Quite often it is obvious that a great deal of preparation and support has been quietly organized before a motion is presented to the members. The motion is adopted before you even understand the true purpose and potential consequences of the motion. Fortunately there are no time limitations to annul or amend any motion.

There are no arbitrary restrictions, just a couple of logical ones:

1. If on the day a motion was passed, someone moved to reconsider the vote on that motion, you can neither Rescind nor Amend that motion, until after the Motion to Reconsider has been resolved.

2. If the motion you wish to Rescind has been executed in an irreversible manner, you can not Rescind it. However, any reversible portion can be amended. A simple way to look at this is, if no one outside the meeting knows about the motion, the motion can probably be undone. If a part of the motion has not been executed, you can probably amend the unexecuted portion of the motion.

3. If a motion results in a contract and the other party has been informed of the vote, you can not Rescind the motion.

4. If the motion acts upon a resignation, or results in an election/expulsion, and the person involved is officially notified of the voting, you can not Rescind the motion. Fortunately, Robert's textbook allows for a reinstatement procedure and disciplinary removal of a person from office.

5. In order to Rescind a motion, it takes at least a 2/3 vote unless the membership has received a Previous Notice. (See the Votes Required to Adopt a Motion by a 2/3 Vote Table.).

When a motion is adopted before you can prepare a means of defeating it, all you need is a 2/3 vote, and you can nullify or amend the offensive motion.