Constitution of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association
- Article I: Name and Purpose
- Article II: Membership and Dues
- Article III: Officers and Executive Committee
- Article IV: Meetings and Voting
- Article V: Amicus Curiae Briefs
- Article VI: Amendments
- Article VII: Dissolution
Article I
Name and PurposeThe name of this organization shall be the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association. The purposes of the organization are (1) to unite municipal attorneys of the State of Tennessee into a permanent organization which will promote and encourage effective and efficient legal service for Tennessee municipalities, (2) to encourage and improve communication and cooperation between Tennessee's municipal attorneys, and (3) to cooperate with the Tennessee Municipal League in seeking solutions to problems of the State's municipalities.
The Association is not organized for profit, and no part of the earnings shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer except as compensation for services rendered or for necessary expenses actually incurred on behalf of the Association. (As amended June 3, 1980)
Article II
Membership and DuesMembership may be held in the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association by any attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee who has been appointed, retained, or elected as legal counsel for or on behalf of a Tennessee municipality or a governmental agency serving Tennessee municipalities. Any city judge may become an associate non-voting member by paying the annual dues applicable to regular members. When the dues of any member are paid by the public agency which he serves, such dues shall be deemed to have been paid for the office which he holds and shall be deemed to have been paid for his successor in office. Any former municipal attorney may continue his membership by paying his own dues. Annual dues shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) for each member per year. The membership year shall begin at the end of each annual meeting and run through the next annual meeting. (As amended June 25, 1970; June 7, 1983; June 14, 1988; and June 13, 2005)
Article III
Officers and Executive CommitteeThe officers of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and three directors, one from each grand division of the state. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be eligible to succeed themselves. All officers, except the three directors, shall be elected at the Association's annual meeting and shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected and qualified. The directors shall be appointed by the President and shall serve for his term of office. Terms of office, except for the directors, shall begin at the conclusion of the annual meeting at which the officers are elected. The directors' terms shall begin upon their appointment. The President shall not be eligible to succeed himself. The Executive Committee shall nominate a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer annually but additional nominations may be made from the floor.
The current officers and the immediate past President shall constitute the Executive Committee.
Any vacancy in an elective office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Committee. Any vacancy in an appointive office shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the President. A vacancy in office shall be deemed to exist if the incumbent leaves the municipal service.
The powers and duties of the officers shall be such as by general usage are indicated by the title of their office. (As amended June 10, 1975; June 12, 1979; and June 14, 1988)
Article IV
Meetings and VotingThe annual meeting of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Committee shall prescribe. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee upon at least ten (10) days notice to the members of the time and place of such meetings. At any annual or called special meeting of the Association those in attendance shall constitute a quorum. At meetings, or when voting on any matter is by mail, the will of the Association shall be determined by the majority of those members voting.
The rules of order and parliamentary procedure contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the transaction of business by and before the Association in all cases not specifically provided for in this constitution or the bylaws of the Association.
Only those members whose dues are paid by the municipality shall be voting members of the Association. Furthermore, each paying municipality shall have only one vote regardless of the number of its attorneys belonging to the Association.
Article V
Amicus Curiae BriefsWhen the Executive Committee shall deem it proper and expedient to enter the appearance of the Association as Amicus Curiae in any pending action, it shall have the authority to do so and it shall designate a member or members to prepare the necessary papers and handle the matter to its conclusion. No Amicus Curiae brief shall be filed in any action involving a city or town without the consent of the attorney representing such municipality. The Executive Committee shall make such rules governing requests for assistance by appearance Amicus Curiae as it may deem proper for the advantageous handling of such requests.
This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of the Association by a majority vote of the members present and voting.
In the event the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association is dissolved all liabilities and obligations of the Association shall be paid and discharged and any remaining assets shall be liquidated and distributed in equal shares to the incorporated Tennessee municipalities whose attorneys are then current members of record of the Association. (As amended June 3, 1980)