MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Regular Membership:
(a) Regular membership in the Association shall be available to licensed attorneys of professional competency, integrity and good moral character who are actively engaged in the defense of criminal cases.
(b) Application for regular membership shall be made on a form prescribed by the Board of Directors.
(c) Categories for regular membership:
(1) Attorney licensed five (5) years or more;
(2) Attorney licensed less than five (5) years;
(3) Head of Missouri State Public Defender office;
(4) Assistant Missouri State Public Defender.
Section 2. Sustaining Membership: The title of sustaining member shall be conferred by the Board of Directors on a regular member who, in lieu of the payment of the established regular membership dues, pays to the Association dues for sustaining membership as fixed by the Board. Such payment is expected, but not required, of officers, board members and past presidents.
Section 3. Lifetime Membership: The title of lifetime member shall be conferred by the Board of Directors on a regular member who, in lieu of annual payments of the established regular membership dues, pays to the Association the lifetime dues as fixed by the Board.
Section 4. Provisional Membership:
(a) Provisional membership in the Association shall be available to those persons of integrity and good moral character who are pursuing a career in the defense of criminal cases. There shall be included in this category full-time law professors, members of the judiciary, law students, paralegals and legal assistants.
(b) Application for provisional membership shall be made on a form prescribed by the Board of Directors. Each law student shall attach to his or her application a letter of good standing from an appropriate official in the law school.
Section 5. Honorary Membership:
(a) Any person who shall have made an outstanding contribution to the public welfare and aided the achievement of the goals of this Association may be proposed for honorary membership by five (5) regular and/or sustaining members of the Association.
(b) The proposal for honorary membership shall be made in writing, subscribed by the five (5) regular and/or sustaining members of the Association.
(c) An affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors shall be required to elect an honorary member.
(d) In any given year, nor more than two (2) honorary members may be elected.
(e) In addition to subsection (d), a regular or sustaining member of the Association who is elected or appointed to the judiciary or congress of the United States shall hereafter become an honorary member for a period of three (3) years.
(f) Honorary memberships other than in subsection (e) shall extend for an indefinite period of time.
Section 6. Associate Membership: Any person, firm, or company, not otherwise eligible for Regular membership, who provides goods and services incidental to the practice of law and is in consonance with the purposes and goals of the Association.
Section 7. Senior Membership: Any attorney who qualifies for regular membership under Section 1(a), who has attained the age of 70 years, and who has been a member of the Association for at least ten years.
Section 8. Voting: Each regular member, each associate member, and each sustaining member shall be entitled to one (1) vote at the Association’s proceedings. Honorary members and provisional members shall not be entitled to vote at the Association’s proceedings.
Section 9. Revocation of membership: membership, whether regular, associate, sustaining, provisional, honorary or founding, may be revoked for cause by vote calling for such revocation by three-quarters (3/4) of the Board of Directors.
Section 10. Dues:
(a) The amount of annual dues for each category of membership shall be determined by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, and may be changed from time to time at the discretion of the Board.
(b) Dues are paid annually and may be prorated the first year of membership.
(c) Non-payment of dues for more than ninety (90) days after the annual renewal date may result in suspension of all rights and privileges of membership in the Association.
(d) A lawyer who spends a substantial portion of his or her practice performing pro bono work may petition the Executive Committee, on a case by case basis, for a reduction in dues. In granting such a request, the Executive Committee shall consider the extent of the pro bono work and the financial need of the lawyer as a result of the pro bono work. The reduction shall be for a one year period, but may be renewed.