{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/57-13.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/57-13.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/57-13.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/57-13.html"}],"law_id":54734,"edition_id":1,"section_id":54734,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-13","catch_line":"Suits by members against trustees to compel proper application of property","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 44; 1962, c. 516; 2005, c. 772.","full_text":"Any one or more members of any church diocese or religious congregation whose property is held by trustees may, in his or their names, on behalf of such church diocese or congregation, commence and prosecute a suit in equity against any such trustee to compel him to apply such real or personal estate for the use or benefit of the church diocese or congregation, as his duty shall require. No member of the church diocese or congregation need be made a defendant to such suit, but, in other respects, the same shall be proceeded in, heard, and determined as other suits in equity, except that it may be proceeded in, notwithstanding the death of the plaintiff, as if he were still living.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":200935,"text":"Any one or more members of any church diocese or religious congregation whose property is held by trustees may, in his or their names, on behalf of such church diocese or congregation, commence and prosecute a suit in equity against any such trustee to compel him to apply such real or personal estate for the use or benefit of the church diocese or congregation, as his duty shall require. No member of the church diocese or congregation need be made a defendant to such suit, but, in other respects, the same shall be proceeded in, heard, and determined as other suits in equity, except that it may be proceeded in, notwithstanding the death of the plaintiff, as if he were still living.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13735,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property Held for Religious Purposes","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13734,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","permalink":{"id":251549,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13735,"identifier":"2","token":"57\/2\/2","url":"\/57\/2\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13734,"edition_id":1,"name":"Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13324,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","permalink":{"id":251525,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13734,"identifier":"2","token":"57\/2","url":"\/57\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13324,"edition_id":1,"name":"Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries","identifier":"57","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","permalink":{"id":251501,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13324,"identifier":"57","token":"57","url":"\/57\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":56375,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-10","catch_line":"How trustees to hold personal property","url":"\/57-10\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-10","metadata":false},{"id":85753,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-11","catch_line":"Suits by and against trustees","url":"\/57-11\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-11","metadata":false},{"id":71213,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-12","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/57-12\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-12","metadata":false},{"id":54734,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-13","catch_line":"Suits by members against trustees to compel proper application of property","url":"\/57-13\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-13","metadata":false},{"id":67767,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-14","catch_line":"Suits by members to have land sold or mortgaged","url":"\/57-14\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-14","metadata":false},{"id":78728,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-15","catch_line":"Proceedings by trustees or members for similar purposes, exception for certain transfers","url":"\/57-15\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-15","metadata":false},{"id":85195,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-15.1","catch_line":"Order may provide that fiscal officer may sign instrument without personal liability","url":"\/57-15.1\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-15.1","metadata":false},{"id":81715,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-16","catch_line":"Property held, etc., by ecclesiastical officers","url":"\/57-16\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-16","metadata":false},{"id":72450,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-16.1","catch_line":"Property of unincorporated church held by corporation","url":"\/57-16.1\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-16.1","metadata":false},{"id":59134,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-17","catch_line":"Conveyance of church land held in adverse possession","url":"\/57-17\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-17","metadata":false},{"id":72855,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-7","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/57-7\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-7","metadata":false},{"id":57368,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-7.1","catch_line":"What transfers for religious purposes valid","url":"\/57-7.1\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-7.1","metadata":false},{"id":66631,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-8","catch_line":"Appointment of trustees to effect the purposes of conveyances, etc.; validation of certain appointments","url":"\/57-8\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-8","metadata":false},{"id":81504,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-9","catch_line":"How property rights determined on division of church or society","url":"\/57-9\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":71213,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-12","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/57-12\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-12","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67767,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-14","catch_line":"Suits by members to have land sold or mortgaged","url":"\/57-14\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-14","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/57-13\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1962, chapter 516; in 2005, chapter 772<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80250,"section_number":"57-18","catch_line":"Conveyance for charitable purpose to unincorporated bodies, societies, groups, associations, or posts","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-18\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":251563,"object_type":"law","relational_id":54734,"identifier":"57-13","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-13","url":"\/57-13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/57-13\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-13","dublin_core":{"Title":"Suits by members against trustees to compel proper application of property","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 57-13","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any one or more members of any church diocese or religious congregation whose property is held by trustees may, in his or their names, on behalf of such church diocese or congregation, commence and prosecute<\/span> a suit in equity<\/span> against any such trustee to compel him to apply such real or personal estate for the use or benefit of the church diocese or congregation, as his duty shall require. No member of the church diocese or congregation need be made a defendant<\/span> to such suit, but, in other respects, the same shall be proceeded in, heard, and determined as other suits in equity<\/span>, except that it may be proceeded in, notwithstanding the death of the plaintiff<\/span>, as if he were still living.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSUITS BY MEMBERS AGAINST TRUSTEES TO COMPEL PROPER APPLICATION OF PROPERTY (\u00a7\n57-13)\n\nAny one or more members of any church diocese or religious congregation whose\nproperty is held by trustees may, in his or their names, on behalf of such\nchurch diocese or congregation, commence and prosecute a suit in equity against\nany such trustee to compel him to apply such real or personal estate for the use\nor benefit of the church diocese or congregation, as his duty shall require. No\nmember of the church diocese or congregation need be made a defendant to such\nsuit, but, in other respects, the same shall be proceeded in, heard, and\ndetermined as other suits in equity, except that it may be proceeded in,\nnotwithstanding the death of the plaintiff, as if he were still living.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7 44; 1962, c. 516; 2005, c. 772.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}