What is a custom?

[Gödel Fan]

Hello everyone.  I'm new here, studying for RP, and a "rookie" at these matters.  Here is my question - RONR says that a custom has force, and even if in conflict with the bylaws, stands until a point of order is raised.  What I want to know is:  how does a custom get established?  How many times do you have to do something before it becomes a custom?

 

If that's too broad, my concern is about canceling meetings (that are prescribed in the bylaws) by custom.

[Edgar Guest]

What I want to know is:  how does a custom get established?  How many times do you have to do something before it becomes a custom?

 

Twice?

 

When the question is "Why are we doing it this way?" and the answer is "Because that's the way we always do it", that's a custom.

 

For many years there was the custom that the President of the United States wouldn't serve for more than two terms. Then FDR was elected to a third (and fourth) term. Because, in the absence of a rule, the custom falls to the ground.

[Transpower]

And note that you can make a custom into a special rule of order if your organization so votes.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

Or amend the bylaws to include it.

[Richard Brown]

And note that you can make a custom into a special rule of order if your organization so votes.

 

Or amend the bylaws to include it.

Yes, depending on what the custom is, it might require an amendment of the bylaws.  If it's a custom of skipping one of the monthly meetings set out in the bylaws, it would require a bylaw amendment.