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1
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TITLE
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1.1
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The name of the
Society is the Southern African Society of Legal Historians (hereafter
referred to as the Society)
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1.2
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LEGAL PERSONALITY
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The Society shall
be a body corporate, capable, in its own name, of acquiring rights,
entering into legal transactions and suing and being sued.
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2
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AIMS
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The aims of the Society are to -
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2.1
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further teaching,
study and research concerning legal history;
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2.2
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regularly
present congresses in order to discuss legal history and intricacies in
connection therewith;.
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2.3
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publish a legal
history journal;
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2.4
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encourage contact
and co-operation between legal historians and legal history societies
overseas and other interested organisations; and
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2.5
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perform any act
necessary to realise the above aims
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3
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Membership
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3.1
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Any person interested
in the realisation of the aims of the Society may apply for membership.
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3.2
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Membership of
the Society is divided into the following categories:
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3.2.1
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Full members
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3.2.2
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Student members
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3.3.3
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Honorary members.
The council may decide to confer honorary membership of the Society
upon certain people.
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3.3
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All members
shall have voting rights and be eligible for election to the council,
but only full members or honorary members can be appointed as editor of
the journal.
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3.4
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Membership fees
are from term to term determined by council.
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3.5
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Membership can
be terminated by the council.
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4
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PATRONS
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The council may, as it sees fit, on the recommendation
of the general meeting, as mentioned in 6.2, appoint a patron or
patrons for the society.
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5
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COUNCIL
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5.1
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Members of the
Society entitled to vote shall, at a general meeting of the Society,
elect by majority vote a council, consisting of a president, a
vice-president, a secretary/treasurer and any number of additional
members. The term of the council shall be three years.
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5.2
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The council
shall further consist of:
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5.2.1
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other members who
may be co-opted by the council to fill vacancies which may occur; and
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5.2.2
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other members
who may from time to time be co-opted by the council in the light of
specific needs.
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5.3
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A person appointed
in the manner mentioned in 5.2.2 remains a member for as long as the
council decides.
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5.4
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Should the
Society establish an official journal, the editor of the journal is ex
officio member of the council, if he is not already a member of the
council.
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5.5
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The council may
appoint such committees as it deems fit.
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5.6
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The duties of
the council are to-
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5.6.1
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realise the aims
of the Society;
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5.6.2
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execute
decisions of the general meeting;
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5.6.3
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generally control
the administration and finances of the Society;
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5.6.4
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report from time
to time to the general meeting concerning its finances and
administration, and present financial statements for approval
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5.7
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Where members of
the council cannot reach consensus on a specific point, a decision will
be reached by voting by the members of the council, with the exclusion
of the members mentioned in 5.2.2. In the case of a voting stalemate,
the president will have the deciding vote, as well as his ordinary
vote.
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5.8
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The president
and secretary of the council act in matters of urgency on behalf of the
council.
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6
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CONGRESS AND MEETINGS
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6.1
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The Society
shall hold congresses.
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6.2
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A general
meeting will be held during a congress or at such time as determined by
council.
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6.3
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The location and
time of the congress and the general meeting shall be determined by the
council. The council must take the recommendation of the previous
general meeting into account. The location and time of the meeting must
be determined at least three months in advance.
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6.4
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Ten full members
shall constitute a quorum at a general meeting.
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6.5
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The president of
the Society and in his absence the vice-president or the
secretary/treasurer, acts as chairman of the general meeting
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6.6
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Decisions at a
general meeting, with the exception of constitutional amendments, will
be reached by a majority of votes. The chairman has a decisive note, as
well as his ordinary vote, in the case of a voting stalemate.
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6.7
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Financial
statements shall be submitted and approved at the general meeting.
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6.8
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The programme
for the congress and the agenda for the general meeting shall be drawn
up by the president and/or the vice-president and/or the
secretary/treasurer. Members of the Society may submit proposals
concerning the programme and agenda to the secretary on condition that
proposals reach the secretary at least one month before the date of the
congress.
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6.9
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The secretary
shall notify members at least two months before the congress of the
dates on which the congress and the general meeting is to be held. The
programme and the agenda must be sent to members at least two weeks
before the date on which the congress and general meeting begin.
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6.10
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A special
general meeting for the discussion of urgent matters may be called
either by the council or at the written request of at least twenty full
members of the Society. Only the matter for which the meeting was
called shall be discussed at such a special general meeting.
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6.11
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In the case of a
special general meeting, members must receive notification of it two
weeks before the date of the meeting.
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7
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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
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When the Society publishes a journal
which shall serve as official organ of the Society, the council shall
appoint an editor for the journal for a period of three years or for
any other such period as approved by the general meeting.
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8
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BRANCHES
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8.1
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Any group or at
least five members of the Society may organise a branch of the Society.
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8.2
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Application for
recognition as a branch must be made to the council, and the
constitution of the respective branch shall be submitted therewith.
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8.3
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The general
meeting is competent to withhold recognition from any branch, and may
dissolve any branch at any time.
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9
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
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9.1
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The constitution
may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members eligible to vote and
who exercise their vote during a general meeting.
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9.2
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Amendments to
the constitution may be proposed by-
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9.2.1
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the council, or
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9.2.2
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a written
request of at least ten members of the Society who are eligible to
vote.
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9.3
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All proposals
for amendments to the constitution must be handed in to the council at
least two months before the general meeting at which such proposals are
to be discussed
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9.4
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The council
shall circulate proposed amendments to the constitution to all members
of the Society at least one month before the general meeting.
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10
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DISSOLUTION
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10.1
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The Society may
be dissolved if two-thirds of the members of the Society are present
and eligible to vote, exercise their vote in favour of it during a
general or special meeting.
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10.2
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In the event of
dissolution of the Society the meeting shall also reach a decision with
regard to the documents and monies which belong to the Society
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