dots-menu
×
Robert’s Rules of Order
Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty.
Henry M.
Robert

Robert’s Rules of Order

Revised for Deliberative Assemblies

General Henry M. Robert, U.S. Army

In 1876 General Henry M. Robert set out to bring the rules of the American Congress to members of ordinary societies with the publication of Pocket Manual of Rules of Order. It sold half a million copies before this revision of 1915 and made Robert’s name synonymous with the orderly rule of reason in deliberative societies.

Bibliographic Record

Contents

CHICAGO: SCOTT, FORESMAN, 1915
NEW YORK: BARTLEBY.COM, 2000

Part I.—Rules of Order.

Art. I.—How Business Is Conducted in Deliberative Assemblies.

  1. Introduction of Business
  2. What Precedes Debate
  3. Obtaining the Floor
  4. Motions and Resolutions
  5. Seconding Motions
  6. Stating the Question
  7. Debate
  8. Secondary Motions
  9. Putting the Question and Announcing the Vote
  10. Proper Motions to Use to Accomplish Certain Objects

Art. II.—General Classification of Motions.

  1. Main or Principal Motions
  2. Subsidiary Motions
  3. Incidental Motions
  4. Privileged Motions
  5. Some Main and Unclassified Motions

Art. III.—Privileged Motions.

  1. Fix the Time to which the Assembly shall Adjourn
  2. Adjourn
  3. Take a Recess
  4. Questions of Privilege
  5. General and Special Orders and a Call for the Orders of the Day

Art. IV.—Incidental Motions.

  1. Questions of Order and Appeal
  2. Suspension of the Rules
  3. Objection to the Consideration of a Question
  4. Division of a Question, and Consideration by Paragraph or Seriatim
  5. Division of the Assembly, and Motions relating to Methods of Voting, or to Closing or Reopening the Polls
  6. Motions relating to Methods of Making, or to Closing or to Reopening Nominations
  7. Requests growing out of Business Pending or that has just been pending, as, a Parliamentary Inquiry, a Request for Information, for Leave to Withdraw a Motion, to Read Papers, to be Excused from a Duty, or for any other Privilege

Art. V.—Subsidiary Motions.

  1. Lay on the Table
  2. The Previous Question
  3. Limit or Extend Limits of Debate
  4. Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time
  5. Commit or Refer, or Recommit
  6. Amend
  7. Postpone Indefinitely

Art. VI.—Some Main and Unclassified Motions.

  1. Take from the Table
  2. Reconsider
  3. Rescind
  4. Renewal of a Motion
  5. Ratify
  6. Dilatory, Absurd, or Frivolous Motions
  7. Call of the House

Art. VII.—Debate.

  1. Debate
  2. Decorum in Debate
  3. Closing and Preventing Debate
  4. Principles of Debate and Undebatable Motions

Art. VIII.—Vote.

  1. Voting
  2. Votes that are Null and Void even if Unanimous
  3. Motions requiring more than a Majority Vote

Art. IX.—Committees and Boards.

  1. Committees Classified
  2. Boards of Managers, etc., and Executive Committees
  3. Ex-Officio Members of Boards and Committees
  4. Committees, Special and Standing
  5. Reception of Reports
  6. Adoption or Acceptance of Reports
  7. Committee of the Whole
  8. As if in Committee of the Whole
  9. Informal Consideration

Art. X.—The Officers and the Minutes.

  1. Chairman or President
  2. Secretary or Clerk
  3. The Minutes
  4. Executive Secretary
  5. Treasurer

Art. XI.—Miscellaneous.

  1. Session
  2. Quorum
  3. Order of Business
  4. Nominations and Elections
  5. Constitutions, By-laws, Rules of Order, and Standing Rules
  6. Amendments of Constitutions, By-laws, and Rules of Order

 

Part II.—Organization, Meetings, and Legal Rights of Assemblies.

Art. XII.—Organization and Meetings.

  1. An Occasional or Mass Meeting.
    1. Organization
    2. Adoption of Resolutions
    3. Committee to draft Resolutions
    4. Semi-Permanent Mass Meeting
  2. A Permanent Society.
    1. First Meeting
    2. Second Meeting
    3. Regular Meeting
  3. Meeting of a Convention.
    1. An Organized Convention
    2. A Convention not yet Organized

Art. XIII.—Legal Rights of Assemblies and Trial of Their Members.

  1. Right of an Assembly to Punish its Members
  2. Right of an Assembly to Eject any one from its Place of Meeting
  3. Rights of Ecclesiastical Tribunals
  4. Trial of Members of Societies

Plan for Study of Parliamentary Law.

  1. Introduction
  2. Lesson Outlines