GIFTS, GRANTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES

MCL ch. 554, subtit. Act 280 of 1915

in effect

MCL 554.351 Gift or grant for certain purposes; effect of indefiniteness, vesting of title, trustee appointment.

554.351. Gift or grant for certain purposes; effect of indefiniteness, vesting of title, trustee appointment. Sec. 1. No gift, grant, bequest or devise, whether in trust or otherwise to religious, educational, charitable or benevolent uses, or for the purpose of providing for the care or maintenance of any part of any cemetery, public or private, or anything therein contained which shall in other respects be valid under the laws of this state, shall be invalid by reason of the indefiniteness or uncertainty of the object of such trust or of the persons designated as the beneficiaries thereunder in the instrument creating the same, nor by reason of the same contravening any statute or rule against perpetuities. If in the instrument creating such a gift, grant, bequest or devise, there is a trustee named to execute the same, the legal title to the lands or property given, granted, devised or bequeathed for such purposes, shall vest in such trustee. If no such trustee shall be named in said instrument or if a vacancy occurs in the trusteeship, then the trust shall vest in the court of chancery for the proper county, and shall be executed by some trustee appointed for that purpose by or under the direction of the court; and said court may make such orders or decrees as may be necessary to vest the title to said lands or property in the trustee so appointed. 1915, Act 280, Eff. Aug. 24, 1915; CL 1915, 11099; CL 1929, 13512; CL 1948, 554.351 [FormerLaw] See Act 122 of 1907.

MCL 554.352 Gift or grant for certain purposes; jurisdiction of court; trust construction; prosecutor duties.

554.352. Gift or grant for certain purposes; jurisdiction of court; trust construction; prosecutor duties. Sec. 2. The circuit court for the proper county shall have jurisdiction and control over the gifts, grants, bequests and devises in all cases provided for by section 1. Every such trust shall be liberally construed by the court so that the intentions of the creator thereof shall be carried out whenever possible. The attorney general shall represent the people of the state and the beneficiaries in all cases where they are uncertain or indefinite, and shall enforce such trusts by proper proceedings in the court, but the attorney general shall not be required to perform any duties in connection with such trusts in any court outside of this state. 1915, Act 280, Eff. Aug. 24, 1915; CL 1915, 11100; CL 1929, 13513; CL 1948, 554.352; Am. 1965, Act 12, Imd. Eff. Apr. 13, 1965

MCL 554.353 Validation clause.

554.353. Validation clause. Sec. 3. All gifts, grants, devises or bequests made in pursuance to the provisions of Act No. 122 of the Public Acts of 1907 and of the acts amendatory thereof, and all proceedings and acts performed in accordance therewith are hereby validated. 1915, Act 280, Eff. Aug. 24, 1915; CL 1915, 11101; CL 1929, 13514; CL 1948, 554.353 [Compiler] Act 122 of 1907, referred to in this section, was repealed by Act 280 of 1915.

Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/Chapter%20554.xmlFetched: 10/20/2026