A legal doctrine that allows courts to modify the terms of a charitable trust or gift when the original purpose becomes impossible or impractical to fulfill. The court redirects the gift to a purpose as close as possible to the donor's intent.
From Norman French 'cy pres comme possible' meaning 'as near as possible.' The doctrine originated in English chancery courts dealing with failed charitable bequests, allowing courts to preserve charitable intent when specific purposes failed.
Cy pres is like GPS for charitable gifts - when the original destination becomes impossible to reach, the court finds the closest alternative route! It prevents charitable donations from being wasted when circumstances change over time.
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