Parliamentary Procedure Q&A

Q: I am a sophomore in High School and a member of the Parliamentary Procedure Team for our FFA Chapter. We were practicing and we came up with some questions that our advisor was unable to answer.
  1. When is an appropriate time/reason to Appeal the Decision of the Chair?
  2. Why couldn't we just call for a Point of Order instead of Appeal the Decision of the Chair?
I hope I have not made this too confusing. Please get back with me as soon as possible, for we are practicing for a contest. - Amanda Lee, Jan. 11, 2000

A:

  1. If you disagree with the chairman on his ruling of parliamentary law, you and a seconder may cause the assembly to rule by moving an Appeal. (See RONR Section 24.)
  2. If you believe that a member, the chairman, or even the organization, is not following the rules, you may demand that the chairman make or correct a ruling by making a Point of Order. (See RONR Section 23.)
Because the chairman rules on a Point of Order, that ruling is sometimes challenged with an Appeal.

For example, suppose that while a member was speaking, another member began answering him. If the chairman does not immediately correct the situation, you could rise to a Point of Order, demanding that the interrupting member be quiet. It would not be appropriate to Appeal in this case, because the chairman has not issued a ruling.

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