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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60365</law_id><section_number>64.2-779.32</section_number><catch_line>Duty and liability of directed trustee</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>64.2-703</reference><reference>64.2-756</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Trusts</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Uniform Trust Code</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="8.2">Uniform Directed Trust Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Subject to subsection B, a <span class="dictionary">directed trustee</span> shall take reasonable action to comply with a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span>&#x2019;s exercise or nonexercise of a <span class="dictionary">power of direction</span> or further power under subdivision B 1 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers of trust director" href="/64.2-779.29/">64.2-779.29</a>, and the trustee is not liable for the action. <a id="paragraph-220776" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">directed trustee</span> must not comply with a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span>&#x2019;s exercise or nonexercise of a <span class="dictionary">power of direction</span> or further power under subdivision B 1 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers of trust director" href="/64.2-779.29/">64.2-779.29</a> to the extent that by complying the trustee would engage in willful misconduct. <a id="paragraph-220777" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> An exercise of a <span class="dictionary">power of direction</span> under which a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> may release a trustee or another <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> from liability for <span class="dictionary">breach of trust</span> is not effective if: <a id="paragraph-220778" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The breach involved the trustee&#x2019;s or other <span class="dictionary">trust director</span>&#x2019;s willful misconduct; <a id="paragraph-220779" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The release was induced by improper conduct of the trustee or other <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> in procuring that release; or <a id="paragraph-220780" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> At the time of the release, the <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> did not know the <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">facts</span> relating to the breach. <a id="paragraph-220781" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">directed trustee</span> that has <span class="dictionary">reasonable doubt</span> about its duty under this section may <span class="dictionary">petition</span> the <span class="dictionary">court</span> for instructions. <a id="paragraph-220782" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The terms of a trust may impose a duty or liability on a <span class="dictionary">directed trustee</span> in addition to the duties and liabilities under this section. <a id="paragraph-220783" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.32/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 768.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
