The Law Of By-laws of Private Corporations

Preface

The idea of writing this book was first to the author by Adolph Moses Esq., of Chicago, whose wide experience both as a lawyer in active practice and as the editor of the National Corporation Reporter had led him to believe that such a work would be useful. It is proper to add however, that Mr. Moses is not responsible for anything in book except its title.

The law pertaining to By-Laws has never, I believe, been made the subject of any book except Lumley on By Laws, and that work is exclusively English and has little, if anything, to say in regard to the by-laws of private corporations, being confined to the ordinances of municipal or quasi-municipal corporations. In the present work I have confined myself exclusively to the subject of By-Laws of private corporations, leaving out of view on the one hand the ordinances of municipal corporations and on the other the rules of unincorporated associations. Within these limits I have aimed to be both accurate and exhaustive. How far I have succeeded in my aim, I leave the readers to judge.

In preparing this work I have taken nothing at second-hand but have in every instance, consulted the original report in which each case here cited is found. In citing the cases, I have always given the date of the report and noted the State to which it belonged. I believe this will be found a convenience to any one who desires to compare the decisions from different States.

The by-laws found in the Appendix are framed from those which the author has had occasion to draw from time to time for the use of clients. As stated in the Appendix, these forms must be taken rather as suggestions than as models, since no one set of by-laws can be so framed as to be suitable for all corporations.

LOUIS BOISOT JR.