Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§77ooo Duties and responsibility of the trustee

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 2A— - SECURITIES AND TRUST INDENTURES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - TRUST INDENTURES › § 77ooo

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires a bond trust agreement to spell out what the trustee must do and when the trustee is protected. Before any default, the trustee is only responsible for the duties the agreement lists. The trustee may rely on certificates or expert opinions as true unless the trustee acts in bad faith. The trustee must tell bondholders about any known default within 90 days. But except when a payment of principal or interest is missed, the trustee can hold off on that notice if its board or an authorized committee in good faith thinks delay is best for bondholders. If a default happens, the trustee must use the same care a sensible person would use for their own business when using the powers in the agreement. The agreement cannot excuse the trustee for its own negligence or willful bad acts. It will, however, protect the trustee for honest judgment calls by responsible officers (unless the trustee was negligent in checking facts) and for actions taken in good faith that follow directions from holders owning a majority of the bonds. Courts may require cost promises and may award reasonable costs and lawyer fees, but those cost rules do not apply to suits by the trustee, suits by holders (or groups) owning more than 10% of the bonds, or suits to collect principal or interest after their due dates.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §77ooo

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The indenture to be qualified shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to provide that, prior to default (as such term is defined in such indenture)—
(1)the indenture trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties as are specifically set out in such indenture; and
(2)the indenture trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, in the absence of bad faith on the part of such trustee, upon certificates or opinions conforming to the requirements of the indenture;
(b)The indenture trustee shall give to the indenture security holders, in the manner and to the extent provided in subsection (c) of section 77mmm of this title, notice of all defaults known to the trustee, within ninety days after the occurrence thereof: Provided, That such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that such provision is excluded) to provide that, except in the case of default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any indenture security, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment, the trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or responsible officers, of the trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the indenture security holders.
(c)The indenture trustee shall exercise in case of default (as such term is defined in such indenture) such of the rights and powers vested in it by such indenture, and to use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(d)The indenture to be qualified shall not contain any provisions relieving the indenture trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that—
(1)such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to contain the provisions authorized by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section;
(2)such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to contain provisions protecting the indenture trustee from liability for any error of judgment made in good faith by a responsible officer or officers of such trustee, unless it shall be proved that such trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(3)such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to contain provisions protecting the indenture trustee with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the indenture securities at the time outstanding (determined as provided in subsection (a) of section 77ppp of this title) relating to the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to such trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon such trustee, under such indenture.
(e)The indenture to be qualified shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to contain provisions to the effect that all parties thereto, including the indenture security holders, agree that the court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under such indenture, or in any suit against the trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant: Provided, That the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any suit instituted by such trustee, to any suit instituted by any indenture security holder, or group of indenture security holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10 per centum in principal amount of the indenture securities outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any indenture security holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any indenture security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such indenture security.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–550, § 414(1), (2), substituted “The indenture to be qualified shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to” for “The indenture to be qualified may” and “the indenture trustee shall examine” for “such indenture shall contain provisions requiring the indenture trustee to examine”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–550, § 414(3), (4), substituted “The indenture trustee shall” for “The indenture to be qualified shall contain provisions requiring the indenture trustee to” and “That such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that such provision is excluded) to” for “That such indenture may”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–550, § 414(3), substituted “The indenture trustee shall” for “The indenture to be qualified shall contain provisions requiring the indenture trustee to”. Subsec. (d)(1) to (3). Pub. L. 101–550, § 414(5), substituted “such indenture shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to” for “such indenture may”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–550, § 414(1), substituted “The indenture to be qualified shall automatically be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that any such provision is excluded) to” for “The indenture to be qualified may”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 77ooo

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73