Dallas Court Reporters Association
Bylaws as Amended January 2004
Article I. Name and Location
Section 1. The name of this organization is Dallas Court Reporters Association.
Section 2. Offices of the Association will be located at the business address of the duly
elected president of the Association.
Article II. Objectives
The objective of this association is to promote the profession of court reporting by:
A. Providing a forum for disscusion and exchange
of ideas relating to the profession,
B. Issuing publications for the dissemenation of information relating to court reporting, and
C. Cooperating with related associatios, govermantal bodies, and the community in advancing the profession.
Article III. MembershipDCRA shall consist
of the classes of members who have met the qualification for membership and paid their dues
as outlined below.
Section 1. Classes of Members
A. Professional: Licensed in accordance
with the provisions of Chapter 52 of the Goverment Code, V. T. C. A., and skilled and engaged
in the verbatim reporting of proceedings by the use of writtem symbols. Full voting and office holding
privileges.
B. Associate: Interested in the preservation, support and advancement of the field of verbatim
court reporting but not in any way actively engaged in the verbatim reporting of proceedings
or not otherwise eligible for professional membership. Cannot vote or hold office.
C. Student: Enrolled in a court-reporter training program to learn the skill of
verbatim reporting of proceedings by the use of written symbols. Cannot vote or hold office.
Section 2. Application for Membership
A. Applications shall be submitted to the Membership Committee.
B. All applicants, except those renewing from immediate past year, must be endorsed as follows:
1. Professional members may endorse any membership class.
2. Associate members may endorse associate members or students.
3. Student members may endorse students.
C. Annual dues shall accompany the application.
D. If the application is rejected, the dues will be returned.
Section 3. Dues
A. Annual Dues
1. shall be established by the Executive Committee in an amount not less than the previous year's dues,
2. are accessed on a calender year basis,
3. are payable for all membership classes by January 1 and,
4. shall accompany the renew notice.
B. Dues may be increased only
1. at the recommendation of the Executive Committee.
2. in an amount not to exceed 25% of the previous year's dues.
3. after 30 days' written notice to the membership.
4. ratification of the membership.
5. once in a 12-month period.
C. Requests for the proration of dues shall be refered to the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Delinquency
A. Dues-renewel notification shall be made in writing to the membership by November 1.
B. Dues not paid after January 1 will be considered delinquent.
C. In the event of delinquency longer than 30 days, the member may be dropped from the membership rolls.
D. Any member suspended for nonpayment of dues may be reinstated at any time prior to the close of that
membership year upon payment of that year's dues.
Section 5. Termination of Membership
A. Membership may be terminated or suspended for cause upon two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee
at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Sufficient cause for such termination or suspension shall include,
but not be limited to, violation of these bylaws or any other conduct prejudicial to the Association.
B. No membership shall be terminated or suspended for cause without the member having first received
notice of such charges and having an opportunity to answer such charges.
C. Such member, if removed, may appeal the decision of the Executive Committee to the Association,
providing that notice of intent to appeal is provided to the President at least ten (10) days prior
to the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Section 6. Membership Rolls
The list of current members shall be maintained on a database in an electronic format.
Articule IV. Governing Body
The governing body of the Association shall be known as the Executive Committee,
which shall manage and direct the Association’s affairs, including publications.
Section 1. Executive Committee
A. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Immediate Past President.
B. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at any duly called meeting
or conference telephone call of the Committee. The President shall call such meetings of the
Executive Committee as the business of the Association may require, or a meeting shall be called
by the President on request of two (2) members of the Executive Committee.
C. The President can commit to expenditures not exceeding $100 and the Executive Committee
can commit to expenditures not exceeding $500.
D. The Executive Committee may act in place of the Association between regular meetings
on all matters, except those specifically reserved to the Association by these bylaws.
E. The Executive Committee shall supervise the Association’s database consistent with Article III,
Section 6 and shall appoint a Professional Member to oversee its maintenance and updating.
An electronic backup of the database shall be furnished to the Vice President on a monthly basis.
Section 2. Qualifications and Term of Office
A. The candidate’s qualifications for election to office must include the following:
1. holder of Texas CSR for a minimum of three (3) years,
2. Professional member of DCRA for a minimum of two (2) years,
3. Professional member of Texas Court Reporters Association for one (1) year, and
4. member of at least one DCRA or Texas Court Reporters Association committee within three (3) years
B. The Officers (except the President and Immediate Past President) shall be elected each year by the voting
members at the annual meeting.
