1. Memoranda or notes of a transaction or proceeding.
2. Parliamentary law. The formal record of a deliberative assembly’s proceedings, approved (as corrected, if necessary) by the assembly.
— Also termed journal; record; report. See DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES; SPREAD UPON THE MINUTES .
“The minutes of an organization include a record of all official actions taken, the presiding officer, the presence of a quorum, and information showing that the meeting was duly called and thus legal. The other contents of the minutes will depend upon the degree of detail desired…. The minutes should be an official record of actions taken by the organization, not a transcript of what individuals say in meetings.” Ray E. Keesey, Modern Parliamentary Procedure 84 (1994).
“The record of the proceedings of a deliberative assembly is usually called the minutes, or sometimes — particularly in legislative bodies — the journal. In an ordinary society, unless the minutes are to be published, they should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members. The minutes should never reflect the secretary’s opinion, favorable or otherwise, on anything said or done.” Henry M. Robert, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised § 48, at 451 (10th ed. 2000).
3. Scots law. Written forms for preserving evidence.“When it is necessary to preserve evidence of any incidental judicial act or statement, this is done in the Court of Session, and also in the inferior courts, by a minute. Thus, where the pursuer restricts his libel, or makes a reference to the defender’s oath … this is done by a minute. Strictly speaking, those minutes ought to be prepared by the clerk of court, as their form imports. They commence with the name of the counsel … and purport to be a statement made by him ….” William Bell, Bell’s Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland 721 (George Watson ed., 7th ed. 1890).
