Legal Definitions - stand at ease

To stand at ease, in the context of formal meetings governed by parliamentary procedure, refers to a brief, informal pause initiated by the person leading the meeting (the chair).

During a period of "stand at ease," the meeting is not officially adjourned or recessed. Instead, participants are given a temporary moment to relax, stretch, or engage in quiet, informal conversation without leaving the meeting space. This allows for a quick resumption of the proceedings once the chair deems it appropriate, without the formalities associated with ending or formally pausing the meeting.

• Example 1: City Council Debate

  During a particularly lengthy and intense city council meeting, where a complex zoning issue has been debated for hours, the Mayor (acting as the chair) notices that council members are looking fatigued. To prevent burnout and allow everyone a moment to collect their thoughts without stopping the meeting entirely, the Mayor might announce, "Let's stand at ease for five minutes."

  This illustrates "stand at ease" because it's an informal, brief pause initiated by the chair, allowing participants to relax without formally recessing the meeting, ensuring a swift return to the debate.

• Example 2: Corporate Board Presentation

  At a quarterly board meeting, a critical financial presentation is underway when the projector suddenly malfunctions, making the slides unreadable. While a technician is called to quickly resolve the issue, the CEO (the chair) declares, "We'll stand at ease while IT addresses this."

  Here, "stand at ease" provides a temporary, informal break to handle an unexpected technical problem. It avoids a formal recess, which might imply a longer, scheduled break, allowing the meeting to resume immediately once the projector is fixed.

• Example 3: Non-Profit Committee Waiting for Information

  A non-profit organization's fundraising committee is meeting to finalize details for an upcoming gala. They are expecting a crucial budget report from the finance department, which is slightly delayed. Rather than adjourning or taking a formal recess, the Committee Chair states, "We'll stand at ease until the finance report arrives, which should be within the next ten minutes."

  This demonstrates "stand at ease" as an informal pause initiated by the chair to accommodate a brief, anticipated delay, keeping all members present and ready to resume work as soon as the necessary information becomes available.