C. Term of office is one year beginning at the close of the annual meeting at which the officer was elected.
Elected officers may serve for consecutive terms as set forth below:
1. President-Elect: one term
2. Vice President: one term
3. Secretary: two terms
4. Treasurer: three terms
5. Historian: three terms
Section 3. Absences, Vacancies, and Removal From Office
A. The Executive Committee will consider absences from both Executive Committee meetings and monthly meetings.
1. When necessary, an officer shall make a reasonable attempt, prior to the meeting, to notify an
Executive Committee member of an anticipated absence.
2. The Executive Committee shall determine whether the absence is excused.
B. In the event of a vacancy, the unexpired term of office shall be filled as follows:
1. The office of President will be filled by the President-Elect.
2. The office of President-Elect will be filled by the Executive Committee's recommendation,
in writing to the membership, of a candidate to the general membership and upon vote by the general
membership. If the membership fails to ratify the recommendation, the floor will be open for nominations
and election.
3. Vice President will be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
4. Secretary will be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
5. Treasurer will be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
6. Historian will be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
7. Immediate Past President will be appointed by the Executive Committee from among past presidents.
C. Removal from office shall be by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The officer may appeal
such removal to Executive Committee. The officer may appeal such removal to
1. The Executive Committee and the officer will present their reasoning.
2. The membership will vote to uphold or reject the removal.
Section 4. Duties of the Officers
A. The President shall
1. preside at all Association meetings,
2. serve as chairman of the Executive Committee,
3. serve as ex-officio member on all committees,
4. appoint all committee chairs,
5. send meeting notices,
6. attend TCRA board meetings or appoint a substitute from the Executive Committee, and
7. perform all duties incident to the office and such other duties as may be prescribed from
time to time by the Association or Executive Committee.
B. The President-Elect shall
1. preside over Association and Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the President,
2. serve as an ex-officio member of all committees,
3. act as liaison to the Dallas Bar Association,
4. serve as liaison between the Association and the Dallas County reporting schools,
5. chair any student seminars sponsored by the Association,
6. submit potential programs to the President for regular meetings, and
7. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
C. The Vice President shall
1. chair the Community Relations Committee,
2. chair the legislative reception,
3. preserve all copies of electronic backups, and
4. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
D. The Secretary shall
1. record in the minutes all official acts of the Association and Executive Committee, except when
otherwise directed by the Executive Committee;
2. maintain a current list of the Association membership showing the presence or the absence of members
at all meetings;
3. handle correspondence relative to the affairs of the Association at the direction of the President; and
4. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
E. The Treasurer shall
1. maintain the financial books and records of the Association,
2. promptly deposit all income received by the Association in an account maintained by the Dallas
Court Reporters Association,
3. receive, audit, and pay all bills due by the Association,
4. report at the Association meetings the Association's financial status,
5. submit monthly an electronic backup of the bookkeeping data to the Vice President,
6. submit the books and records to the membership for examination at the Annual Meeting, and
7. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
F. The Historian shall
1. preserve all records such as meeting notices, Scriveners, press releases, newspaper articles,
photographs, necrology reports, and other papers, documents, and files belonging to the Association
excepting the minutes preserved and maintained by the Secretary, and make them available at the
Annual Meeting;
2. compile a yearbook reflecting all activities of the Association, press coverage of the
Association and its affairs, and noteworthy events regarding the membership and the reporting
profession in general in the Dallas County area and make it available at the Annual Meeting; and
3. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
G. The Immediate Past President shall
1. chair the Nominating Committee and
2. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
H. Each officer shall present to the membership, at least quarterly, a report of that officer's activities.
The report may be oral or in writing, shall be available for inspection by all members in attendance,
and will be included in the minutes.
I. At the end of the annual meeting, each officer shall turn over to the President any and all DCRA records,
whether electronic or hard copy.
Article V. Standing Committee
Each committee chair shall present to the membership, at least quarterly, a report of that committee's
activities. The report may be oral or in writing, shall be available for inspection by all members
in attendance, and will be included in the minutes.
Section 1. Membership Committee. Liaison to Executive Committee: Secretary. The President
shall appoint a committee chair. Members: No fewer than four professional members appointed
by the President. The committee’s duties shall be to:
A. receive applications for membership,
B. verify the applicants’ qualifications for membership,
C. conduct membership drives, and
D. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
Section 2. Nominating Committee. Chair: Immediate Past President. Members: No fewer than four
professional members appointed by the President. Nominating Committee members are not concurrently
eligible for office. The committee’s duties shall be to:
A. receive nominations for all elective offices,
B. verify the nominees’ qualifications to hold elective office,
C. propose candidates for elective office if no nominations are received,
D. present nominations to the general membership, and
E. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
Section 3. Community Relations Committee. Chair: Vice President. Members: No fewer than four
professional members appointed by the President. The committee shall supervise the pro bono, realtime,
and other charitable activities, and fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President
and Executive committee.
