Can a charitable trust be valid, notwithstanding the existence of non-charitable purposes? The landmark decision of the Royal Court of Jersey In the Matter of the Estate of the Late Constantin Mattas

In a recent judgment regarding the Jersey moveable estate of a Greek national (In the Matter of the Estate of the Late Constantin Mattas [2024]JRC068), the Royal Court decided several issues of trusts and probate law, some novel, and some which go to the very heart of the question of what constitutes a valid Jersey trust. Most notably, the Court held that, in the present case involving a trust for both charitable and non-charitable purposes, the failure of the non-charitable purpose resulted in the whole of the assets of the Trust being held for the benefit of the charitable purpose, rather than the failure of the trust as a whole.