Behavior of Meeting Attendees

[Larry]

Is there anything in Robert’s Rules that prevents people from yelling at another person and making threats during a meeting?

[Weldon Merritt]

I don't know that anything would actually prevent it, if members are determined to behave like unruly children. But there's definitely a rule against it, and members can be disciplined if they persist in such behavior. The relevant rule is:

"During debate, during remarks by the presiding officer to the assembly, and during voting, no member should be permitted to disturb the assembly by whispering, walking across the floor, or in any other way. The key words here are disturb the assembly." RONR (12th ed.) 43:28 (emphasis in original).

[Bruce Lages]

In addition to Mr. Merritt's reference, RONR also states "Debate must be confined to the merits of the pending question. Speakers must address their remarks to the chair, maintain a courteous tone, and - especially in reference to any divergence of opinion - avoid injecting a personal note into debate. To this end, they must never attack or make any illusion to the motives of members." (12th. ed. 4:30).

[Weldon Merritt]

Thanks, Bruce. Yes, that's probably an even more on-point reference.

It's not clear from Larry's questions whether the yelling and threat-making is taking place during debate. But if it wasn't during debate, they shouldn't be speaking at all unless they were recognized for some legitimate purpose.

[Rob Elsman]

Even if the body had extended the privilege of speaking for some purpose it seems clear to me that "yelling at another person" or "making threats [toward another person?]" would not be in order during the meeting.  It certainly would not be if I were in the chair, whatever the circumstances.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/14/2022 at 10:29 AM, Larry said:

Is there anything in Robert’s Rules that prevents people from yelling at another person and making threats during a meeting?

See RONR (12th ed.) §61, especially 61:6, for how to deal with breaches of order during a meeting.

The key is that the presiding officer must act swiftly and firmly.  If the undisciplined person is a member of the body that is meeting, they may be ejected from that meeting by a majority vote.  If they are a guest, they may be ejected by the authority of the chair.

Edited July 15, 2022 at 02:23 AM by Gary Novosielski
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[Weldon Merritt]

On 7/14/2022 at 10:27 AM, Rob Elsman said:

Even if the body had extended the privilege of speaking for some purpose it seems clear to me that "yelling at another person" or "making threats [toward another person?]" would not be in order during the meeting.  It certainly would not be if I were in the chair, whatever the circumstances.

Oh, I agree. I was just pointing out that outside debate, a members shouldn't be speaking at all unless recognized for a legitimate purpose. But the rules fo decorum still apply, and yelling or making threats certainly are never in order.

[Rob Elsman]

Although I agree with Mr. Merritt that "the rules of decorum still apply", I think that, were I in the chair, my ruling would actually be that the offending words exceeded the scope of the privilege granted, since it is not reasonable to believe that the body had granted the privilege with the expectation that the offender would yell at another person or make threats.