Auction Rules and Procedures

General Rules:

  1. All bids are final. Before making a bid, please note any restriction and specifications carefully. Unless otherwise specified, date and times are to be arranged at the mutual convenience of the donor and buyer.  

  2. Unless otherwise specified, all auction items must be used by March 9, 2020.

  3. All auction items are sold “as is.”

  4. All sales are final. Arrangements for services must be negotiated between the purchaser and the donor.

  5. Cashiers will accept cash, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express. Payment in full must be made by the close of the Auction.

  6. By his/her purchase, the buyer waives any claims for liability against the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Association, the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Foundation or the donor of the property or service. Neither the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Association, the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Foundation nor the donor of the property or service is responsible for any personal injuries or damages to property that may result from the use of the property or service sold.

  7. The Montgomery County WBA is a tax-exempt organization.  The tax deductibility of an auction item is limited to the amount, if any, by which payment exceeds the fair market value of the item.  Consult your own tax advisor as to the deductibility of individual items.

  8. All proceeds from the Best of Live, Best of Silent, and Bubbles for Baubles Raffle drawings benefit the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Foundation. This raffle is licensed by Montgomery County.  The purchase of the raffle ticket may be tax deductible. Consult your own tax advisor as to the deductibility of your raffle ticket purchases.

Silent Auction Rules:

  1. Each Silent Auction offering will be represented by a bid card showing the item number, the catalog title and a brief description, minimum opening bid and raises. A bid is entered by writing your bid number on the next available line on the bid card.

  2. The Auction Committee reserves the right to lower minimum bids, to modify closing times and to withdraw any item from sale prior to bidding.  

  3. The highest bid on the bid card for each item at the closing constitutes the winning bid. A bid may be disqualified if blocking of bid card occurs. If a bidder number is illegible in the view of the Auction Committee, the next highest bid will be the winning bid.

  4. In the event of a dispute, an Auction Official shall act as the final authority and shall determine the winning bidder. The Official’s decision shall be final.

  5. Winners will be informed no later than at the conclusion of the evening.

  6. Items will not be available for disbursement until that portion of the Silent Auction closes.  All Silent Auction items, including certificates for intangible items, shall be maintained at the Finance table and can be retrieved upon payment in full.

Live Auction Rules:

  1. To bid, a bidder raises his or her bidder number to either the auctioneer or the spotter.

  2. Bids must be made promptly. Bidding will not be reopened.

  3. All bidders must be recognized by the auctioneer.

  4. The auctioneer will acknowledge the highest bidder as the purchaser by repeating the final bid and the bidder’s number. A spotter will proceed to the winning bidder to ascertain the correct name.  

  5. In the event of a dispute, the auctioneer will make the final decision.  

  6. All general auction rules apply.