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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81837</law_id><section_number>13.1-1231</section_number><catch_line>Capacity to sue and be sued; process; liabilities and obligations; attachment; seizure of certain assets</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-1240</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="13.1">Corporations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Virginia Business Trust Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Legal Proceedings</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> may sue and be sued in its own name, and <span class="dictionary">service of process</span> on one of the <span class="dictionary">trustees</span> shall be sufficient to constitute service on the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span>. <a id="paragraph-293192" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-1231/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> may be sued for debts and other obligations or liabilities contracted or incurred by the <span class="dictionary">trustees</span>, or by the duly authorized agents of such <span class="dictionary">trustees</span>, in the performance of their respective duties under the <span class="dictionary">governing instrument</span> of the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span>, and for any <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to <span class="dictionary">persons</span> or property resulting from the <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> of such <span class="dictionary">trustees</span> or agents acting in the performance of such respective duties. <a id="paragraph-293193" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-1231/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The property of a <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> is subject to <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> and execution as if the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> was a Virginia corporation organized under Chapter 9 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title" href="/13.1-601/">13.1-601</a> et seq.) of this title. <a id="paragraph-293194" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-1231/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in the event that the <span class="dictionary">governing instrument</span> of a <span class="dictionary">business trust</span>, including a <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> that is a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, creates one or more series as provided in subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Governing instrument" href="/13.1-1219/">13.1-1219</a>, and if separate and distinct records are maintained for any such series and the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> associated with any such series are held and accounted for separately from the other <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span>, or any other series, and if the <span class="dictionary">governing instrument</span> so provides, and notice of the limitation on liabilities of a series as referenced in this subsection is set forth in the <span class="dictionary">articles of trust</span> of the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span>, then the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series shall be enforceable against the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of that series only, and not against the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> generally or any other series, and, unless otherwise provided in the <span class="dictionary">articles of trust</span> or in the <span class="dictionary">governing instrument</span>, none of the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to the <span class="dictionary">business trust</span> generally or any other series shall be enforceable against the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of that series. <a id="paragraph-293195" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-1231/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2002, c. 621.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
