[LAST UPDATED 9/20/19]
Prepared by
Todd A. Flubacher
| State | Scope of Statute | Variety of Statute | Standard of Liability |
| Alabama Ala. Code §19-3B-808(b) | Any Power | UTC §808**** | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Alaska Alaska Stat. §13.32.072(c) | Any Power | Enabling*** | No Liability |
| Arizona Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14-10808(B) | Investment Decisions Only | Enabling | Bad Faith/Reckless Indifference |
| Arkansas Ark. Code §28-73-103(19) (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| California | |||
| Colorado Col. Rev. Stat. §15-5-101 (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Connecticut H.B. 07104 §§81-98, 2019 Leg., Reg. Sess. (Conn. 2019) [effective January 1, 2020] (UDTA) | Any Power | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Delaware 12 Del. C. §3313 | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| District of Columbia D.C. Code Ann. §19-1308.08(b) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Florida Fla. Stat. §736.0703(9) | Where Directing Person is Cotrustee | Enabling | Willful Misconduct of Directing Trustee of Which Directed Trustee has Knowledge |
| Georgia Ga. Code Ann. §53-12-500 et seq. (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Hawaii | |||
| Idaho Idaho Code §15-7-501(2), (5) | Investment Decisions or Discretionary Distributions | Enabling | No Liability |
| Illinois 760 Ill. Comp. Stat. §5/16.3(f)(1) | Investment Trust Advisor; Distribution Trust Advisor | Off The Rack** | Willful Misconduct |
| Indiana Ind. Code §30-4-1-2 (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Iowa Iowa Code Ann. §633 A.4207(2) | Any Power | Restatement (second) §185 of Trusts | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Kansas Kan. Stat. Ann. §58a-808(b) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Kentucky Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §286.3-275 | Applies to Corporate Trustees; Investment Decisions; Authorized Directions Only | Off The Rack | No Liability |
| Louisiana | |||
| Maine Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit 18-B §103 (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Maryland Md. Code Ann. Est. & Trusts §14.5-808 | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws. ch. 203E, §808(b) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws §700.7703a (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Minnesota Minn. Stat. A. §501C.0808 | Investment Trust Advisor; Distribution Trust Advisor | Off the Rack | Willful Misconduct |
| Mississippi Miss. Code Ann. §91-8-808 | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Missouri Mo. Stat. Ann. §456.8-808(8) | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | Bad Faith/Reckless Indifference |
| Montana Mont. Code Ann. §72-38-808 | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-3805 (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. §163.5549 | Investment Trust Advisor; Distribution Trust Advisor | Enabling | No Liability |
| New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §564-B:8-808(b) | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | No Liability |
| New Jersey< N.J. Rev. Stat. Ann. §3B:31-62 | Investment Decisions | Off-The-Rack | Willful Misconduct and Gross Negligence |
| New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. §46-14-1 et seq. (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| New York | |||
| North Carolina N.C. Gen. Stat. §§36C-7-703(g1), 32-72(d)(2)(a), 36C-8A-4(a) | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | Intentional Misconduct |
| North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code §§59-16.2-01-08 | Investment Trust Advisor, Distribution Advisor | Off the Rack | Willful Misconduct |
| Ohio Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§5808.08(B),5815.25(B) | Investment, Distribution, or any Other Decisions | Off The Rack | No Liability |
| Oklahoma Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 60, §175.19 | Investment Decisions Only | Enabling | Except to the Extent Negligent in Carrying Out the Execution of the Directed Investment or Other Directed Action |
| Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. §130.685(2) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Pennsylvania 20 Pa. Cons. Stat. §7778(b) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Rhode Island | |||
| South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. §62-7-808(b) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §§55-1B-2(1), 55-1B-5 | Investment Trust Advisor; Distribution Trust Advisor | Off The Rack | No Liability |
| Tennessee Tenn. Code Ann. §§35-15-808(b), (e), 35-3-122 | Advisory or Investment Committee, or Any Other Person | Off The Rack | No Liability |
| Texas Tex. Prop. Code Ann. §114.0031 | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Utah Utah Code Ann. §75-12-101 (UDTA) | Any Power – adopted UDTA | Enabling | Willful Misconduct |
| Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 14A, §808(b) (UTC 808) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Virginia Va. Code Ann. §64.2-770(E) | Where Statute Expressly Incorporated into Trust by Reference | Enabling | Willful Misconduct/Gross Negligence |
| Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann.§11.98A.010 through 900 | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Enabling | No Liability for Relying on Direction |
| West Virginia W. Va. Code §44D-8-808(b) (UTC 808) | Any Power | UTC §808 | Liability for deciding when to follow directions |
| Wisconsin Wisc. Stat. §701.0808 | Investment, Distribution, or Any Other Decisions | Off The Rack | Willful Misconduct |
| Wyoming Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§4-10-712 through 4-10-718 | Investment, Distribution Decisions, or Any Other Matter | Enabling | No Liability |
Notes:
* This chart summarizes directed trust statutes, which allow someone other than the trustee to possess responsibilities and liabilities traditionally associated with the trustee function.
** The term “off-the-rack” refers to a statute that provides a detailed statutory rubric that outlines the specific role and responsibilities of the direction adviser – usually an investment adviser and/or distribution adviser – and sometimes require adherence to statutory language to fall within the protections of the statute.
*** The term “enabling” refers to a statute that provides for an open-architecture design, which relies heavily on the drafting of the governing instrument and could provide greater flexibility while remaining under the protection of the statute (such as permitting direction for functions beyond investments, distributions or a defined set of trust protector responsibilities).
**** UTC §808 refers to a statute that is substantially similar to Uniform Trust Code Section 808.