Ant CA Bar

Applies to Feb 2027 · Jul 2027 · Feb 2028 · NextGen from Jul 2028

TRCAEssay 30% of exams

Trusts

Creation and validity of trusts, trustee duties, beneficiary rights, modification and termination under California law.

1 chapter1 hour of reading15 practice questions

Read chapter 1 freePractice essays

Chapters

  1. 1Creation of Express TrustsHow a valid express trust comes into existence under general trust law and the California Probate Code: the three parties and the split of legal and equitable title, the elements of intent, property, beneficiaries, purpose and trustee, the main types of trust, the writing rules for real and personal property, and the California revocability default in Probate Code § 15400. The chapter closes with the Trusts essay method, four California practice items and one mini-essay.Free

How California differs

From chapter 1

CACalifornia distinction

Revocability default

General rule (federal / majority)

Traditional rule (state it first on the exam): a trust is irrevocable unless the settlor expressly reserves a power to revoke. Modern trend (Uniform Trust Code): a trust is revocable unless its terms make it irrevocable.

California

A trust is revocable by the settlor unless the trust instrument expressly makes it irrevocable (Prob. Code § 15400). While the trust is revocable and the settlor competent, the trustee’s duties run to the settlor, not to the beneficiaries (§ 15800).

If the call says “California law”, cite § 15400: “revocable unless expressly irrevocable”. If the call is silent, state the traditional rule, then add: “California reverses this presumption (Prob. Code § 15400)”. Tested on 2 of the last 50 exams.

Lessons

Catherine Wu

Trusts lecturer

Estate-planning and trust-litigation attorney (Bay Area); Taiwanese-American, bilingual Mandarin.

Our lecturers are AI-voiced teaching personas; the portraits are illustrations.

Video lessons for Trusts are being recorded.

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