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CHARTER

OF THE

VIRGINIA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION.

Acts 1889-'90, page 634, chapter 376. An act to incorporate the Virginia State Bar Association.

Approved February 28, 1890.

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That William J. Robertson, R. G. H. Kean, Thomas Tabb, John W. Riely, James A. Walker, Holmes Conrad, Frank V. Winston, S. Ferguson Beach, John H. Fulton, Charles A. Graves, William R. McKenney, Richard B. Tunstall, James C. Lamb, Charles M. Blackford, William J. Leake, Thomas S. Martin, Alexander Hamilton, James E. Heath, Micajah Woods, George M. Harrison, F. H. McGuire, and such other persons as are now associated with them in the unincorporated society known as the Virginia State Bar Association, or as may be hereafter associated with them under this charter, be, and they are hereby, incorporated under the corporate name of "The Virginia State Bar Association," for the purpose of cultivating and advancing the science of jurisprudence, promoting reform in the law and in judicial procedure, facilitating the administration of justice in this State, and upholding and elevating the standard of honor, integrity, and courtesy in the legal profession.

2. The said corporation shall have power to adopt a seal and to change or break the same, to sue and be sued, and in its corporate name to take, institute, and prosecute any action, suit, or other proceeding in the courts of the land or elsewhere for the purpose of punishing or disbarring unworthy members of the profession or persons assuming its functions which may now be taken and prosecuted by any natural person: provided, that the party so proceeded against shall be a member of this corporation; to acquire by lease or purchase a suitable building or rooms, library, and furniture for the use of the corporation; to borrow money for such purpose and issue bonds therefor, and to secure the same by mortgage or deed of trust, and generally to acquire by purchase,

gift, devise, bequest, or otherwise, and to hold, transfer, and convey any and all such real or personal property as it may have and as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this corporation : provided, it shall not hold real estate exceeding in value the sum of one hundred thousand dollars.

3. The said corporation shall have power to make and adopt a constitution and by-laws not inconsistent with the laws of this Commonwealth, rules and regulations for the admission, government, suspension and expulsion of its members, for the collection of fees and dues, the number and election of its officers, and to define their duties, and for the safe-keeping of its property and the management of its affairs, and to alter, modify and change such constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations from time to time:

4. All interest of any member of said corporation in its property shall terminate and vest in the corporation upon his ceasing to be a member thereof by death, resignation, expulsion, or otherwise.

5. The several officers of the said association at the time of the passage of this act shall continue to hold their respective offices, with powers, duties and emoluments provided by the constitution and by-laws of said association until their suceessors shall be elected and installed, and in case of any vacancy in any of said offices such vacancies shall be filled in the manner prescribed by the constitution and by-laws already adopted by said association, or as the same may, in conformity therewith, be altered and amended by this corporation, and the present constitution and by-laws of said association shall be the constitution and bylaws of said corporation until the same shall be altered or amended by said corporation. All property, rights and interests of said association now held by any or either of the officers thereof or any person or persons for its use and benefit, shall by virtue of this act vest in and become the property of the corporation hereby created, subject to the payment of the debts of the said association.

6. This act shall be in force from its passage.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS.

PREAMBLE.

The undersigned, members of the bar of the State of Virginia, in convention assembled at Virginia Beach, in the said State, on the 6th day of July, 1888, do hereby constitute and declare ourselves an association under the name and for the purposes hereinafter set forth, and do make and adopt the following constitution and by-laws for the organization and government of the said association.

CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

NAME.

This association shall be called "THE VIRGINIA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION."

ARTICLE II.
OBJECTS.

This association is formed to cultivate and advance the science of jurisprudence; to promote reform in the law and in judicial procedure; to facilitate the administration of justice in this State; and to uphold and elevate the standard of honor, integrity, and courtesy in the legal profession.

ARTICLE III.

MEMBERS.

1. Active Members.—Those members of the bar who attend the convention at which this association is formed, and who shall then and there subscribe to this constitution and pay the admission fee are hereby declared to be members of this association.

Any member of the bar in good standing, residing and practicing in the State of Virginia, who shall have been at the bar of this State at least one year, and any teacher in a regularly organized law school, may become a member by vote of the Committee

on Admissions, as may be provided in the by-laws, and upon subscribing to this constitution, or otherwise signifying in writing his acceptance of membership and paying the admission fee.

2. Honorary Members.-All judges of the courts of this State who are not eligible to membership under the preceding clause of this article, and the judges of the Federal courts who are citizens of Virginia, are hereby declared to be honorary members of the association, and shall continue such during their terms of office and no longer.

Honorary members shall not be eligible to any office in this association, but shall be entitled, without the payment of fees, to all of its privileges and to participate in its proceedings, except such as may be had in connection with complaints against individuals which may be made in matters affecting the interest of the legal profession, the practice of the law, and the administration of justice.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS.

The officers of this association shall be a president, five vicepresidents—one to be selected from each of the following five grand divisions of the State, viz.: The Southwest, the Southside, Tidewater, Piedmont and the Valley-and a secretary and treasurer, whose duties shall be such as may be prescribed in the bylaws. They shall be elected at the annual meetings hereinafter provided for, except those first elected under this constitution.

They shall hold office from the adjournment of the meeting at which they are elected until the adjournment of the next succeeding annual meeting, except those first elected under this constitution, whose terms shall commence upon their election and expire at the adjournment of the first annual meeting. The president and the vice-presidents shall be ineligible for re-election until one year after the expiration of their terms of office.

The offices of secretary and treasurer shall be filled by one person, who shall receive as compensation for his services the sum of three hundred dollars per annum, payable quarterly. All elections shall be by ballot.

ARTICLE V.

STANDING COMMITTEES.

There shall be the following standing committees of this association, to be chosen as hereinafter provided, whose duties shall be such as may be prescribed in the by-laws:

1. Executive Committee, to consist of six members.

2. Committee on Admissions, to consist of eighteen members, one to be selected from each of the judicial circuits of the State.

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