Membership

Membership in this society is open to anyone age 18 or older who can prove lineal descent from an ancestor who served as a judge or a lawyer prior to 12 April 1861 in any part of what is now the Continental United States of America.

The applicant must be sponsored by two members of the Society or be a member of another nationally recognized lineage society. If the applicant’s lineage has been approved by another recognized hereditary society, a record copy of that paper may be sufficient for the generational proof.

An individual age 18 or older, who can prove lineal descent from an ancestor who served in lands now comprising the Continental United States of America prior to 12 April 1861 as a judge or lawyer in any court – trial, intermediate or Supreme:

• under any laws applicable to the original thirteen English colonies
• under the laws of the various Colonial Powers (such as England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, or Sweden)
• under laws applicable to States and Territories of the United States
• under the laws of the Republic of Texas
• under the laws of the Republic of Mexico
• under laws of the National Government enacted pursuant to either the Articles of Confederation or the Constitution of 1789

The fact that in the colonial era there were no clearly separated judicial, legislative, and executive branches does not prevent members of those colonial bodies having multiple functions including, a judicial function from qualifying as “judges” and thus eligible propositus for this Society. The following also qualify as “judges”:

• Justices of the Peace
• Colonial Governors
• Members of the Governor’s Council
• Lords of the Manor with the privilege of Court Leete and Court Baron

A. Regular: Regular members are those whose application papers have been approved by the Genealogist General after 17 April 1996. They are assigned a membership number as their papers are approved, beginning with the next number after that of the last Charter Member.

B. Charter: Charter Members are those individuals who, prior to midnight 31 December 1995, requested application papers and whose papers were approved prior to the Second Annual Meeting held on 17 April 1996. They are assigned membership numbers as their papers are approved, preceded by the word “Charter”.

C. Founder: The Founder Members, all of whom attended the Organizational Meeting on Thursday, 14 April 1994, in the Army and Navy Club on Farragut Square and who subsequently – but prior to the First Annual Meeting held on 17 April 1995 – proved their descent from a judge or lawyer as defined in Article III, Section 1 of the By-Laws. Founder Members have no membership number. On their membership certificates and on the official records of the Society, they are simply described as “Founder Members”.

Life Time: New members by application shall pay the initiation fee and life membership dues (currently $230.00) as established by the society. Annual membership was discontinued April 10, 2015.

Honorary: Upon recommendation of the Council, the Annual Meeting may elect to honorary membership, by vote of two-thirds of members present and voting, judges or lawyers of high regard. Lineal descent shall not be considered a requirement for honorary membership. Honorary members shall be accorded all social privileges, but shall not be entitled to vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay any initiation fee or dues. The status of honorary membership does not become effective until it is accepted in writing by the proposed recipient of the honor.

Annual: Annual members are those who, in addition to an initiation fee, pay dues each year and were approved by application prior to April 10, 2015. Annual members who have been dropped for non-payment of dues may be reinstated upon payment of Life Member dues.

1. Every applicant for membership in this Society must be sponsored by two members.
2. An applicant shall submit to the Genealogist General a typed official lineage application form complete with fully documented sources. The lineage must be given from the applicant to the qualifying ancestor (the judge or lawyer). Names, dates, and places of birth, marriage, and death must be given in each generation as far as known, documented, and sufficient to prove the line. The service for the judge or lawyer must be fully documented. All items relied on to prove the lineage (will, deeds, census records, church records, cemetery records, war records, pension records, etc.) must be cited and copies furnished.
3. If the lineage has already been approved by another recognized hereditary society it may be sufficient to furnish as proof a photocopy of the approved lineage form of that society (record copy). The proof cited in the record copy must be cited on the Bench and Bar application. The Genealogist General, however, in his sole discretion, may call for further proof.
4. Current fees are $200 for Life Membership and $30 non-refundable fee for application review. Supplemental application fee is $25.  Annual memberships are no longer offered.
5. Please complete the attached Membership Inquiry Form and email to the President General.  Membership Inquiries are Welcome.
   
   Bench and Bar Membership Inquiry Form

   Download 449.49 KB