Miami-Dade Justice Association Inc.

BY-LAWS
(A Non-Profit Corporation)

ARTICLE I
NAME

The name of this corporation, not for profit, shall be the Miami-Dade Justice Association, Inc.

ARTICLE II
OBJECTS

In addition to the objects of the Corporation set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, it shall be the objective of Miami-Dade Justice Association to:

1.Establish and maintain as an integrated group, lawyers skilled and experienced in the trial of cases before juries, the courts and arbitrators representing injured persons, and thereby improve and enhance the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession; and,

2.To bring together members of the profession thus qualified, by reason of their character, personality and ability, for mutual sharing of knowledge in the art of advocacy.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

A.Regular:Regular members of Miami-Dade Justice Association shall be those persons who:

1.Are duly licensed to practice law;

2.Are members, in good standing, of the Florida Bar;

3.Have made application and been approved for membership in Miami-Dade Justice Association, as herein provided;

4.Are of good moral character;

5.Do not, or whose firms do not, for more than fifty percent (50%) of their practice, represent insurance carriers, their insureds or employers in personal injury litigation and/or arbitration proceedings or Worker’s Compensation matters; and,

6.Pay the established dues as members of this Organization, as established from time to time by the Board of Directors.

B.Sustaining:A regular member may become a sustaining member upon approval by the Board of Directors.

C.Student:A law student engaged in a course of study at a law school shall be eligible for student membership, if he or she is of good moral character and has made application to and been approved for student membership by the Board of Directors as herein provided.

D.Honorary:The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, from time to time designate persons as Honorary members, who shall pay no dues or fees and be entitled to no vote.

E.Other Classes:From time to time, the Board of Directors may create other classes of regular members, establishing the procedure for application and terms of admittance in each case.

F.Upon payment of the annual dues prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors, such regular members shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership in Miami-Dade Justice Association including:

1.The right to hold any office in Miami-Dade Justice Association; and,

2.The right to one vote at any regular or special meeting of the membership.

G.There shall be no firm membership, and membership certificates shall not be assignable.

H.Proxies:There shall be no voting by proxy; each member must be present in person to cast his or her vote.

I.Application:To become a member in Miami-Dade Justice Association each applicant must:

1.Transmit his or her signed application to the Secretary on the form to be prescribed by the Board of Directors, together with one (1) year’s dues; and,

2.Successfully pass each examination or investigation as may be made by the Board of Directors or its Membership Committee, touching upon the good moral character and other qualifications for membership; and,

3.Certify that he or she meets the requirements of Section A5, Article II of these By-Laws; and,

4.Be approved by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A.Executive Board:The business and property of Miami-Dade Justice Association shall be managed by an Executive Board comprised of the five officers of Miami-Dade Justice Association.

1.Powers:The Executive Board shall have, in addition to the power conferred by Law, the Articles of Incorporation, and these By-Laws, the authority to:

a.Examine and pass upon qualification of any applicant for membership in Miami-Dade Justice Association; and,

b.Hear and determine charges made against any member; and,

c.Expel members for cause shown; and,

d.Appoint itself or authorizes the President to appoint such standing and other committees, including a Nominating Committee to select and recommend names of members as nominees for Board of Directors and Officers, as in its judgment is necessary for the proper management of Miami-Dade Justice Association and, in such cases, to delegate and define the duties and powers of such committees; and,

e.Make, alter or amend Miami-Dade Justice Association policy;

f.Establish and change initiation fees and dues for the various classes of members
;
g.Make special assessments, up to $25.00 per member per year, upon each member or class of members for the purpose of promoting or opposing legislation; and,

h.Provide for the publication of a journal or newsletter of Miami-Dade Justice Association, the selection and compensation of its editor and control of its editorial policy.

B.Board of Directors: A Board of Directors [“Directors”] of not less than three (3) nor more than fourteen (14) members, the number to be determined by the Executive Board, shall be elected annually from the membership. The Directors shall meet on call of the President or a majority of the Executive Board to consider and advise upon such matters as the President or Executive Board may present.

C.Standing Committees:In addition to any other special committees, the following standing committees shall exist:

1.By-Laws and Nominating;
2.Judiciary;
3.Membership; and
4.Program.

ARTICLE V
OFFICERS

A.The officers of Miami-Dade Justice Association shall be elected each year at the annual membership meeting and shall consist of:
1.President;
2.President-Elect;
3.Treasurer;
4.Secretary; and
5.Immediate Past President.

Provided, however, that at the termination of their terms as President and President-Elect, these officers shall automatically and without further election succeed to the offices of Immediate Past President and President, respectively.

B.All officers shall take office immediately upon the adjournment of the annual membership meeting following their election and hold office for a term of one (1) year and until their successors are elected and qualified.

C.The President:Shall preside at all membership meetings of Miami-Dade Justice Association and shall be Chairperson of the Executive Board and be a member thereof the year following his or her term of office. The Chairperson shall perform such other services as are incident to the office and as are from time to time required by the Directors. The President shall represent the Miami-Dade Justice Association to the public and other bar groups and have all powers as may be reasonable except as otherwise limited by these By-Laws.

