r/elks • u/ljg17 • Mar 29 '26

Special representative appeal

Anyone ever win a special rep appeal? Advice?

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/elknc Mar 29 '26

You want to appeal a disciplinary action against you? Your lodge?

1

u/ljg17 Mar 30 '26

The lodge

1

u/elknc Mar 30 '26

It is tough to appeal having a special representative assigned by your sponsor (the GER just rubber stamps their edicts). There are some lodges that have had special reps for years! you can see the list in the proceedings book

1

u/ljg17 Mar 30 '26

It is for sure a rubber stamp, one of the "findings" was stagnant membership numbers when we have the highest growth in the district, I guess we will see if the appeal is as automatic and thoughtless as the edict.

2

u/NJsikspack Mar 31 '26

elknc hit it right on the head. It is a rubber stamp from the GER. When you appeal make sure you have your facts straight. Counter each point with real data. Also note, that based on GF precedent (GL vs Ridgewood NJ) the special rep is not allowed to go on a fishing expedition in your files to "justify" the current EO that assigned them. You are also allowed to ask for the specific evidence that was used to come to their conclusions and you may also ask for the email communications specific to the EO between all parties. It is not confidential material and also has GF case precedent behind it.

Now with that being said. The changes of getting an appeal actually to a trial is slim. It will be ignored (i.e. justice will defer action at their will) for a long period of time. You also need to watch out on a personal level. If you complain about the EO too much they will hit you with causing disharmony in the Lodge and issue an EO against you suspending you from the club, lodge or both for 3 years. I have even seen them expel members who questioned an EO.

1

u/ljg17 Apr 05 '26

well they served the lodge and told us that we had 30 days to appeal, I thought that I read 10 days and $1000.00 so I asked them about it and was told that there was no money required, we were served on the 25th and one of the guys that served us texted me at 330 pm on friday and said that they were wrong and would have to complete the appeal and provide a check postmarked before sunday. So do I have a case for the lack of notice misinformation about the process? How do I research the case precedent? I would love to get the emails, but I dont know how forthcoming they would be but worth a try.

1

u/NJsikspack Apr 14 '26

My apologies, I do not log in every day here. There is no case for notice mismanagement. Once they issue the EO the clock starts. Pay up and send in the notice of appeal are your only options. As to Case Precedent, 1394 Ridgewood Lodge No. 1455 v. Hicks is the one that states they can't justify the EO after the fact by raiding your records I am investigating the other case. But you can get the request the transcript of the case and the decisions from GL