{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/57-16.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/57-16.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/57-16.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/57-16.html"}],"law_id":81715,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81715,"structure_id":13735,"section_number":"57-16","catch_line":"Property held, etc., by ecclesiastical officers","history":"1942, p. 382; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 38a; 1962, c. 306; 1966, c. 308; 2005, cc. 681, 772.","full_text":"A\n\nHow property acquired, held, transferred, etc. — Whenever the laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any church or religious sect, society or denomination commits to its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, authority to administer its affairs, such duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer shall have power to acquire by deed, devise, gift, purchase or otherwise, any real or personal property, for any purpose authorized and permitted by its laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity, and not prohibited by the laws of Virginia, and the power to hold, improve, mortgage, sell and convey the same in accordance with such laws, rules and ecclesiastic polity, and in accordance with the laws of Virginia.\n\t\t\tIn the event of the transfer, removal, resignation or death of any such bishop, minister, or other ecclesiastical officer, the title and all rights with respect to any such property shall pass to and become vested in his duly elected or appointed successor immediately upon election or appointment, and pending election or appointment of such successor, such title and rights shall be vested in such person or persons as shall be designated by the laws, rules, or ecclesiastical polity of such church or religious sect, society or denomination.\n\t\t\tAll deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, wills or other instruments made prior to March 18, 1942, to or by a duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, who at the time of the making of any such deed, deed of trust, mortgage, will or other instrument, or thereafter, had authority to administer the affairs of any church or religious sect, society or denomination under its laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity, transferring property, real or personal, of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, are hereby ratified and declared valid. All transfers of title and rights with respect to property, prior to such date from a predecessor bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer who has resigned or died, or has been transferred or removed, to his duly elected or appointed successor, by the laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, either by written instruments or solely by virtue of the election or appointment of such successor, are also hereby ratified and declared valid.\n\t\t\tNo gift, grant, bequest or devise made on or after March 18, 1942, to any such church or religious sect, society or denomination or the duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs, shall fail or be declared void for insufficient designation of the beneficiaries in, or the objects of, any trust annexed to such gift, grant, bequest or devise; but such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be valid; provided, that whenever the objects of any such trust shall be undefined, or so uncertain as not to admit of specific enforcement by the courts of the Commonwealth, such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be held, managed, and the principal or income appropriated, for the religious and benevolent uses of such church or religious sect, society or denomination by its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs.\n\t\t\tThe rights created and the remedies provided in this section shall be construed as cumulative and not exclusive.\n\t\t\tThis section shall not be so construed as to effect an implied repeal of any other provisions of this chapter.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":292723,"text":"How property acquired, held, transferred, etc. — Whenever the laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any church or religious sect, society or denomination commits to its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, authority to administer its affairs, such duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer shall have power to acquire by deed, devise, gift, purchase or otherwise, any real or personal property, for any purpose authorized and permitted by its laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity, and not prohibited by the laws of Virginia, and the power to hold, improve, mortgage, sell and convey the same in accordance with such laws, rules and ecclesiastic polity, and in accordance with the laws of Virginia.\n\t\t\tIn the event of the transfer, removal, resignation or death of any such bishop, minister, or other ecclesiastical officer, the title and all rights with respect to any such property shall pass to and become vested in his duly elected or appointed successor immediately upon election or appointment, and pending election or appointment of such successor, such title and rights shall be vested in such person or persons as shall be designated by the laws, rules, or ecclesiastical polity of such church or religious sect, society or denomination.\n\t\t\tAll deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, wills or other instruments made prior to March 18, 1942, to or by a duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, who at the time of the making of any such deed, deed of trust, mortgage, will or other instrument, or thereafter, had authority to administer the affairs of any church or religious sect, society or denomination under its laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity, transferring property, real or personal, of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, are hereby ratified and declared valid. All transfers of title and rights with respect to property, prior to such date from a predecessor bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer who has resigned or died, or has been transferred or removed, to his duly elected or appointed successor, by the laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, either by written instruments or solely by virtue of the election or appointment of such successor, are also hereby ratified and declared valid.\n\t\t\tNo gift, grant, bequest or devise made on or after March 18, 1942, to any such church or religious sect, society or denomination or the duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs, shall fail or be declared void for insufficient designation of the beneficiaries in, or the objects of, any trust annexed to such gift, grant, bequest or devise; but such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be valid; provided, that whenever the objects of any such trust shall be undefined, or so uncertain as not to admit of specific enforcement by the courts of the Commonwealth, such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be held, managed, and the principal or income appropriated, for the religious and benevolent uses of such church or religious sect, society or denomination by its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs.\n\t\t\tThe rights created and the remedies provided in this section shall be construed as cumulative and not exclusive.\n\t\t\tThis section shall not be so construed as to effect an implied repeal of any other provisions of this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/57-16\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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 306; in 1966, chapter 308; in 2005, chapters 681<\/a> and 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\/"},{"id":57368,"section_number":"57-7.1","catch_line":"What transfers for religious purposes valid","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-7.