D.The President-Elect:Shall take office as President at the conclusion of the annual meeting following the one-year term as President-Elect. In the event the President is absent or unable to act, the President’s duties shall be performed by the President-Elect.

It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to render every assistance and cooperation to the President, to be familiar with all of the activities and affairs of the Miami-Dade Justice Association, and perform such other services as are incident to the office and as are, from time to time, required by the Directors.

E.The Treasurer:Shall collect, disburse, and account for all funds of Miami-Dade Justice Association, at the direction of the Directors, and shall cooperate with the Directors in matters relating to the fiscal affairs of the organization. The Treasurer shall perform such other services as are incident to the office and as are, from time to time, required by the Directors.

Before assuming office, the Treasurer shall post with the President a fidelity bond in favor of Miami-Dade Justice Association and in such amount as the Directors shall determine. Upon expiration of the Treasurer’s term, the Treasurer shall submit to the Board of Directors all of the records together with a report itemizing by date, amount and purpose of all receipts and disbursements made for Miami-Dade Justice Association during the Treasurer’s term in office.

F.The Secretary:Shall keep a record of the proceedings of all membership and/or Directors’ meetings, keep a roll of members, attend to correspondence and issue such notices as may be required by the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws or otherwise. The Secretary shall perform such other services as are incident to the office and as are, from time to time, required by the Directors.

G.The Immediate Past President:Shall perform the services incident to the office and perform such other services as are, from time to time, required by the Directors or President.

H.Compensation:All officers shall serve without compensation.
 
ARTICLE VI
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

A.Annual Elections:Officers and members of the Board of Governors shall be elected at each annual membership meeting.

B.Nominating Committee:At least thirty (30) days before each annual membership meeting the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee which shall:
1.Be prohibited from placing in nomination for any office (except membership on the Board of Directors) any of its own members;

2.Nominate from the membership a slate of proposed officers and members of the Board of Directors; and

3.Cause their slate of candidates to be distributed or announced to the membership meeting held one month before election meeting.

C.Other Nominating:Other voting members may be nominated from the floor at the membership meeting held one month prior to the election meeting.

D.Voting:Shall be by ballot, but in person only. Any vote or ballot cast by proxy shall be disqualified and not counted by the Electors.

ARTICLE VII
VACANCIES

A.In the event of the death, resignation, or incapacity of the President, the President-Elect shall serve as President during the remainder of the term of the office thus vacated, and then shall serve as President for the term for which he or she was elected. In the event of the death or disability of both the President and the President-Elect, the Directors shall appoint an Acting President to hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting.

B.Vacancies in other offices on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the appointment of a successor by majority vote of the Directors.

C.Such officers or members of the Board of Directors so appointed shall complete the balance of their predecessor’s term and serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

D.Any officer or member of the Board of Directors who misses four (4) meeting during the course of a year will automatically be required to relinquish his or her position. Any vacancies so created in the Board of Directors will be filled by a majority vote of the board, while any vacancies in the Executive Board will be filled by a general vote of the membership.

ARTICLE VIII
MEETINGS

A.Annual Meetings:

1.Membership:The annual membership meeting shall be called sometime during the second week in January of each year, at a time and place to be designated provided the Secretary shall give notice to the membership at least ten (10) days before the meeting, either by publication in the newsletter or journal, if any, or by mailed notice.

B.Special Meetings:

1.Membership Meetings:May be called at any time by the President, the Directors or by written request of at least forty (40) members in good standing; provided notice of the time and place be given the membership at least ten (10) days before the meeting, either by publication in the newsletter or journal, if any, or separate mailed notice which shall state the purpose thereof.

2.Executive Board:May be called by the President on the President’s own initiative at any time, or by written request of at least three (3) Officers; provided notice of the time and place be given the membership of the Executive Board at least three 93) days before the meeting, either by telephone or separate mailed notice which shall state the purpose thereof.

3.Board of Directors:May be called by the President on the President’s own initiative at any time, or by written request of at least three (3) officers or five directors; provided notice of the time and place by given the membership of the Board at least three 93) days before the meeting, either by telephone or separate mailed notice which shall state the purpose thereof.

C.Quorum:

1.Membership:Twenty (20) members in good standing constitute a quorum to do business. NO proxies will be allowed. Less than twenty (20) members may adjourn the meeting to another fixed date without further notice.

2.Executive Board:Three (3) members of the Executive Board of Directors present shall constitute a quorum, but less may adjourn the meeting to another fixed date without further notice.

3.Board of Directors:Seven (7) members of the Board of Directors present shall constitute a quorum, but less may adjourn the meeting to another fixed date without further notice.

D.Parliamentary Rules:All meetings will be conducted under Roberts Rules of Order, where not inconsistent with the By-Laws.

E.Order of Business:The order of business at all meetings shall be:

1.Roll Call (may be by signed roster);
2.Reading and disposing of any unapproved minutes;
3.Reports of officers and committees;
4.Unfinished business; and
5.New business.

ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended as provided in the Charter.

 

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