Parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure is the set of rules governing meetings and deliberations by Congress, parliaments and most meetings by societies. There are two competing codes: Robert's Rules of Order and Sturgis' Code of Parliamentary Procedure.

Robert's Rules of Order is used by Congress, and is more complex. Sturgis' Code has the advantage of simplicity.

The source of Robert's Rules was originally Congress itself. In 1876 General Henry M. Robert first published the rules of Congress for the benefit of membership societies that required deliberative meetings.