Robert's Rules of Order: A Simplified, Updated Version of the Classic Manual of Parliamentary Procedure

by Henry M. Robert

Overview

Designed for today’s businesses, clubs, unions, boards, societies, churches, and other organizations, Robert's Rules of Order will help readers conduct meetings with civility and efficiency.
 
Henry M. Robert published his first Robert’s Rules of Order in 1876, and literally within days of its printing, began making changes for future printings.
 
Now, a professional parliamentarian has continued this tradition by updating Robert’s classic manual for today’s needs. Easy to read, understand, and apply, this new edition eliminates outdated footnotes and cross-references. It focuses on typical organizational meetings and includes a unique chart for beginners as well as experts. It is the essential tool for organizations of every type and size—a classic guide designed especially for modern readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780425139288
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/1993
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	492,595
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Henry M. Robert (1837–1923) was a military engineer. His book Robert's Rules of Order (also known as Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies) became the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure to this day in the United States. During the Civil War, Robert worked on the defenses of Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and several ports in New England. He served as the president of the Board of Engineers from 1895 to 1901. Upon his retirement he was appointed chief of engineers.

Table of Contents

	Table of Rules Relating to Motions	11
	Preface	17
	Introduction	21
	Parliamentary Law	21
	Plan of the Work	23
	Plan of the Work Part I	24
	Plan of the Work Part II	25
	Plan of the Work Part III	25
	Definitions and Common Errors	25
Part I	Rules of Order
Art. I	Introduction of Business	27
1	How introduced	27
2	Obtaining the floor	27
3	What precedes debate on a question	29
4	What motions to be in writing, and how they shall be divided	30
5	Modification of a motion by mover	30
Art. II	General Classification of Motions	31
6	Principal or Main motions	31
7	Subsidiary or Secondary motions	31
8	Incidental motions	32
9	Privileged motions	32
Art. III	Motions and Order of Precedence	33
	Privileged Motions	33
10	To fix the time to which to adjourn	33
11	Adjourn	33
12	Questions of privilege	35
13	Orders of the day	35
	Incidental Motions	37
14	Appeal [Questions of Order]	37
15	Objection to consideration of a question	39
16	Reading papers	39
17	Withdrawal of a motion	40
18	Suspension of the Rules	40
	Subsidiary Motions	41
19	Lay on the table	41
20	Previous Question	43
21	Postpone to a certain day	47
22	Commit [or Refer]	47
23	Amend	49
24	Postpone indefinitely	51
	Miscellaneous Motions	52
25	Rescind	52
26	Renewal of a motion	52
27	Reconsideration	53
Art. IV	Committees and Informal Action	56
28	Committees	56
29	Committees Form of their Reports	58
30	Committees Reception Form of their Reports	59
31	Committees Adoption Form of their Reports	60
32	Committee of the Whole	63
33	Informal consideration of a question	65
Art. V	Debate and Decorum	66
34	Debate	66
35	Undebatable questions and those opening the main question to debate	67
36	Decorum in debate	69
37	Closing debate, methods of	70
Art. VI	Vote	71
38	Voting, various modes of	71
39	Motions requiring more than a majority vote	75
Art. VII	Officers and the Minutes	77
40	Chairman or President	77
41	Clerk, or Secretary, and the Minutes	80
Art. VIII	Miscellaneous	83
42	Session	83
43	Quorum	85
44	Order of Business	86
45	Amendment of the Rules of Order, etc.	86
Part II	Organization and Conduct of Business
Art. IX	Organization and Meetings	88
46	An Occasional or Mass Meeting	88
(a)	Organization	88
(b)	Adoption of resolutions	89
(c)	Committee on Adoption of resolutions	90
(d)	Additional Officers	91
47	A Convention or Assembly of Delegates	92
48	A Permanent Society	93
(a)	First meeting	93
(b)	Second meeting	94
49	Constitutions, By-Laws, Rules of Order and Standing Rules	96
Art. X	Officers and Committees	98
50	President or Chairman	98
51	Secretary, or Clerk, and the Minutes	100
52	Treasurer	102
53	Committees	104
Art. XI	Introduction of Business	105
54	Introduction of Business	105
55	Motions Classified according to their
Art. XII	Motions	106
	Object	106
56	To Modify or Amend	108
(a)	Amend	108
(b)	Commit or refer	108
57	To Defer Action	108
(a)	Postpone to a certain time	108
(b)	Lay on the table	109
58	To Suppress Debate	109
(a)	Previous Question	109
(b)	An Order limiting or closing debate	110
59	To Suppress the Question	111
(a)	Objection to its consideration	111
(b)	Postpone indefinitely	111
(c)	Lay on the table	111
60	To consider a question the second time	112
(a)	Reconsider	112
61	Orders and Rules	113
(a)	Orders of the day	113
(b)	Special orders	113
(c)	Suspension of the rules	114
(d)	Questions of order	114
(e)	Appeal	114
62	Miscellaneous	115
(a)	Reading of papers	115
(b)	Withdrawal of a motion	115
(c)	Questions of privilege	115
63	To close a meeting	115
(a)	Fix the time to which to adjourn	115
(b)	Adjourn	115
Art. XIII	Miscellaneous	116
64	Debate	116
65	Forms of stating and putting questions	117
Part III	Miscellaneous
66	Right of an Assembly to Punish its members	119
67	Right of an Assembly to Eject any one from its place of meeting	119
68	Rights of Ecclesiastical Tribunals	120
69	Trial of Members of Societies	120
70	Call of the House	122
	Guide and Commentary
Part 1
	The Rules-What They Mean and What They Do	130
Part 2
	Organization Structure and Accepted Procedures	155
	Bibliography	182
	Diagram of Parliamentary Motions in Order of Precedence	183
	Index	184