As Amended May 2010
TITLE
The Association shall be called “THE GREENE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION.
PURPOSE
The Association is established to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of the
law, to cultivate social intercourse, and to increase its usefulness in promoting the due
administration of justice.
MEMBERS
The members of the legal profession practicing in the County of Greene, whose names
appear on the roll at the end hereof, and all others who may be elected by a vote of the
Association, are declared to be members of the Association. Any member of the legal profession
in good standing, practicing in Greene County, may become a member by a vote of the
Association and payment of the then applicable membership dues.
Members shall be designated as either full, associate or honorary and shall have benefits
designated as follows: Full members are dues paying members entitled to all benefits of the
Association and have the right to vote. Associate members pay reduced dues to be determined
by the Association from time to time and pay a reduced fee for other benefits as determined by
the Association from time to time. Associate members are not voting members. Honorary
members pay no dues , receive benefits and have no vote.
Members shall complete an application which shall consist of the applicant’s name;
address; place of business; a listing of all bar memberships and affiliations and all jurisdictions in
which the applicant is licensed to practice law. The application shall also require statement that
the applicant is licensed to practice law in the Courts of Pennsylvania, is a member in good
standing in all jurisdictions in which the applicant is otherwise licensed to practice and that the
applicant has not been disbarred in any jurisdiction in which he/she was previously licensed.
The application shall be presented at the first scheduled meeting following its submission
to an officer of the Association and the applicant shall become a member upon a two-thirds vote
of the membership present at said meeting and the payment of the then applicable membership
dues.
All Judges of Cou11s of Record in Pennsylvania, and retired Greene County Bar
Association members in good standing , may by a two-thirds vote of the Association, become
honorary members thereof.
OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-Pres ident , a Secretary and a
Treasurer. The officers shall be elected in even numbered years at the annual meeting to be held
on the third Tuesday of November in each y ear .
The officers shall manage the affairs of the Association, subject to the By-Laws. The
officers shall meet prior to every stated meeting of the Association. T he officers shall have the
power to make such regulations (not inconsistent with the By-Laws) as shall be necessary for the
protection of the property of the Association and for the preservation of good order in the
conduct of its affairs.
MEETINGS
There shall be an annual meeting of the Association on the third Tuesday in November of
each year and such stated and other meetings as shall be provided for by the By-Laws.
There shall be stated meetings of the Association held on the third Tuesday of every odd
numbered month, except the month of November, when the annual meeting takes place, unless
otherwise ordered by the President. At these stated meetings, and at any regular adjourned
meeting thereof, all the powers of the As sociation may be exercised. Special meetings may be
called at any time by the President. or such special meetings shall be called by the Secretary
upon the written request of five members of the Association. At such special meetings no
business shall be transacted except such a s shall be specified in the call therefore .
QUORUM
The presence of eight members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the
Association. Presence of any full member may be established by wri tten proxy which shall be
attached to the minutes for said meeting.
DISCIPLINE
Any member of the Association may be suspended or expell ed for misconduct in his
relations to this Association. or in his profess ion , on conviction thereof, in such manner as may
be prescribed by the By-Laws; and all interest in the property of the Association of persons
resigning or otherwise ceasing to be m embers , shall vest in the Associat ion.
ELECTIONS
All elections shall be by ballot. The officers shall enter upon their duties January I , and
shall hold office until their successors are elected or appointed. In case of a vacancy in any
office , it shall be filled by appointment by the President until the bi-annual election , except in the
case of a vacancy occurring in the office of President, which shall be filled by the Association at
its first stated meeting occurring after the happening of such vacancy.
PRESIDENT
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association; in case of his/her absence
the Vice-President shall preside. The President shall carry out duties established by the ByLaws;
establish special committees; provide general supervision of Association business and
activities and shall be the official representative of the Association as the Association shall
approve.
VICE-PRESIDENT
The Vice-President shall carry out the duties of the President in the absence of the
President. The Vice-President shall keep the minutes at all meetings of the Association wherein
the Secretary is absent.
SECRETARY
The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, and of all other
matters of which a record shall be deemed advisable by the Association. He/she shall notify the
officers and members of their election, shall keep a roll of the membership, and shall issue
notices of all meetings, and shall conduct the correspondence of the Association with the
concurrence of the President.
