Parliamentary Procedure — Glossary

The suspension or ending of a meeting or debate until a later time or date.

Standards used by international courts or bodies to determine whether a case or complaint can be heard or reviewed.

A formal proposal to change, add, or delete parts of a draft resolution or working paper.

A Latin term meaning 'friend of the court'; a person or group offering information or expertise to assist a court in deciding a case.

A procedural entitlement allowing a party to appeal a decision to a higher court without needing permission or leave.

The process by which a judge decides the winner of a debate round and records their decision on a ballot sheet.

The obligation a debater has to provide sufficient evidence to support their claim or argument in the debate round.

The obligation of a party to present evidence sufficient to convince the arbitral tribunal of the truth of its claims or defenses.

A delegate appointed or elected to moderate and manage discussions during a caucus, ensuring orderly and productive debate.

Committee of the whole is a legislative procedure where the entire legislative body operates as a single committee to expedite debate and decision-making.

A dispute resolution process mandated by treaty or law requiring parties to submit to conciliation before pursuing other remedies.

Jurisdiction that a court exercises over parties without their prior consent, typically under treaty provisions. It enables international courts to hear disputes mandatorily.

General agreement among delegates that allows a resolution or decision to pass without formal voting.

A method of decision-making where all delegates agree on a proposal without a formal vote, emphasizing unity.

A consensus decision reached when all but one delegate agree, allowing the committee to move forward despite a single objection.

An official instruction issued by crisis staff to influence committee developments during a crisis simulation.

A binding decision rendered by an arbitral tribunal when one party fails to appear or respond to the proceedings.

Direct examination involves questioning a witness by the party who called them to elicit favorable testimony.

Special instructions issued by crisis staff to delegates to influence committee developments.

A formal written proposal containing preambulatory and operative clauses submitted for debate and voting.

A unique identifier assigned to each draft resolution for tracking and reference during committee sessions.

A special session convened rapidly to address urgent or unforeseen issues within a committee or crisis simulation.

A theoretical assumption allowing debaters to propose and evaluate policies as if they were implemented, regardless of practical constraints.

A type of debate that assumes the affirmative plan will be implemented for the sake of argument, allowing discussion of its merits and disadvantages without proving political feasibility.

Flow is the systematic note-taking method used to track arguments and responses throughout a debate round.

A legal doctrine allowing courts to dismiss a case when another forum is more appropriate for hearing the dispute.

Consent by a state to a court’s jurisdiction after proceedings have begun, allowing adjudication despite initial lack of jurisdictional consent.

The practice by parties to a dispute of choosing the most favorable court or tribunal in which to bring their legal case.

A discussion about the rules and standards that should guide the evaluation of arguments in a debate round.

A change to a draft resolution supported by its original sponsors that does not require a formal vote to be incorporated.

A delegate who supports a draft resolution or working paper without being a sponsor, signaling endorsement.

A small mallet used by the chair to call the committee to order or signal procedural decisions.

The chair's action of striking the gavel to call the committee to order or signal the start or end of debate.

Temporary orders issued by international courts or tribunals to preserve rights or prevent harm pending final judgment.

Temporary orders issued by arbitral tribunals to preserve rights or evidence pending the final award.

Interim measures of protection are temporary orders by international courts to prevent harm or preserve rights pending a final decision.

The Joint Crisis Committee, a format where multiple committees interact during a crisis simulation.

A practice where a senator informs party leaders of their objection to a bill or nomination, delaying floor consideration. It is an informal way to stall legislative action without formal objection.

Formal requests from courts in one country to judicial authorities in another for assistance in obtaining evidence or serving documents.

A structured debate format where the chair calls on delegates to speak on a specific topic for a limited time.

The process of setting specific time limits and speaking order during a moderated caucus to focus debate on a particular topic.

A procedural request to challenge the chair's ruling on a point of order or parliamentary inquiry, requiring a vote by the committee.

A procedural motion to end debate on the current topic and proceed to voting on draft resolutions or amendments.

