Article II - GENERAL PROVISIONS

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As amended through August 27, 2024

Section 1.Official Name

The official name of the State Bar is "State Bar of Texas."

Section 2.Purposes of the Organization

The purposes of the State Bar are those as set out in the Act.

Section 3.Purposes of These Rules

These Rules are adopted for the operation, maintenance and conduct of the State Bar and for the disciplining of its members.

Section 4.Seal

The State Bar shall have a seal in the form of a five-pointed star, around the upper portion of which shall be written in capital letters, "STATE BAR OF TEXAS" and around the lower portion of which shall be written in capital letters, "CREATED IN 1939." The seal may be used only for official business of the State Bar, its sections and committees.

Section 5.Principal Office of the State Bar

The principal office of the State Bar shall be maintained in Austin, Travis County, Texas.

Section 6.Service of Process

Service of citation or other process may be had upon the State Bar by serving either the executive director or the general counsel.

Section 7.Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the State Bar shall be as determined by the board.

Section 8.Organizational Year

The organizational year of the State Bar shall be from time of adjournment of the annual meeting of the State Bar one year to the time of adjournment of the annual meeting of the State Bar of the next year.

Section 9.Oath of Office

Officers and directors of the State Bar, before entering upon the duties of office, shall take the official oath or affirmation set out in Art. 16, Sec. 1 of the Constitution of the State of Texas.

Section 10.Elections and Balloting

Except as may otherwise be provided, elections shall be conducted under the supervision of the executive director.

Section 11.Officers and Directors Holding Over Each officer and director shall continue to serve and perform the duties of his office until his successor has qualified.

Section 12.Publication of New Rules and Amendments to Rules These Rules and any amendments thereto shall be published in a manner directed by the board.

Section 13.Spokesman for the Bar The president of the State Bar or, in the absence of the president, the president-elect, shall be the public representative of the State Bar and shall enunciate the policies of the State Bar as promulgated by the board, except that the Board or the president may delegate such authority under such conditions as the board may prescribe. The board may authorize sections and committees, and those properly authorized by such sections and committees, to publicly represent the views of a section or committee. In no event shall a public representative of the State Bar or its sections or committees purport to speak on behalf of all State Bar members or to represent that all State Bar members support the message that the representative is conveying.

Section 14.Procedures for Meetings

A. All proceedings at meetings of the State Bar, of the board, of the executive committee and all other committees and sections shall be governed by the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.

B. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.

C. The presence of a majority of those persons entitled to vote at all such meetings shall constitute a quorum, except that:

1. at any meeting of the State Bar, one hundred (100) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and

2. at any meeting of a State Bar section or committee, a quorum may be less than a majority if the board has determined.

Action shall be taken only upon a majority vote of those entitled to vote, a quorum being present.

Amended effective 3/23/2020; amended effective 10/12/2021.