parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure institutes the generally recognized rules, methods, and ethics that guide democratic decision-making for a group or organization. Groups that follow parliamentary procedure include legislatures, businesses, schools, and other deliberative bodies. Parliamentary procedure is intended to facilitate business transactions and promote cooperation within a group. The specific parliamentary procedures of an organization are ruled by relevant government statutes and the charters or bylaws of the organization.
While groups have their own language and supplemental rules, the universally accepted rules of parliamentary procedure are:
- Majority vote rules
- Minority views are protected
- All members of the group have equal rights
- The organization and its members will act in good faith
- Quorum is required to conduct business
In the United States, the most popular form of parliamentary procedure is Robert’s Rules of Order. For example, many federal agencies use Robert's Rules of Order for proposing, amending, and passing legislative motions. There are simplified quick guides available as well; however, they are not a substitute for the full version of Robert’s Rules when they are required by statute, an organization's charter, or bylaws.
[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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