Jim Slaughter's Blog: Robert's Rules & Parliamentary Procedure

Even experienced presiding officers get confused by amendments. Learn two simple rules for handling a motion to amend under Robert's Rules of Order without losing control of the meeting. Continue reading →

The post How to Handle a Motion to Amend (Without Losing Your Mind) appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Podcast Note: This article is adapted from my conversation with Meghan Speer on the Nonprofit Hub Radio podcast, “Robert’s Rules for Real Boards.” Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or visit the Nonprofit Hub. Mention Robert’s Rules of Order, and many people picture complicated motions, rigid formalities, and someone interrupting a meeting to raise a Point of Order. That’s unfortunate, because good parliamentary procedure should make meetings easier, not harder. Most nonprofit boards do not need to conduct meetings like Congress or a large national convention. A board with seven members sitting around a conference table has very different … Continue reading →

The post Robert’s Rules of Order for Nonprofit Boards: Practical Tips for Better Meetings appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Podcast Note: This article is adapted from my conversation with Megan Speer on the Nonprofit Hub Radio podcast, “Robert’s Rules for Real Boards.” Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or visit the Nonprofit Hub. Mention Robert’s Rules of Order, and many people picture complicated motions, rigid formalities, and someone interrupting a meeting to raise a Point of Order. That’s unfortunate, because good parliamentary procedure should make meetings easier, not harder. Most nonprofit boards do not need to conduct meetings like Congress or a large national convention. A board with seven members sitting around a conference table has very different … Continue reading →

The post Robert’s Rules of Order for Nonprofit Boards appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Community association board meetings are often more formal and complicated than they need to be. Many common meeting practices come from rules designed for large annual membership meetings, not smaller board or committee meetings. In a recent article published by the Community Associations Institute, I addressed three common procedural myths that can slow down HOA and condominium board meetings. Understanding these differences can help boards encourage discussion, make decisions more efficiently, and conduct more productive meetings. Read the full article: Board Meetings Aren’t Annual Meetings: Three Common Meeting Myths

The post Three Common Meeting Myths That Can Slow Down HOA Boards appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

This article is adapted from my conversation with Robert Nordlund on HOA Insights: Common Sense for Common Areas, Episode 162, “Handle Conflict at HOA Board Meetings Without the Drama,” presented by Association Reserves on June 15, 2026. A link to the full podcast or video is available here: Community association board meetings do not have to feel like a courtroom, a city council meeting, or a parliamentary procedure exam. Most HOA and condominium boards are small groups of volunteers trying to make sensible decisions for their communities. That said, meetings still matter. Boards are making decisions about property, money, contracts, … Continue reading →

The post No Drama, Just Order: Practical Tips for Better HOA and Condo Board Meetings appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Boards receive financial reports all the time. At most meetings, there is some version of the same information: account balances, income and expenses, and current financial position. The question is not whether boards should see that information. They should. The real issue is what the board does with it. Many boards take the extra step of voting to “approve” or “adopt” these routine financial reports. Sometimes it is included in a consent agenda. Either way, the result is the same. The board is taking formal action on something that usually does not require formal action. What Boards Think The Vote … Continue reading →

The post Should Your Board Approve Routine Financial Reports? Considerations and Risks appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Boards often ask whether they need a parliamentarian. The better question is when it makes sense to bring one in. This article walks through practical factors to consider, including board size, complexity of issues, and meeting dynamics. Continue reading →

The post When Should a Board Bring in a Parliamentarian? Practical Considerations appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Can I vote as an ex officio member? Can we ask ex officio members to leave? I hear such questions often. And almost every time, the issue is not the rules. It is a misunderstanding of what “ex officio” actually means. Ex officio simply means “by virtue of an office.” A person is on a board or committee because they hold a certain position. When they leave that position, the next person in the position automatically takes their place. Many people think “ex officio” means a person cannot vote. As I note in Robert’s Rules of Order Fast Track (p. … Continue reading →

The post What Does “Ex Officio” Really Mean and What Rights Come With It? appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

Several national clients have asked me recently for advice on “modernizing” their resolutions processes. That has involved looking at what they do, why they do it, and what improvements might make the process more efficient or easier for members to understand. From those conversations comes this article, which discusses the general process. There are as many resolutions processes as there are associations. That’s because each organization is governed by language in its bylaws (sometimes “constitution”) or board policy. If the procedure appears in the bylaws, the process tends to be fixed, since bylaws can be difficult to amend. On the … Continue reading →

The post What the Resolutions Process Is and Is Not appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.

This Thursday, February 19, 2026, we mark the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Robert’s Rules of Order in 1876. For 150 years, this book has helped groups hold fair, organized, and effective meetings. That is an extraordinary legacy for a book written by an Army engineer. Who Was General Robert? Henry Martyn Robert was a general in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He was not trained as a lawyer or politician. He became interested in meeting procedure after being asked to preside over a church meeting that quickly became confusing and disorderly. As I discussed in … Continue reading →

The post 150 Years of Robert’s Rules of Order appeared first on Law Firm Carolinas.