: :According to your way of thinking, two members could show up at a meeting, call the meeting to order, elect themselves Chairman Pro Tem and Secretary Pro Tem, conduct business, : Correct. : I should qualify that by stating that of course some organizations have adopted bylaws that do require a quorum to conduct business. But I beleive that what I described is the most common case. : : If the bylaws permit it, yes. : However, all the bylaws I have read (lots), written (one) or amended (several) prevent such coups by specifying that all or some types of motions must be submitted to the membership well in advance of the meeting. In particular, motions concerning the bylaws and motions concerning finances usually have to be submitted in advance. : No. what I described is not in accordance with The Rules, and I never claimed that it was. None of the organizations I work for have adopted Roberts Rules. We seem to be able to do business effectively, efficiently and above all democratically with a much more informal set of procedures. David - "But I believe that what I described is the most common case." On the contrary. As a Registered Parliamentarian, I work with bylaws almost on a daily basis. A majority of organizations do have quorum requirements prescribed in their bylaws. Without a quorum requirement, sooner or later the assembly runs into problems. I am not an attorney, but I do know that an Illinois court made a ruling that without a quorum of members present, all business transacted was null and void. A quorum protects the absentees. "...all or some types of motions must be submitted to the membership well in advance of the meeting." The bylaws must provide a requirement of notice if the members must submit in advance original main motions dealing with specific subjects. Bylaw amend- "None of the organizations I work for have adopted Roberts Rules." That's very possible. There is no rule that states an organization must adopt a parliamentary authority such as Robert's Rules. Those organizations that have not adopted a parliamentary authority such as Robert's Rules use what is called "common parliamentary law." Those organizations still must have some kind of rules, otherwise there could be complete chaos. As I stated on a previous post, General Henry Martyn Robert wrote his first book on parliamentary procedure to create order out of chaos. Prior to that, the rule was the rifle men carried on their shoulder. Robert M. Puhalla
: : adopt a zillion motions (of which all members must would have to comply with) and adjourn the meeting.
ments would be a good example as you noted. It would not be possible to require all motions be submitted in advance. The reason being, sometimes matters arise spontaneously in a meeting out of the wants and needs of the organization.