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":251579,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81715,"identifier":"57-16","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-16","url":"\/57-16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/57-16\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-16","dublin_core":{"Title":"Property held, etc., by ecclesiastical officers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 57-16","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> How property acquired, held, transferred, etc. — Whenever the laws<\/span>, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any church or religious sect, society or denomination commits to its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, authority to administer its affairs, such duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer shall have power to acquire by deed, devise, gift, purchase or otherwise, any real or personal property, for any purpose authorized and permitted by its laws<\/span>, rules or ecclesiastic polity, and not prohibited by the laws<\/span> of Virginia, and the power to hold, improve, mortgage, sell and convey the same in accordance with such laws<\/span>, rules and ecclesiastic polity, and in accordance with the laws<\/span> of Virginia.\n\t\t\tIn the event of the transfer, removal, resignation or death of any such bishop, minister, or other ecclesiastical officer, the title and all rights with respect to any such property shall pass to and become vested in his duly elected or appointed successor immediately upon election or appointment, and pending election or appointment of such successor, such title and rights shall be vested in such person or persons as shall be designated by the laws<\/span>, rules, or ecclesiastical polity of such church or religious sect, society or denomination.\n\t\t\tAll deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, wills or other instruments made prior to March 18, 1942, to or by a duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer, who at the time of the making of any such deed, deed of trust, mortgage, will or other instrument, or thereafter, had authority to administer the affairs of any church or religious sect, society or denomination under its laws<\/span>, rules or ecclesiastic polity, transferring property, real or personal, of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, are hereby ratified and declared valid. All transfers of title and rights with respect to property, prior to such date from a predecessor bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer who has resigned or died, or has been transferred or removed, to his duly elected or appointed successor, by the laws<\/span>, rules or ecclesiastic polity of any such church or religious sect, society or denomination, either by written instruments or solely by virtue of the election or appointment of such successor, are also hereby ratified and declared valid.\n\t\t\tNo gift, grant, bequest or devise made on or after March 18, 1942, to any such church or religious sect, society or denomination or the duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs, shall fail or be declared void for insufficient designation of the beneficiaries in, or the objects<\/span> of, any trust annexed to such gift, grant, bequest or devise; but such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be valid; provided, that whenever the objects<\/span> of any such trust shall be undefined, or so uncertain as not to admit of specific enforcement by the courts<\/span> of the Commonwealth, such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be held, managed, and the principal or income appropriated, for the religious and benevolent uses of such church or religious sect, society or denomination by its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to administer its affairs.\n\t\t\tThe rights created and the remedies provided in this section shall be construed as cumulative and not exclusive.\n\t\t\tThis section shall not be so construed as to effect an implied repeal of any other provisions of this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROPERTY HELD, ETC., BY ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICERS (\u00a7 57-16)\n\nA. How property acquired, held, transferred, etc. — Whenever the laws,\nrules or ecclesiastic polity of any church or religious sect, society or\ndenomination commits to its duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or other\necclesiastical officer, authority to administer its affairs, such duly elected\nor appointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer shall have power\nto acquire by deed, devise, gift, purchase or otherwise, any real or personal\nproperty, for any purpose authorized and permitted by its laws, rules or\necclesiastic polity, and not prohibited by the laws of Virginia, and the power\nto hold, improve, mortgage, sell and convey the same in accordance with such\nlaws, rules and ecclesiastic polity, and in accordance with the laws of\nVirginia.\n\t\t\tIn the event of the transfer, removal, resignation or death of any such\nbishop, minister, or other ecclesiastical officer, the title and all rights with\nrespect to any such property shall pass to and become vested in his duly elected\nor appointed successor immediately upon election or appointment, and pending\nelection or appointment of such successor, such title and rights shall be vested\nin such person or persons as shall be designated by the laws, rules, or\necclesiastical polity of such church or religious sect, society or denomination.\n\t\t\tAll deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, wills or other instruments made prior\nto March 18, 1942, to or by a duly elected or appointed bishop, minister or\nother ecclesiastical officer, who at the time of the making of any such deed,\ndeed of trust, mortgage, will or other instrument, or thereafter, had authority\nto administer the affairs of any church or religious sect, society or\ndenomination under its laws, rules or ecclesiastic polity, transferring\nproperty, real or personal, of any such church or religious sect, society or\ndenomination, are hereby ratified and declared valid. All transfers of title and\nrights with respect to property, prior to such date from a predecessor bishop,\nminister or other ecclesiastical officer who has resigned or died, or has been\ntransferred or removed, to his duly elected or appointed successor, by the laws,\nrules or ecclesiastic polity of any such church or religious sect, society or\ndenomination, either by written instruments or solely by virtue of the election\nor appointment of such successor, are also hereby ratified and declared valid.\n\t\t\tNo gift, grant, bequest or devise made on or after March 18, 1942, to any\nsuch church or religious sect, society or denomination or the duly elected or\nappointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to\nadminister its affairs, shall fail or be declared void for insufficient\ndesignation of the beneficiaries in, or the objects of, any trust annexed to\nsuch gift, grant, bequest or devise; but such gift, grant, bequest or devise\nshall be valid; provided, that whenever the objects of any such trust shall be\nundefined, or so uncertain as not to admit of specific enforcement by the courts\nof the Commonwealth, such gift, grant, bequest or devise shall be held, managed,\nand the principal or income appropriated, for the religious and benevolent uses\nof such church or religious sect, society or denomination by its duly elected or\nappointed bishop, minister or other ecclesiastical officer authorized to\nadminister its affairs.\n\t\t\tThe rights created and the remedies provided in this section shall be\nconstrued as cumulative and not exclusive.\n\t\t\tThis section shall not be so construed as to effect an implied repeal of any\nother provisions of this chapter.\n\nHISTORY: 1942, p. 382; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 38a; 1962, c. 306; 1966, c. 308;\n2005, cc. 681, 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}}