Meeting Minutes are the official written record of the proceedings, discussions, decisions, and votes taken during a formal meeting of a corporation's board of directors, shareholders, members, or committee. Far from being mere note-taking, meeting minutes serve as the legal evidence that the corporation followed proper governance procedures, that decisions were made with appropriate authority, and that fiduciary duties were observed.

Under state corporate statutes — including the Model Business Corporation Act (MBCA Section 16.01) and the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL Section 224) — corporations are required to maintain records of all meetings of directors and shareholders. These records must document the date, time, location, attendees, quorum determination, motions made, votes taken, and resolutions adopted. Failure to maintain adequate meeting minutes can jeopardize the corporation's limited liability protection through a legal theory known as piercing the corporate veil.

Courts regularly examine corporate minutes when evaluating whether a business entity has maintained sufficient corporate formalities to justify its separate legal existence. In veil-piercing actions, the absence of meeting minutes is frequently cited as evidence that the corporation was merely an alter ego of its owners, potentially exposing shareholders to personal liability for corporate debts. This makes consistent minute-keeping not merely a best practice but a critical component of liability protection.

For nonprofit organizations, meeting minutes are additionally required by the Internal Revenue Service to maintain tax-exempt status under IRC Section 501(c)(3). The IRS may review minutes during audits to verify that the organization operates in accordance with its stated exempt purpose and that board decisions reflect proper oversight.

At every regular and special meeting of the board of directors, as required by state corporate statutes and the corporation's own bylaws. Annual board meetings and any interim special meetings convened to address specific business matters must be documented.

At every annual and special meeting of shareholders or members, where elections of directors, amendments to articles of incorporation or bylaws, approval of mergers or acquisitions, and other fundamental corporate actions are voted upon.

When the board or shareholders take action by written consent in lieu of a meeting (permitted under DGCL Section 228 and equivalent state statutes), the written consent must be documented and maintained in the corporate records with the same formality as meeting minutes.

When an LLC's members or managers hold meetings to approve operating agreement amendments, capital calls, member admissions or withdrawals, or other significant management decisions.

When a nonprofit organization's board of directors meets to approve budgets, authorize expenditures, elect officers, or make any decisions that the IRS may later review in connection with the organization's tax-exempt status.

During any board or committee meeting where conflicts of interest are disclosed and addressed, as the minutes provide evidence that the interested director recused themselves from the vote, satisfying the duty of loyalty under state fiduciary duty standards.

Meeting identification — the name of the organization, the type of meeting (regular board meeting, special board meeting, annual shareholders meeting, or committee meeting), and whether it was called pursuant to proper notice as required by the bylaws or operating agreement.

Date, time, and location — the precise date and time the meeting was called to order and adjourned, and the physical or virtual location. For virtual meetings, note the platform used and confirm compliance with any state statutory requirements for remote participation.

Quorum determination — a statement confirming that a quorum was present as defined by the bylaws or state statute (typically a majority of directors or a specified percentage of voting shares). Actions taken without a quorum are voidable.

Attendees and absentees — a list of all directors, officers, shareholders, or members present, those absent, and any guests or advisors who participated. Note arrivals and departures if individuals were not present for the entire meeting.

Agenda items and discussions — a summary of each topic discussed, focusing on the substance of deliberations rather than a verbatim transcript. Record differing viewpoints on significant matters to demonstrate that the board exercised independent judgment.

Motions, resolutions, and votes — the exact text of each motion or resolution, the name of the person who made the motion, the person who seconded it, and the vote count (ayes, nays, abstentions). For roll-call votes, record each individual's vote.

Conflict-of-interest disclosures — if any director or member has a personal interest in a matter being voted upon, record the disclosure, the director's recusal from discussion and voting, and the remaining directors' independent determination.

Action items and assignments — tasks assigned during the meeting with responsible parties and deadlines, ensuring accountability between meetings.

Chairperson and secretary signatures — the meeting minutes should be signed by both the chairperson who presided over the meeting and the secretary who recorded them, along with the date of approval (typically at the following meeting when minutes are reviewed and ratified).