Used to raise attention to a potential violation of the meeting’s rules or procedures. Typically, a point of order is called when a member of a deliberative body, such as a council, believes that parliamentary procedures are not being followed.Here are a few situations when a point of order might be called:
If someone is speaking out of turn, exceeding their allotted time for speaking, or engaging in disruptive behavior
If a motion is being discussed without a proper second, or if a vote is being conducted incorrectly
If there is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of a specific procedure
If someone who is not a member of the deliberative body attempts to participate in discussions or decisions
If a member of a deliberative body has a conflict of interest in a particular matter and fails to recuse themselves from the discussion or vote
When a point of order is called, the presiding officer (such as a council chair or mayor) will make a ruling on whether the point of order is valid.