The Bylaws Committee has focused exclusively on the plain-language review of the Bylaws since the 2025 Annual Meeting. We have the following items to report:

Megan Scanlon’s resignation

In December 2025, former committee Chair Megan Scanlon accepted a position as Associate University Counsel with Virginia Commonwealth University.  As a result, Megan stepped down from the committee, and Julie Clement (MI) became chair.  Emily Wetherell (VT) is the new vice chair.  

Plain language 

Although some of the following has already been reported, we feel it’s important to include some background as we prepare to present our recommendations for this project.  

At the 2024 Annual Meeting, the Bylaws Committee was charged with undertaking a two-year plain-language revision of the Bylaws.  A call for volunteers led to a strong, enthusiastic advisory committee (which also included the Bylaws Committee members): Julie Clement (chair), Megan Scanlon (vice-chair), Scott Mitchell (AL), Greg Hilton (MD), Mercedes Prieto (FL), Tiffany Mortier (CO), Matt Pollack (ME), Valerie Pompey (MD), Muriel Pitney (VA), Emily Wetherell, and Tristen Worthen (WA). 

The advisory committee has met nearly every month since October 2024.  Much of the initial work was foundational: 

• Surveying advisory committee members to identify skills and areas of interest.
• Reviewing the current Bylaws to identify patterns, questions, and editing priorities.
• Surveying the Executive Committee, Conference committee chairs, and the membership to better understand people’s interactions with the Bylaws and to solicit any recommendations.
• Creating a draft style guide for consistency.

The advisory committee then worked, article-by-article, to create a plain-language version of the Bylaws, being careful not to inadvertently suggest substantive changes.  We have submitted those proposed changes to the Executive Committee and will use their feedback to finalize the recommendations. 

Listserv Amendment

In 2023, the Technology Committee asked for a revision of Article III(2)(c) (Membership, Eligibility Upon Retirement or Termination As Court Employee).  This section refers to the Conference’s listserv, which has been replaced by an email mailing list, and also addresses potential confidentiality and conflict-of-interest when a member who is not a court employee participates in the Conference’s email mailing list and  programs.  We submitted a proposed revision in 2024, which was tabled pending the plain-language revision of the full set of Bylaws.  We have now submitted an updated revision to the Executive Committee for feedback. 

Recommendations

After we hear from the Executive Committee, the Bylaws Committee will finalize the plain-language revision project and the proposed revision to Article III(2)(c).  We expect to circulate those proposed revisions as soon as possible and to then ask Conference members to consider them at the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Julie Clement (MI), Chair
Emily Wetherell (VT), Vice Chair
Steve Lancaster (IN, Ret.), Member
Tristen Worthen (WA), Ex-officio