Robert's Rules of Order / Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies

by Henry M. Robert

If the trial is liable to be long and troublesome, or of a very delicate nature, the member is frequently cited to appear before a committee, instead of the society, for trial. In this case the committee report to the society the result of their trial of the case, with resolutions covering the punishment which they recommend the society to adopt.

TABLE OF RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS.

[This Table contains the answers to more than two hundred questions on parliamentary law, and should always be consulted before referring to the body of the Manual.]

Explanation of the Table. A Star shows that the rule heading the column in which it stands, applies to the motion opposite to which it is placed: a blank shows that the rule does not apply: a figure shows that the rule only partially applies, the figure referring to the note on the next page showing the limitations. Take, for example, “Lie on the table:” the Table shows that § 19 of the Pocket Manual treats of this motion; that it is “undebatable” and “cannot be amended;” and that an affirmative vote on it (as shown in note 3) “cannot be reconsidered:” — the four other columns being blank, show that this motion does not “open the main question to debate,” that it does not “require a 2/3 vote,” that it does “require to be seconded,” and that it is not “in order when another member has the floor.”

The column headed “Requires a two-thirds vote,” applies only where the “Pocket Manual of Rules of Order,” or similar rules, have been adopted. [See “Two-thirds Vote,” on next page, under Miscellaneous Rules.]

After the note to the Table is some additional information that a chairman should always have at hand, such as the Order of Precedence of Motions, the Forms Of Putting Certain Questions, etc.

In order when another has the floor [§ 2]——————-| Requires no Second [§ 3]—————-| | Requires a 2/3 vote [§ 39]—See Note 1.————-| | | Cannot be Reconsidered [§ 27]———-| | | | Cannot be Amended [§ 23]——-| | | | | Opens Main Question to Debate [§ 35]—-| | | | | | Undebatable [§ 35]-| | | | | | | |- Section in Pocket Manual | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 Adjourn ……………………………………… x . x x . . . 10 Adjourn, Fix the Time to which to ………………. 2 . . . . . . 23 Amend ……………………………………….. . . . . . . . 23 Amend an Amendment ……………………………. . . x . . . . 43 Amend the Rules ………………………………. . . . . x . . 14 Appeal, relating to indecorum, etc., [6] ………… x . x . . . x 14 Appeal, all other cases ……………………….. . . x . . . x 14 Call to Order ………………………………… x . x . . x x 37 Close Debate, motion to ……………………….. x . . . x . . 22 Commit ………………………………………. . x . . . . . 31 Extend the limits of debate, motion to ………….. x . . . . . . 10 Fix the Time to which to Adjourn ……………….. 2 . . . . . . 15 Leave to continue speaking when guilty of indecorum x . x . . . . 19 Lie on the Table ……………………………… x . x 3 . . . 37 Limit Debate, motion to ……………………….. x . . . x . . 13 Objection to Consideration of a Question [7] …….. x . x . x x x 13 Orders of the Day, motion for the ………………. x . x . . x x 21 Postpone to a certain time …………………….. 4 . . . . . . 24 Postpone indefinitely …………………………. . x x . . . . 20 Previous Question …………………………….. x . x . x . . 44 Priority of Business, questions relating to ……… x . . . . . . 16 Reading Papers ……………………………….. x . x . . . . 27 Reconsider a debatable question ………………… . x x . . . 5 27 Reconsider an undebatable question ……………… x . x . . . 5 22 Refer (same as Commit) ………………………… . x . . . . . 11 Rise (in Committee equals Adjourn) ……………… x . x x . . . 11 Shall the question be discussed? [7] ……………. x . x . x x x 61 Special Order, to make a ………………………. . . . . x . . 23 Substitute (same as Amend) …………………….. . . . . . . . 18 Suspend the Rules …………………………….. x . x x x . . 59 Take from the table …………………………… x . x 3 . . . 44 Take up a question out of its proper order ………. x . x . x . . 17 Withdrawal of a motion ………………………… x . x . . . .

Notes To The Table.

(1) This column only applies to assemblies that have adopted these Rules. If no rules are adopted, a majority vote is sufficient for the adoption of any motion, except to “suspend the rules,” which requires a unanimous vote. [See Two-thirds Vote, below.]

(2) Undebatable if made when another question is before the assembly.