CHAPTER 1. Liability of Trustee to Third Persons [18000. - 18005.]

Cal. Probate Code - PROB 1.

in effect

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18000. Section 18000.

(a) Unless otherwise provided in the contract or in this chapter, a trustee is not personally liable on a contract properly entered into in the trustee’s fiduciary capacity in the course of administration of the trust unless the trustee fails to reveal the trustee’s representative capacity or identify the trust in the contract. (b) The personal liability of a trustee on a contract entered into before July 1, 1987, is governed by prior law and not by this section.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18001. Section 18001.

A trustee is personally liable for obligations arising from ownership or control of trust property only if the trustee is personally at fault.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18002. Section 18002.

A trustee is personally liable for torts committed in the course of administration of the trust only if the trustee is personally at fault.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18003. Section 18003.

(a) A cotrustee who does not join in exercising a power held by three or more cotrustees is not liable to third persons for the consequences of the exercise of the power. (b) A dissenting cotrustee who joins in an action at the direction of the majority cotrustees is not liable to third persons for the action if the dissenting cotrustee expresses the dissent in writing to any other cotrustee at or before the time the action is taken. (c) This section does not excuse a cotrustee from liability for failure to discharge the cotrustee’s duties as a trustee.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18004. Section 18004.

A claim based on a contract entered into by a trustee in the trustee’s representative capacity, on an obligation arising from ownership or control of trust property, or on a tort committed in the course of administration of the trust may be asserted against the trust by proceeding against the trustee in the trustee’s representative capacity, whether or not the trustee is personally liable on the claim.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 18005. Section 18005.

The question of liability as between the trust estate and the trustee personally may be determined in a proceeding under Section 17200.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026