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Article I – ADMINISTRATION AND PURPOSE

Section 1

The Florida Law Honor Society of Secondary Schools (hereinafter, the Florida Law Honor Society) shall be administered by the Justice Teaching Center at ³Ô¹ÏÍø in Lakeland, Florida.

Section 2

The purpose of the Florida Law Honor Society shall be to advance scholarship in law-related fields, to provide service opportunities, to promote leadership, to provide civic engagement and education opportunities, and to instill a sense of respect for the courts and the judicial branch.

Article II – SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

Only an accredited public or independent secondary school within the state of Florida shall be eligible to sponsor a school chapter.

Section 2

A member school must make available to students, two or more law-related education courses during a school year. One course may be American Government or a related course. The remaining course or courses must be law or criminal justice electives.

Section 3

A member school must include a civic, community service or philanthropic component within its law studies curriculum.

Article III – STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

Membership in a school chapter shall be based upon scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

Section 2

Membership in a school chapter shall be known as active and graduate. The graduate members do not have voting rights. Active members become graduate members upon graduation.

Section 3

To be eligible for election to a school chapter the candidate must have been in attendance for at least one semester in the chapter school and must have completed the equivalent of three semesters of criminal justice/law studies courses.

Section 4

The candidates eligible for election into the Florida Law Honor Society must be members of the junior or senior class. Candidates eligible for election to the Florida Law Honor Society shall have a minimum overall scholastic average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale and a minimum scholastic average in criminal justice courses/law studies courses of 3.5 on a 4.0 grading scale. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed and shall be the required minimum scholastic level of achievement for admission to candidacy.

All students who meet these scholarship standards as well as other requirements are eligible for membership.

Section 5

Each semester, in addition to maintaining the academic requirements; all members must maintain consistent and regular attendance at chapter meetings.

Section 6

All members admitted will adhere to the school board’s Code of Conduct and will make positive contributions to the school community. Diversion from the Code of Conduct or school rules will result in the revocation of membership.

Article IV – INDUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS

Section 1

Induction ceremonies for new student members will take place every year during Law Week, Constitution Week, or another appropriate time. Each chapter will determine which date is most suitable according to its school’s event calendar.

Article V – ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1

The election of members to the Florida Law Honor Society shall be by a chapter council consisting of the Law Studies program coordinator (or equivalent faculty member) and members of the faculty. In no case should there be fewer than two teachers from the school’s law studies and/or criminal justice programs.

Section 2

Any member of the school’s faculty may propose to the council the names of students eligible for membership in the Florida Law Honor Society.

Section 3

An active member of the Florida Law Honor Society who transfers from his/her member school should be given a letter indicating the status of his/her membership, signed by the program coordinator (or an equivalent faculty member).

Section 4

An active member of the Florida Law Honor Society who transfers to another member school will be automatically accepted for membership in that school’s chapter, provided all other membership eligibility requirements have been met.

The transfer member must maintain the membership requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership.

Article VI – OFFICERS

Section 1

The officers of a Florida Law Honor Society chapter shall be president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, historian, and sergeant at arms. These offices shall be elected at each chapter school.

Section 2

A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any officer of a chapter.

Section 3

It shall be the duty of the president to preside at chapter meetings and at all officer meetings. The president shall be responsible for designating assignments for officers. The president will meet regularly with the program coordinator to discuss chapter business.

Section 4

The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president.

Section 5

The chapter secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings, a record of all business and all records on file.

Section 6

The treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds of a chapter and keep an accurate report of receipts and disbursements in accordance with school regulations.

Section 7

The historian shall keep a photographic record of chapter activities and shall prepare an annual scrap book in which to document these activities.

Section 8

The sergeant at arms shall be responsible for keeping order during chapter meetings and for all duties not previously assigned.

Article VII – DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS

Section 1

Any member who falls below the standards which were the basis of his/her election shall be promptly warned. A Florida Law Honor Society member must maintain the standards of membership in order to retain his/her membership. A member will be allowed only one warning period. Once a member is dismissed that student will no longer be eligible for membership in the Florida Law Honor Society. The student must be notified in writing by the faculty program coordinator of the chapter.

Section 2

The faculty council reserves the right to remove any member from office who does not perform his/her duties adequately or who does not adhere to the standards and codes of conduct set forth by the school community. In such a case, the member school’s chapter council shall appoint a substitute officer for the remainder of the term.

