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Serving with a co-trustee in Maryland: everyone participates

Maryland's Trust Act has no majority-vote rule for cotrustees. This guide explains how cotrustees act together under the statute, when one may act alone, and what happens when they cannot work together.

Le texte intégral de ce guide est en anglais ; le résumé ci-dessus est dans votre langue. Les résumés des lois et l'anglais restent la source de référence.

Working with others · 6 min de lecture

Everyone participates

Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(b) provides that a cotrustee participates in the performance of a trustee's function unless unavailable because of absence, illness, disqualification under other law or other temporary incapacity, or the cotrustee has properly delegated the function to another trustee. The trust's own terms may set a different rule; Maryland's statute supplies none of its own.

When the others may act

On a vacancy in a cotrusteeship, the remaining cotrustees may act for the trust (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(a)). Where a cotrustee is unavailable for one of the statute's reasons and prompt action is necessary to achieve the trust's purposes or to avoid injury to its property, the remaining cotrustees may act (§ 14.5-703(c)). While a cotrustee remains in office, a vacancy need not be filled (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-704(b)).

Delegating to a cotrustee

A trustee may delegate investment and management functions to a cotrustee as prudent under the circumstances, and — unless the delegation was irrevocable — may revoke it (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(d)). Record each delegation, its scope and its date.

A successor, and the predecessor

A successor trustee is not liable for a former trustee's breach, but is liable for knowingly letting a breach continue, for neglecting to compel the delivery of the trust property, or for neglecting to redress the predecessor's breach (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-812). Until the property is delivered, a trustee who resigned or was removed keeps the duties of a trustee and the powers necessary to protect it (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-707).

When cooperation fails

A lack of cooperation among cotrustees that substantially impairs the administration is a ground on which the court may remove a trustee, on the request of the settlor, a cotrustee or a beneficiary or on its own initiative (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-706). Interested persons may also resolve a matter by a binding nonjudicial settlement agreement within Est. & Trusts § 14.5-111's limits. Which path fits a particular disagreement is a question for a licensed Maryland attorney of your choosing.

Les textes de loi, mot pour mot

  • Explication claire et simple ; le texte intégral de la loi n'est pas encore attesté dans notre bibliothèque. Consultez la loi officielle via le lien ci-dessus.

  • Vacancy in trusteeship; appointment of successor

    Est. & Trusts § 14.5-704 ↗

    Explication claire et simple ; le texte intégral de la loi n'est pas encore attesté dans notre bibliothèque. Consultez la loi officielle via le lien ci-dessus.

  • Explication claire et simple ; le texte intégral de la loi n'est pas encore attesté dans notre bibliothèque. Consultez la loi officielle via le lien ci-dessus.

  • Successor trustee and a former trustee's breach

    Est. & Trusts § 14.5-812 ↗

    Explication claire et simple ; le texte intégral de la loi n'est pas encore attesté dans notre bibliothèque. Consultez la loi officielle via le lien ci-dessus.

Questions fréquentes

Can Maryland cotrustees act by majority?

The statute supplies no majority rule: each cotrustee participates unless unavailable or the function was properly delegated (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(b)). The trust's own terms may provide otherwise.

Can one Maryland cotrustee act alone in an emergency?

Where a cotrustee is unavailable because of absence, illness, disqualification or temporary incapacity and prompt action is necessary, the remaining cotrustees may act (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(c)).

Can a Maryland cotrustee hand investing to the other cotrustee?

Yes — a trustee may delegate investment and management functions to a cotrustee as prudent, and revoke a revocable delegation (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-703(d)).

Le Centre d'apprentissage est de l'information générale sur la loi du Maryland — pas un avis juridique, ni un substitut aux conseils d'un avocat du Maryland agréé sur vos faits précis. TrusteeClear est un logiciel, pas un cabinet.