Claflin doctrine is a U.S. law doctrine which states that the trust cannot be modified or terminated, even if all beneficiaries agree, if to do so would be contrary to a material purpose of the settlor. Material purposes include spendthrift, support, and discretionary trusts.

References

• Wiedenbeck, Peter (Fall 1985). "Missouri's Repeal of the Claflin Doctrine--New View of the Policy against Perpetuities". Missouri Law Review. 50 (4): 805–839. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
• Friedman, Lawrence (9 March 2009). Dead Hands: A Social History of Wills, Trusts and Inheritance Law. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804771085.