 The cy @-@ près doctrine in English law is an element of trusts law dealing with charitable trusts . The doctrine provides that when such a trust has failed because its purposes are either impossible or cannot be fulfilled , the High Court of Justice or Charity Commission can make an order redirecting the trust 's funds to the nearest possible purpose . For charities with a worth under £ 5 @,@ 000 and no land , the trustees ( by a two @-@ thirds majority ) may make the decision to redirect the trust 's funds . The doctrine was initially an element of ecclesiastical law , coming from the Norman French cy près comme possible ( as close as possible ) , but similar and possibly ancestral provisions have been found in Roman law , both in the Corpus Juris Civilis and later Byzantine law . 
