Robert's Rules: When And Where They Apply

Robert's Rules of Order, often simply referred to as Robert's Rules, is a manual of parliamentary procedure by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert. It was first published in 1876 as an adaptation of the rules and practices of the United States Congress for non-legislative societies. The manual is a framework comprised of a set of codes and rules of ethics that help groups hold orderly meetings that allow the majority to rule while allowing minority voices to be heard. It is the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure in the United States and is used by more professional associations, fraternal organizations, and local governments than any other authority.

What are Robert's Rules of Order?

Robert's Rules of Order, often simply referred to as Robert's Rules, is a manual of parliamentary procedure by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert. It was first published in 1876 as an adaptation of the rules and practices of the United States Congress to suit the needs of non-legislative societies. Robert's Rules is the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure in the United States. It is used by more professional associations, fraternal organisations, and local governments than any other authority.

The manual was written primarily to help guide voluntary associations in their operations of governance. It is designed for use in ordinary societies rather than legislative assemblies. It is also recognised as "the most widely used reference for meeting procedure and business rules in the English-speaking world".

The book states that it is "a codification of the present-day general parliamentary law". "General parliamentary law" refers to the common rules and customs for conducting business in organisations and assemblies. It does not refer to statutory legal requirements nor to common-law precedent derived from court judgments. In other words, the book is about procedures for meetings and not about what is "legal" (i.e. it is not a law book).

The procedures prescribed by the book were loosely modelled after those used in the United States House of Representatives, with adaptations made by Robert for use in ordinary societies. The author's interest in parliamentary procedure began in 1863 when he was chosen to preside over a church meeting. He felt that he did not have the necessary knowledge of proper procedure. In his later work as an active member of several organisations, Robert discovered that members from different areas of the country had very different views on what the proper parliamentary rules were, and these conflicting views hampered the organisations in their work. He eventually became convinced of the need for a new manual on the subject, one that would enable many organisations to adopt the same set of rules.

Henry M. Robert himself published four editions of the manual before his death in 1923, the last being the Fourth Edition published as Robert's Rules of Order Revised in May 1915. Since then, several subsequent editions of Robert's Rules of Order have been published, including another major revision of the work. The current edition, the Twelfth Edition, became effective on September 1, 2020. It supersedes all previous editions and is intended automatically to become the parliamentary authority in organisations whose bylaws prescribe "Robert's Rules of Order", or similar, without specifying a particular edition.

Who do they apply to?

Robert's Rules of Order is a manual of parliamentary procedure that is used to govern the meetings of a diverse range of organisations. These include church groups, county commissions, homeowners' associations, nonprofit associations, professional societies, school boards, and trade unions.

The manual is used by more professional associations, fraternal organisations, and local governments than any other authority. It is also recognised as "the most widely used reference for meeting procedure and business rules in the English-speaking world".

Robert's Rules of Order is designed for ordinary societies rather than legislative assemblies. It is based on each member of a group having equal weight as expressed by vote. It is not a law book, but a guide for conducting meetings and making decisions as a group.

The manual was first published in 1876 by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert as an adaptation of the rules and practices of the United States Congress to suit the needs of non-legislative societies. Robert's intent was to assist assemblies in accomplishing the work for which they were designed and to ensure that "where there is no law, there is the least of real liberty".

Any organisation can adopt Robert's Rules of Order as their parliamentary authority, and they can also adopt their own rules to supersede any rules in the book. The only limitations are from the rules in a parent organisation or from national, state, or local law.

What are the rules for making a motion?

Robert's Rules of Order is a manual of parliamentary procedure that was first created in 1876 by US Army Officer Henry Martyn Robert. It is a set of codes and rules of ethics that help groups hold orderly meetings that allow the majority to rule while allowing minority voices to be heard.

Making a Motion

A member makes a motion to propose an action or make a decision by saying, "I move to..." or "I move that... ".

Seconding the Motion

Another member must then second the motion by saying, "I second the motion."

Stating the Motion

The chairperson then restates the motion, for example, "It is moved and seconded that the organisation will hire an in-house marketing team. Is there any further debate?".

Debating the Motion

Members then debate the motion. All members have equal rights to be heard when discussing a motion, and only one person should speak at a time.

Putting the Motion to a Vote

Once everyone who wants to has spoken, the chairperson asks, "Are you ready for the question?". The chairperson then restates the motion and asks for affirmative and negative votes.

Announcing the Results

Finally, the chairperson announces the result of the vote and any instructions.

Additional Tips:

• If the board is in obvious agreement, the chairperson may save time by stating, "If there is no objection, we will adopt the motion to...". If there are no objections, the chairperson then announces that the motion is adopted and states any instructions.
• If a member objects, the chairperson should first ask for a debate, then a vote, and then announce the vote.
• Only one issue should be discussed at a time to keep order in the boardroom.
• Any member who wants to make a motion must request and be granted the floor before speaking.
• Members can also withdraw or change a motion before taking a vote.

What are the rules for amending a motion?

Robert's Rules of Order is a manual of parliamentary procedure that was first created in 1876 by Henry Martyn Robert. It is a framework that helps groups hold orderly meetings, allowing the majority to rule while also allowing minority voices to be heard.

To amend a motion, a member must state, "I move to amend the motion on the floor". This motion must be seconded by another member and then voted upon. Amendments may be made through the same steps as the original motion. The amendment must be seconded, and then it is entitled to a full and fair debate on its merits and implications. After the vote, if the amendment is supported by a majority vote, it is adopted.

It is important to note that motions may be amended only if they are a main motion. A main motion introduces a new item. Secondary motions, on the other hand, refer to any motion to amend, postpone, or refer the main motion to a committee, and must be resolved before returning to the main motion.

What are the rules for adjourning a meeting?

Rules for Adjourning a Meeting

According to Robert's Rules, there are three ways to adjourn a meeting:

• Adjourn now: "Mr. President, I move to adjourn." The adoption of this motion will bring the meeting to a close.
• Adjourn to continue the meeting later: "Mr. President, I move to adjourn the meeting until tomorrow at 9 am." This sets up a continuation of the current meeting.
• Adjourn sine die (without day): "Mr. Chairman, I move to adjourn sine die. This adjourns the assembly completely and is used to end the final meeting of a convention of delegates.

The first form is the only one that can be used as a privileged motion, meaning it can be made while other business is pending. The other two forms are not privileged and can only be made as main motions when no other business is pending.

• A board member cannot interrupt a speaker who has the floor.
• A motion to adjourn must be seconded.
• A motion to adjourn is not debatable or amendable, except when specifying the time of adjournment.
• A motion to adjourn must have a majority vote.
• A motion to adjourn cannot be reconsidered, but it can be renewed later in the meeting if any business has gone forward.

It is important to note that a meeting is not officially adjourned until the chair declares it adjourned, regardless of how the vote is taken. Additionally, when the agenda has been completed, the following three steps should occur:

• A board member motions to adjourn.
• Another board member seconds the motion.
• The board chair declares the meeting adjourned.

However, there are three situations where it is acceptable for a board meeting to adjourn without a motion and a second:

• The hour has come when the board agreed ahead of time they would adjourn.
• The agenda has been completed in totality.
• An emergency, such as a fire or medical issue, brings the meeting to an abrupt halt.

Frequently asked questions