Title 18 — Business Structure and Function

Any number of persons, associated together for any lawful purpose other than pecuniary profit, may incorporate their said association, as provided in this Chapter. SOURCE: CC § 500. All SOURCE references in this Chapter are to the appropriate sections of the Civil Code as found i…

For the administration of the temporalities of any religious denomination, society, or church, and the management of the estates and properties thereof, it shall be lawful for the bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder of any such religious denomination, society, or church to b…

COL070307 In order to become a corporation sole, the bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder of any religious denomination, society, or church must file with the Director of Revenue & Taxation articles of incorporation setting forth the following facts: (a) That he is the bishop…

The articles of incorporation must be verified before filing by the bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder, as the case may be, and accompanied by a copy of the commission, certificate of election, or letters of appointment of such bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder, duly…

From and after the filing with the Director of Revenue & Taxation of the said articles of incorporation, verified by affidavit or affirmation as COL070307 aforesaid and accompanied by the copy of the commission, certificate of election, of letters of appointment of the bishop, ch…

The successors in office of any bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder incorporated as a corporation sole shall become the corporation sole on accession to office, and shall be permitted to transact business as such on filing with the Director of Revenue & Taxation a copy of th…

Any corporation sole may purchase and hold real estate and personal property for its church, charitable, benevolent, or educational purposes, and may receive bequests or gifts for such purposes. Such corporation may mortgage or sell real property held by it upon obtaining an orde…

Any religious society or religious order, or any diocese, synod, or district organization of any church, unless forbidden by the constitution, rules, regulations, or discipline of the religious order, society, or church of which it is a part, or by competent authority, may upon t…

Bylaws for the government of the corporation not inconsistent with law or with the constitution, bylaws, rules, regulations, or discipline of the religious society, religious order, or church of which the corporation forms a part may be adopted or amended at any regular meeting c…

The right to administer all temporalities and all property held or owned by a religious order or society, or by the diocese, synod, or district organization of any religious denomination or church shall, on its incorpora- tion, be held in trust for the use, purpose, behoof, and b…

Such corporations shall have the right to purchase, hold, mortgage, or sell real estate for its church, charitable, benevolent, or educational purposes by and with the consent of a majority of its membership. SOURCE: CC § 510.

It shall be lawful for all religious associations, of whatever sect or denomination, whether incorporated in Guam or in some other country, or not incorporated at all, to hold land in Guam upon which to build churches, parsonages, or educational or charitable institutions. SOURCE…

Such religious institutions, if not incorporated, shall hold the land in the name of three trustees for the use of such associations; the trustees shall be selected by the directing body in Guam for such associations, and vacancies occurring among the trustees by death, resignati…