Can you do a point of order to point out an absence of a quorum right before you leave a meeting?

[user]

Let's say you don't want a meeting to continue and the meeting would no longer have a quorum if you leave. What is the most appropriate way to handle this? Can you do a point of order and indicate the absence of a quorum because you're leaving?

[Chris Harrison]

Sure, but you can't raise a Point of Order based on future events and a quorum will exist while you are still in the room and you have to be in the room to raise the Point of Order.  Thus the Chair should rule the Point Not Well Taken because a quorum does exist.  However, if you have an ally who is willing to raise the Point of Order as soon as you leave the room...

Edited August 3, 2019 at 10:30 AM by Chris Harrison

[jstackpo]

Or you could just move to adjourn  --  proper any most any time.    Majority will do it.  (Might not work, of course.)

[Alexis Hunt]

12 hours ago, Chris Harrison said:

Sure, but you can't raise a Point of Order based on future events and a quorum will exist while you are still in the room and you have to be in the room to raise the Point of Order.  Thus the Chair should rule the Point Not Well Taken because a quorum does exist.  However, if you have an ally who is willing to raise the Point of Order as soon as you leave the room...

While I think this is correct, I think that a chair who does a quorum count, sees that quorum is met precisely, and then immediately witnesses a member leave the room should raise the point of order on their own accord. A chair should not turn a blind eye to a loss of quorum.

[Atul Kapur]

Quote

If the chair notices the absence of
a quorum, it is his duty to declare the fact, at least before taking
any vote or stating the question on any new motion

...

Debate on a question already pending can be
allowed to continue at length after a quorum is no longer
present, however, until a member raises the point.

RONR 11th ed., p. 349, lines 11-13 & 19-21 (italics in original)

[Richard Brown]

1 hour ago, Alexis Hunt said:

While I think this is correct, I think that a chair who does a quorum count, sees that quorum is met precisely, and then immediately witnesses a member leave the room should raise the point of order on their own accord. A chair should not turn a blind eye to a loss of quorum.

 I agree.  if I was the member who was about to intentionally cause the loss of a quorum by leaving, I would first try to find a member who will raise a point of order as to the lack of a quorum once I leave the room. Failing that, I would probably raise a point of order that I am about to leave and there will not be a quorum once I walk out the door. And then walk out.

I acknowledge that doing that is not really "according to Hoyle", but it should certainly get the point across to the chairman and to all of the members that the assembly will lose its quorum in the next few seconds. Those members remaining will be hard-pressed to try to argue later that they did not realize the assembly had lost its quorum.