Section 4. Budget Committee. Liaison to Executive Committee: Treasurer. The President shall appoint
a committee chair. Members: No fewer than four professional members appointed by the President.
The committee’s duties shall be to:
A. oversee the annual operating budget,
B. review proposed expenditures in excess of the authority of the President and the Executive Committee
for recommendation to the membership for consideration, and
C. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
Section 5. Bylaws Committee. The President will appoint the chair and no fewer than four professional members.
The committee’s duties shall be to:
A. propose amendments on the committee’s own initiative,
B. receive amendments proposed by the membership,
C. present proposed amendments to the general membership in accordance with Article VII, Section 4
and Article VIII,and
D. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee.
Section 6. Officials Committee. The President will appoint the chair and no fewer than four
professional members currently employed as official reporters. The committee’s duties shall be to:
A. act as liaison between the Association and the judiciary
B. assist the Vice President with the legislative reception
C. assist the President-Elect with student seminars
D. fulfill such other responsibilities as charged by the President and Executive Committee
Article VI Nominations and Election of Officers
Section 1. No member shall be a candidate for more than one office at one time.
Section 2. Nominations procedures. Candidates' qualifications as outlined in Article IV, Section 2A.
to run for office shall be submitted with all nominations. Each candidate's name will be accepted when
evidence of qualification is presented. Deadlines for nominations and qualifications are the regular
monthly meetings as follows:
A. September: Nominations for office will be open. Nominations shall be made in writing to the
Nominating Committee Chair.
B. October: The Nominating Committee shall present the names of all qualified candidates received to date.
The floor will be open for nominations.
C. November: The names of all qualified candidates will be listed in the meeting notice for the November
meeting. At the November meeting, the Nominating Committee shall announce the candidates for all offices.
The floor will remain open for nominations until the close of the November meeting, at which time no further
nominations will be considered.
D. December: All candidates for office will be listed in the meeting notice and in The Scrivener.
E.January: All candidates for office will be listed in the meeting notice. Elections will be held.
Section 3. Contested-election Procedures
A. Voting will be held independently for each office.
B, Candidates for the contested race will leave the room during the voting for that office.
C. If there are two (2) candidates for an office, the person receiving a majority of votes wins.
D. If there are three (3) or more candidates for an office, and if a majority vote is not received by
any candidate for such office, there will be a run-off election during the meeting between the two
candidates receiving the most votes.
E. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
Article VII. Meetings of Members and Voting on Issues
Section 1. The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held in January of each year at which the
Association shall:
A. elect new officers and
B. vote on bylaws amendments if proposed
Section 2 Written notice of any meeting of the Association at which official Association business
is to be conducted shall be mailed to the last known address of each member
Section 3. Rules of Order
A. Except as otherwise stated in these bylaws, the meetings and proceedings of the Association shall be
regulated and controlled according to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.
B. When the need arises for such services, the President may appoint a professional member to serve
as parliamentarian. When serving as parliamentarian, the professional member shall:
1. be excluded from voting privileges;
2. advise the President and, if requested, any professional member as to parliamentary procedure; and
3. notify the president of any error in proceedings that may affect the substantive rights of any member
or that may otherwise do harm.
Section 4. Voting at any meeting of the association
A. Only Professional members shall have the right to vote.
B. Each Professional member shall have one vote, which shall be cast in person.
C. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
Article VIII. Amendments to and Repeal of Bylaws
A. Any member may propose amendments to these bylaws, but only Professional members may vote on amendments.
B. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Bylaws Committee no later than the October meeting.
C. Written notice of proposed amendments shall be given to the membership no later than December 15.
D. Revisions to proposed amendments may be made at the Annual Meeting.
E. Proposed amendments shall pass upon a two-thirds vote and shall take effect immediately.
F. Any proposed amendment that has not been previously filed with the Bylaws Committee may be
submitted at the Annual Meeting and shall be adopted only upon a ninety percent (90%) vote.
G. These bylaws may be repealed only by a two-thirds vote at the Annual Meeting.
Article IX. Statement of Association’s ownership
The Association DCRA owns, among other assets, the database, bookkeeping records,
Big Mouth software, and any other data, electronic or hard copy, generated by and kept on behalf
of the Association in the conduct of its business.
Article X. Dissolution
This Association may be dissolved only
A. at a meeting specially called for the purpose of dissolution and
B. upon a three-fourths vote of Professional members present at the specially called meeting.
Funds remaining in the treasury
A. will be distributed to educational or charitable organizations to be selected by the Executive Committee and
B. will not be distributed to the membership
The President at the time of dissolution shall be the custodian of the Association's books and records
for a minimum of seven years from the date of the dissolution.
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