Article VII – DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS

Section 1

Any member who falls below the standards which were the basis of his/her election shall be promptly warned. A Florida Law Honor Society member must maintain the standards of membership in order to retain his/her membership. A member will be allowed only one warning period. Once a member is dismissed that student will no longer be eligible for membership in the Florida Law Honor Society. The student must be notified in writing by the faculty program coordinator of the chapter.

Section 2

The faculty council reserves the right to remove any member from office who does not perform his/her duties adequately or who does not adhere to the standards and codes of conduct set forth by the school community. In such a case, the member school’s chapter council shall appoint a substitute officer for the remainder of the term.

Article VIII – STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1

The state executive committee shall consist of the Justice Teaching Center staff and faculty.

Section 2

The executive committee shall administer the Florida Law Honor Society program.

Article IX – CHAPTER COUNCIL

Section 1

Each school chapter shall have a chapter council which consists of the law studies/criminal justice program coordinator (or an equivalent position), and a minimum of one additional member of the faculty.

Article X – SUPERVISION

Section 1

The activities of each chapter shall be subject to the approval of the principal and the program coordinator (or an equivalent faculty member).

Article XI – MEETINGS

Section 1

The regular meetings of local chapters shall be once a month during the school year on days designated by the chapter’s council and approved by the chapter’s program coordinator (or equivalent faculty member). The meetings may be held before or after school.

Section 2

The officers of each chapter shall be elected at the last regular meeting of the year.

Section 3

Special meetings, approved by the chapter council, may be called by the president.

Section 4

All meetings shall be open meetings and shall be held under the supervision of the program coordinator or some other member of the faculty as designated.

Article XII – CHAPTER NAME

Section 1

Each chapter shall select a name by which it will be identified and must register the name with the administering organization.

Section 2

No two schools can have the same name, and usage of a name will be on a first come first served basis.

Article XIII – EMBLEM

Section 1

Each member of the chapter shall be entitled to wear the emblem/pin adopted by the Florida Law Honor Society.

Article XIV – DUES

Section 1

Chapter dues. The annual state fee for chapter/school membership shall be $100.00. This fee is for administrative costs and chapter certification and shall be paid annually to the Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning.

Section 2

Student Dues. The annual dues for each student member shall be $30. Twenty dollars of these dues shall be paid to the Justice Teaching Center for Civic Learning for certificates, pins, postage, and state administrative costs. The remaining shall be retained by the school chapter. Each student shall receive a state membership certificate and Law Honor Society pin.

Article XV – BY­LAWS

Section 1

A chapter may wish to enact by­laws to enhance its local program participation requirements. By­laws must be approved by seventy-five percent of the chapter membership and by the program coordinator in order to be enacted or amended.

Article XVI – ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF THIS DOCUMENT

Section 1

This constitution shall be ratified and enacted upon unanimous approval of the Florida Law Honor Society’s executive committee.

Section 2

This constitution may be amended only by a unanimous vote of the Florida Law Honor Society’s executive committee.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP

THE FLORIDA LAW HONOR SOCIETY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Only an accredited public or independent secondary school within the state of Florida shall be eligible to initiate a chapter. A member school must make available to students, two or more law-related courses during a school year. One class may be American Government or a related course. A member school must include a civic or community service component within its law studies curriculum.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

THE FLORIDA LAW HONOR SOCIETY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Membership shall be based on scholarship in general and in law related courses specifically. Also, leadership in law related activities and other leadership positions should be considered. Service activities as outlined are also required. Membership shall be restricted to those actively engaged in the study of law and criminal justice in Florida public and independent high schools.

Candidates must complete at least three semesters of law-related education courses and be currently enrolled in one of these law-related courses (law studies or criminal justice). One of the three courses may be American Government. Candidates must have a minimum of twenty hours of community and volunteer service upon applying for induction. Candidates must be in eleventh or twelfth grade. Underclassmen may be nominated for induction during the spring semester of their sophomore year. They may not be inducted until the fall semester of their junior year and only if they are enrolled in a law-related course during that semester. Transfer students must have spent at least one full semester at their current high school before becoming eligible for membership. Candidates must have maintained a 3.5 GPA or higher in all law classes taken. Candidates must have maintained a 3.0 GPA in all other subjects. Candidates must have maintained conduct standards as prescribed in the Code of Conduct of their respective schools and must abide by all local, state and national laws. These selection qualifications are determined by the Justice Teaching Center. The JTC in consultation with the director and faculty of the student’s school will make the final determination of membership eligibility and selection criteria.

The Justice Teaching Center is located at ³Ô¹ÏÍø, McKay Archives Building, First Floor, 111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, Florida 33801. Phone 863.680-4664.