Del. C. » Title 12 — Fiduciary Relations · CHAPTER 38. Treatment of Delaware Statutory Trusts · Decedents’ Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Delaware Code

12 Del. C. § 3805 (2026)

Rights of beneficial owners and trustees in trust property

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, a beneficial owner shall have an undivided beneficial interest in the property of the statutory trust and shall share in the profits and losses of the statutory trust in the proportion (expressed as a percentage) of the entire undivided beneficial interest in the statutory trust owned by such beneficial owner. The governing instrument of a statutory trust may provide that the statutory trust or the trustees, acting for and on behalf of the statutory trust, shall be deemed to hold beneficial ownership of any income earned on securities of the statutory trust issued by any business entities formed, organized, or existing under the laws of any jurisdiction, including the laws of any foreign country.

(b) No creditor of the beneficial owner shall have any right to obtain possession of, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to, the property of the statutory trust.

(c) A beneficial owner’s beneficial interest in the statutory trust is personal property notwithstanding the nature of the property of the trust. Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of a statutory trust, a beneficial owner has no interest in specific statutory trust property.

(d) A beneficial owner’s beneficial interest in the statutory trust is freely transferable except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust.

(e) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of a statutory trust, at the time a beneficial owner becomes entitled to receive a distribution, the beneficial owner has the status of, and is entitled to all remedies available to, a creditor of the statutory trust with respect to the distribution. A governing instrument may provide for the establishment of record dates with respect to allocations and distributions by a statutory trust.

(f) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, legal title to the property of the statutory trust or any part thereof may be held in the name of any trustee of the statutory trust, in its capacity as such, with the same effect as if such property were held in the name of the statutory trust. The holding of legal title to any statutory trust property by a trustee shall not require such trustee to be a party to any contract or other instrument (including a security agreement) to which the statutory trust is a party.

(g) No creditor of the trustee shall have any right to obtain possession of, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to, the property of the statutory trust with respect to any claim against, or obligation of, such trustee in its individual capacity and not related to the statutory trust.

(h) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, where the statutory trust is a registered investment company or regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (15 U.S.C. § 80a-1 et seq.), any class, group or series of beneficial interests established by the governing instrument with respect to such statutory trust shall be a class, group or series preferred as to distribution of assets or payment of dividends over all other classes, groups or series in respect to assets specifically allocated to the class, group or series as contemplated by § 18 (or any amendment or successor provision) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. § 80a-18), as amended, and any regulations issued thereunder, provided that this section is not intended to affect in any respect the provisions of § 3804(a) of this title.

(i) Unless otherwise provided in the governing instrument of a statutory trust or another agreement, a beneficial owner shall have no preemptive right to subscribe to any additional issue of beneficial interests or another interest in a statutory trust.

66 Del. Laws, c. 279, §  1;  67 Del. Laws, c. 297, §§  6, 10, 17;  68 Del. Laws, c. 404, §§  7, 8;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  72 Del. Laws, c. 387, §  4;  73 Del. Laws, c. 328, §§  7, 8;  73 Del. Laws, c. 329, §  1;  82 Del. Laws, c. 264, § 3;  83 Del. Laws, c. 381, § 3; 
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2014–2022 · leading case: Protech Minerals, Inc. v. Dugout Team, LLC (Del. 2022).
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Protech Minerals, Inc. v. Dugout Team, LLC (Del. 2022). · cites it 3× “56 The Appellants, in the reply brief, argue that the interests of justice require the Court to consider its argument because a contract is at issue 53 12 Del. C. § 3805(a). 54 Answering Br. 15.”
In re Nat'l Collegiate Student Loan Trusts Litig. (Del. Ch. 2020). · cites it 2× “452 The DSTA, at 12 Del. C. § 3805(a), provides that “except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, a beneficial owner [of a 450 Trust Agreement § 2.”
Capano, Gerard J. v. Capano, Louis J., Jr. (Del. Ch. 2014). “”); see also 12 Del. C. § 3805(d) (“A beneficial owner’s beneficial interest in the statutory trust is freely transferable except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust.”
— 12 Del. C. § 3805(a) — 2 cases
In re Nat'l Collegiate Student Loan Trusts Litig. (Del. Ch. 2020). “452 The DSTA, at 12 Del. C. § 3805(a), provides that “except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, a beneficial owner [of a 450 Trust Agreement § 2.”
Protech Minerals, Inc. v. Dugout Team, LLC (Del. 2022). “56 The Appellants, in the reply brief, argue that the interests of justice require the Court to consider its argument because a contract is at issue 53 12 Del. C. § 3805(a). 54 Answering Br. 15.”
— 12 Del. C. § 3805(b) — 1 case
Protech Minerals, Inc. v. Dugout Team, LLC (Del. 2022). “56 The Appellants, in the reply brief, argue that the interests of justice require the Court to consider its argument because a contract is at issue 53 12 Del. C. § 3805(a). 54 Answering Br. 15.”
— 12 Del. C. § 3805(c) — 1 case
Protech Minerals, Inc. v. Dugout Team, LLC (Del. 2022). “56 The Appellants, in the reply brief, argue that the interests of justice require the Court to consider its argument because a contract is at issue 53 12 Del. C. § 3805(a). 54 Answering Br. 15.”
— 12 Del. C. § 3805(d) — 1 case
Capano, Gerard J. v. Capano, Louis J., Jr. (Del. Ch. 2014). “”); see also 12 Del. C. § 3805(d) (“A beneficial owner’s beneficial interest in the statutory trust is freely transferable except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the statutory trust.”
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