TREASURER
The Treasurer shall collect, and , upon direction of the President, shall disburse funds of
the Association of $100.00 or less and upon direction of the Association shall disburse funds
greater than $100.00; the treasurer shall keep regular accounts which shall be at all times open to
the inspection of any Officer and the Treasurer shall give a report of accounts at each stated
meeting of the Association. The accounts shall be audited by a committee of three members of
the Association , to be elected by ballot at the stated meeting preceding the annual meeting in
each year.
ORDER OF BUSINESS
At the stated meetings the order of business shall be as follows:
I . Reading minutes of previous meeting.
2. Report of Treasurer.
3. Elections, if any.
4. Reports of standing committees.
5. Reports of special committees.
6. Miscellaneous business.
The usual parliamentary rules , otherwise than as herein provided , shall govern at
meetings of the Association.
STANDING COMMITTEES
There shall be the following standing committees :
1. A “Judiciary Committee,” which shall be charged with the duty of the observation
of the working of our judicial system. the collection of information, the entertaining and
examining of projects for a change or reform in the system, and of re commending from time to
time to the Association such action as the y may deem expedient.
2. A ” Committee on Grie v ances ,” which shall be charged with the hearing of all
complaints against members of the Association , other members of the Bar, and applicants for
registration and admission to the Bar ; and also all complaints which may be made in matters
affecting the interests of the legal profession, the practice of the law and the administration of
justice, and to report the same to the Association , with such recommendations as they may deem
advisable.
3 . A ” Law Day Committee ,” which shall be charged with the responsibility to make
recommendations to the Association for involvement by the Associati o n and members thereof in
activities appropriate for the perpetuation of law awareness in the community. Such
recommendations shall be consistent with the stated purpose of Law Day as set forth by the
American Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
4 . A ” Nominating Committee ,” which shall be charged with the responsibility of
meeting no less that 30 day s prior to the annual meeting in which elections shall take place. The
Nominating Committee shall consist of three members to be elected by ballot at the stated
meeting preceding the annual meeting in each election year. The Nominating Committee shall
solicit interest, conduct interviews and provide nominations to the membership at the annual
meeting in which elections shall take place. Nothing herein precludes nomination of individuals
for office by individual members of the Association at the annual meeting in which elections
take place.
5. A ” Special Committee,” which shall be approved by the membership . The
President shall ask for volunteers to serve on such special committees and shall otherwise
appoint members to serve until the next election meeting or until a successor is otherwise
appointed.
Each of the committees named in the foregoing By-Laws shall consist of three members
and shall be appointed annually by the President of the Association, and shall continue in office
until the annual meeting of the Association next after their appointment , and until their
successors are appointed , with power to fill vacancies and to adopt rules for their own
government.
Whenever any complaint shall be preferred against a member of the Association for
misconduct in his relation to this Association or in his profession, or applicant for registration , or
applicant for admission to the Bar, the member or members preferring such complaint shall
present it to the Committee on Grievances, in writing, and subscribed by him or them, plainly
stating the matter complained of, with particulars of time , place and circumstances; whereupon
the committee shall proceed to examine into the matter , under such regulations as they may from
time to time adopt. And after arranging at a conclusion, they shall report the same, together with
the evidence in the case, to the Association; and thereupon the Association shall take such action
in the matter as it may think proper. And it shall be the duty of said Committee on Grievances to
take notice of unprofessional conduct of members of the Bar practicing in Greene County and
also applicants for registration and admission to the Bar; and if, after investigation , said
Committee deem such conduct worthy of censure, they shall so report to the Association; and
thereupon the Association shall conclude that said lawyer should be presented to the Court to be
dealt with on account of such misconduct. then the Association shall appoint a committee to
prosecute such member of the profession before the Court. And if the Association shall conclude
that any applicant for registration or admission to the Bar is not of good moral character, or for
any sufficient cause is not a fit or proper person to come to the Bar, it shall by petition, both to
the Board of Examiners and to the Court, set forth fully and at large any such charge or charges,
and shall resist the registration as a student at law or admission to the Bar of any such person.
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be amended at any stated meeting of the Association by a vote of
two-thirds of those present, provided that ten days ‘ notice in writing of the proposed amendment,
be given at a previous meeting.
These By-Laws shall go into immediate effect , upon adoption by the Association.