{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/57-8.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/57-8.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/57-8.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/57-8.html"}],"law_id":66631,"edition_id":1,"section_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","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 39; 1962, c. 516; 1966, c. 216; 2005, c. 772.","full_text":"The circuit court of the county or the circuit court of the city, or the judge thereof in vacation, wherein there is any parcel of such land or the greater part thereof may, on the application of the proper authorities of an unincorporated church or religious body or branch or division thereof, from time to time appoint trustees, either where there were, or are, none or in place of former trustees, and on such application and without notice to the trustee or trustees change those so appointed whenever it may seem to the court or judge proper to effect and promote the purpose and object of the conveyance, devise, or dedication, and the legal title to such land shall for that purpose and object be vested in the trustees for the time being and their successors.\n\t\tAll such changes and appointments heretofore [before March 31, 1966] made are hereby validated, ratified, approved and confirmed.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":241738,"text":"The circuit court of the county or the circuit court of the city, or the judge thereof in vacation, wherein there is any parcel of such land or the greater part thereof may, on the application of the proper authorities of an unincorporated church or religious body or branch or division thereof, from time to time appoint trustees, either where there were, or are, none or in place of former trustees, and on such application and without notice to the trustee or trustees change those so appointed whenever it may seem to the court or judge proper to effect and promote the purpose and object of the conveyance, devise, or dedication, and the legal title to such land shall for that purpose and object be vested in the trustees for the time being and their successors.\n\t\tAll such changes and appointments heretofore [before March 31, 1966] made are hereby validated, ratified, approved and confirmed.","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/57-8\/","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 516; in 1966, chapter 216; in 2005, chapter 772<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":71931,"section_number":"17.1-275","catch_line":"Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts; generally","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-275\/"},{"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":58530,"section_number":"57-19","catch_line":"Conveyances of land to benevolent and other associations to be subject to certain sections","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-19\/"},{"id":75845,"section_number":"57-23","catch_line":"Appointment, change or removal of trustees","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-23\/"},{"id":57368,"section_number":"57-7.1","catch_line":"What transfers for religious purposes valid","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-7.1\/"},{"id":86914,"section_number":"58.1-811","catch_line":"(Contingent effective date \u2014 see note) Exemptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-811\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":251599,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66631,"identifier":"57-8","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-8","url":"\/57-8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/57-8\/","token":"57\/2\/2\/57-8","dublin_core":{"Title":"Appointment of trustees to effect the purposes of conveyances, etc.; validation of certain appointments","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 57-8","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the county or the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the city, or the judge<\/span> thereof in vacation, wherein there is any parcel of such land or the greater part thereof may, on the application of the proper authorities of an unincorporated church or religious body or branch or division thereof, from time to time appoint trustees, either where there were, or are, none or in place of former trustees, and on such application and without notice to the trustee or trustees change those so appointed whenever it may seem to the court<\/span> or judge<\/span> proper to effect and promote the purpose and object<\/span> of the conveyance, devise, or dedication, and the legal title to such land shall for that purpose and object<\/span> be vested in the trustees for the time being and their successors.\n\t\tAll such changes and appointments heretofore [before March 31, 1966] made are hereby validated, ratified, approved and confirmed.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAPPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES TO EFFECT THE PURPOSES OF CONVEYANCES, ETC.; VALIDATION\nOF CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS (\u00a7 57-8)\n\nThe circuit court of the county or the circuit court of the city, or the judge\nthereof in vacation, wherein there is any parcel of such land or the greater\npart thereof may, on the application of the proper authorities of an\nunincorporated church or religious body or branch or division thereof, from time\nto time appoint trustees, either where there were, or are, none or in place of\nformer trustees, and on such application and without notice to the trustee or\ntrustees change those so appointed whenever it may seem to the court or judge\nproper to effect and promote the purpose and object of the conveyance, devise,\nor dedication, and the legal title to such land shall for that purpose and\nobject be vested in the trustees for the time being and their successors.\n\t\tAll such changes and appointments heretofore [before March 31, 1966] made are\nhereby validated, ratified, approved and confirmed.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7 39; 1962, c. 516; 1966, c. 216; 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}}