia</court_html></item><item key="7"><name>Interstate Petroleum v. Morgan</name><case_number>97-1409</case_number><citation></citation><date>2000-11-13</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2967312/interstate-petroleum-v-morgan/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Rehearing en banc granted by order filed 11/9/00; .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="8"><name>Fant v. Miller</name><case_number></case_number><citation>17 Va. 187</citation><date>1867-01-15</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/7733230/fant-v-miller/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. MONCURE, J., .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="9"><name>Fant v. Miller</name><case_number></case_number><citation>17 Va. 187</citation><date>1867-01-15</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/7733229/fant-v-miller/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. MONCURE, J., .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
