Re: Debian UK

[Rich Walker <rw@shadow.org.uk>]

Henning Makholm <henning@makholm.net> writes:

> Scripsit Rich Walker <rw@shadow.org.uk>
>
>> Actually, depending on what parts of UK law the organisation ended up
>> falling under (and without a clear constitution &c this will probably
>> *not* be what you expect it to be) the membership might be jointly and
>> severally liable for the actions of the organisation.
>
> Do you mean that under UK law I could unilaterally set up an
> organization with bylaws that declare that the membership consists of
> you, and then go on to create debt that you will be legally liable
> for?

Stranger things happen in business on a regular basis.

Recently, a UK football club was bought from the shareholders with money
borrowed from banks. Now the club is liable for the bank debt.

Specifically, though, we have a pool of people already members of an
organisation with a constitution. Some of them within a consistent
well-defined subset have set up an organisation that appears to include
all members of that subset. If that organisation operates for a period
of time, then a court would need convincing that the members were not
jointly and severally liable for the liabilities of that organisation.

This kind of thing fouls up small groups trying to "do good" on a
regular basis.


> I know that UK law is crazy in some respects, but I cannot believe it
> is *that* crazy.

Heh.

Some bits of it work well. The rest is more or less interesting. But at
least they've made a sterling effort to make it accessible and
understandable.

cheers, Rich.

-- 
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