ARTICLE 1 – NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1.  NAME. 
The name of this organization shall be Arkansas District Court Clerks Association. 
Section 2.  PURPOSE. 
The Arkansas District Court Clerks Association shall operate as a non-profit voluntary organization for the following purposes:
(a) To serve every possible means in constantly improving the standards, practices and effectiveness of the District Courts and matters related to judicial administration.
(b) To make available the collective experience of its members to persons and agencies, private and governmental, in any manner affecting District Courts and matters related to judicial administration.
(c) To encourage and afford opportunity for its members to keep abreast of developments and approved principles relating to District Courts.
(d) To help in the solution of problems peculiar to its members as judicial and administrative officials.
(e) To engage in educational, training and research activities of all kinds in furtherance of the foregoing objectives.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
The Arkansas District Court Clerks Association shall consist of the following types of membership:
Section 1.  ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 
Any District Court Clerk -elect, or Deputy Court Clerk shall be eligible for active membership upon enrollment and payment of the annual non-transferrable membership fee.  Each active member shall have the right to vote on every question authorized by this Constitution, and shall have the right to hold office in the Association.
Section 2.  ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Any individual, not qualified for active membership, may with the approval of the Executive Committee, become an associate member of the Association upon payment of the annual associate membership fee in an amount fixed by the membership. Each associate member shall be entitled to the benefits and privileges of an active member, except the right to vote or hold office in the Association.
Section 3.  HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
Any person in recognition of his outstanding service and contribution to the furtherance of the purposes of this Association may be elected an honorary member of the Association upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and approval of the Association.  Any member of the Association that retires as a court clerk becomes an honorary member for life.  An honorary member shall not be required to pay membership fees nor shall he have the right to vote or hold office in the Association.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Parliamentarian: provided that nopresident shall be eligible to occupy the office for more than one term, consecutively. The term of office shall begin immediately after adjournment of the annual convention and shall last two years through the adjournment of the second annual convention.
Section 2. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the foregoing officers, two (2) prior past presidents of the Association, one (1) district representative from each of the four (4) current Congressional Districts, and two (2) members elected from this state at large.
Section 3. ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES
The Officers and Executive Committee members shall be elected at the electoral convention and their terms shall be for two years beginning at the adjournment of said convention. Other than as called for in the by-laws, vacancies should be filled in the following manner. When there is a vacancy in the office of district representative, a board member who is from that resigning board member’s district should, along with the two at-large representatives, recommend an appointment to the Board. These recommendations will be voted on by the executive committee of the Association. Other vacancies in offices within the organization should be filled by recommendation of any Board member and voted on by the Executive Committee of the Association.

ARTICLE IV – OPERATION
Section 1. CONVENTIONS
A convention of the Association shall be held each year.  Insofar as practicable, the time and place of the convention shall be determined one year in advance. Business meetings shall be held in conjunction with the annual convention.  A copy of the agenda and any supporting documents shall be disbursed to all members of the Association prior to the convention date.  The President may from time to time call a business meeting during a regularly scheduled educational seminar where matters of urgency exist.
Section 2. VOTING
Only active members registered and in good standing shall have a vote on any question submitted to the Association.  A proposed slate of officers, including one representative from each of the four (4) Congressional Districts, one (1) at-large representative from the 1st or 3rd Congressional Districts and one (1) at-large representative from the 2nd or 4th Congressional Districts shall be presented to the membership at the electoral convention business meeting for the purpose of electing officers, proposing amendments to the Constitution and other items deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.  This slate shall be mailed out at least ten (10) days prior to the convention. This does not preclude nominations being submitted from the floor.  Voice and or show of hands shall be used for the purpose of voting on all association matters.
Section 3. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The President or any other officer designated by the President shall preside at all business sessions of the Association, and the Executive Committee, and shall perform the duties usually belonging to such office.  The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. The First Vice President shall perform such duties as are assigned by the President.  In any circumstance where the President fails to or is prevented from discharging the duties of the office, those duties shall devolve upon the First Vice President, who shall serve until the President resumes office, or until there is a meeting of the Association or of the Executive Committee and a successor is elected and assumes office. The Second Vice President shall perform such duties as are assigned by the President, and shall be responsible for coordinating the work of the various committees and reporting to the President. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the records and archives of the Association and shall preserve and keep a record of all Association business and meetings.
Section 4. 
The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all monies of the Association, and shall make an annual report to the Executive Committee and an annual report to the general membership at the annual convention. The Treasurer shall collect all dues and issue a receipt for the same or supervise a Secretariat, duly appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board, to serve in the same capacity.  Checks will be written for disbursement by the Treasurer and sent to the Secretariat to be signed and mailed, after approval by the President via fax or e-mail. An audit committee made up of the immediate past President, Treasurer, At-Large Representative and the current President, Treasurer, At-Large Representative and the Secretariat is to meet after the annual business meeting to balance the books. The duties of the Historian are to maintain the pictorial records of the Association. Duties of the Parliamentarian are to advise the Association in the proper rules of Parliamentary procedure.
Section 5.  DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Between conventions the Executive Committee shall constitute the governing body of the Association and shall have general management of its business funds and policies.  It shall adopt policies from time to time as they appear to be required and it shall fix the compensation to be allowed any officer or employee.  It may transact business by mail, facsimile or telephone, by voting upon matters submitted to it, or with the approval of the President.  A majority vote of all the members of such committee shall be necessary to resolve the matter submitted.
Section 6.  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND EMPLOYEES
The Executive Committee may employ an executive director, professional staff and such other employees as are necessary to carry on the business of the Association under the direction of the President and Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V – COMMITTEES.
Section 1.  CONVENTION COMMITTEES.
Not less than four months prior to the electoral convention, the Nominating Committee appointed by the presiding President, shall prepare a slate of nominees. The Nominating Committee must obtain consent from each potential nominee before preparing a slate for the upcoming election of officers.
Section 2.  COMMITTEES.
To facilitate the management of the affairs of the Association, the following standing committees are established to perform the functions as indicated in the By-Laws.Certification Clerk of the Year Selection Legislative Constitution and By-Laws.The President may, from time to time, appoint such committees as may be deemed necessary.

ARTICLE VI – REVENUE
Section 1.  MEMBERSHIP
The active and associate membership fees shall be established by a vote of the active members present at the annual convention.

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS
The Constitution may be amended by proper procedures at any convention by a vote of two-thirds of the active members present at the regularly scheduled business meeting.  All proposed amendments shall be a written proposal to the Executive Committee for consideration.  If the Executive Committee deems that the proposed amendment be appropriate action for the Constitution of the Association, they shall then submit it to the general membership in writing at least 10 days prior to the convention.