A procedural motion to split a draft resolution or clause into separate parts for individual voting.

A motion to restrict the time allocated for debating a particular topic or draft resolution.

A parliamentary procedure allowing the committee to temporarily pause formal debate and resume later without adjourning the session entirely.

A procedural motion allowing delegates to reopen debate on a previously decided topic or resolution during a committee session.

A procedural motion to temporarily pause the committee proceedings for a specified period or until the chair calls the meeting back to order.

A procedural motion to temporarily suspend debate on a particular topic or draft resolution, effectively postponing discussion until later in the session.

In Policy debate, when the negative team delivers two speeches consecutively to develop arguments and refute the affirmative case.

An amendment that clarifies or corrects language without changing the meaning or intent of a clause.

An objection is a formal protest raised by an attorney to challenge improper evidence or procedure during a trial.

A judge’s decision to reject an objection, allowing the questioned evidence or testimony to stand.

Objection sustained is a judge's ruling that agrees with a party's objection, disallowing the questioned evidence or testimony.

A delegate's initial presentation outlining their country's position and priorities at the start of committee sessions.

A sign displayed by delegates to identify their country during formal debate and voting procedures.

The process by which a delegate gains the floor to speak by raising their placard and being acknowledged by the chair.

A question posed by a delegate to the speaker during or after a speech for clarification or challenge.

An interjection by a delegate to draw attention to a breach in parliamentary procedure requiring immediate correction.

A procedural point raised when a delegate experiences personal discomfort affecting their participation.

A procedural tool used by delegates to question or correct the application of rules during debate.

A point raised by a delegate when their ability to participate is impaired, such as hearing difficulties or discomfort.

An argument that challenges the legitimacy of an opponent’s argument or action based on debate rules and norms.

The temporary application of a treaty before its formal entry into force, pending ratification or approval.

Urgent orders issued by international courts to prevent irreparable harm before a final decision is made. They aim to preserve rights and prevent escalation during disputes.

The minimum number of delegates required to be present for a committee to conduct official business and make decisions.

A procedure to confirm that the minimum number of delegates is present to conduct official committee business.

The minimum number of delegates required to be present for a committee to conduct official business and make decisions.

A temporary suspension of a meeting or debate, after which the committee reconvenes to continue business.

A formal procedure where delegates respond present or absent during the opening of a committee or for votes.

A voting procedure where each delegate's vote is recorded individually by name or country.

A list maintained by the chair that tracks the order of delegates wishing to speak during formal debate sessions.

The act of formally supporting a draft resolution or working paper by being listed as a sponsor, indicating active involvement in its creation.

An amendment that significantly alters the content or intent of a draft resolution, often requiring debate and voting.

Substantive jurisdiction is the authority of a court or tribunal to hear and decide cases concerning specific subject matters or legal issues.

A vote on the main content of a draft resolution or amendment, as opposed to procedural matters.

A theory argument challenges the rules or procedures of a debate round to gain a strategic advantage.

A debate focused on procedural arguments about rules, fairness, or judge standards rather than substantive issues.

A structured argument that outlines a procedural or theoretical claim with standards and voting issues.

An action or argument that breaks accepted rules or norms of debate theory, often leading to a theory argument.

A theory argument claiming that an opponent's actions or arguments violate the principles of a fair debate round.

An amendment proposed to a draft resolution without the original sponsors' consent, requiring a formal vote for adoption.

A delegate who signs a draft resolution but does not fully support it and may propose amendments against it.

A theoretical procedure in which the General Assembly or other body attempts to bypass a Security Council veto.

The ability of any of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to reject a substantive draft resolution, preventing its adoption.

An informal document used to share ideas and draft proposals before formal submission as a draft resolution.

A delegate's option to transfer remaining speaking time to a fellow delegate instead of to the chair or yielding time.

When a delegate finishes their speech and yields their remaining time back to the chair for further instructions.

The act of a delegate giving their remaining speech time to another delegate or the chair. It allows flexible use of allocated speaking periods during debate.