in the case of legislatures and government bodies, the requirements for a quorum are often set by statute or in their constitution. some bodies use a fixed number for a quorum while others use a percentage of the members. it is usually the responsibility of the chairperson to make sure there is a quorum present. if there is not a quorum at a meeting, then in most cases the only business that can be discussed is taking steps to obtain a quorum, to decide on a time when to adjourn the meeting and to adjourn the meeting.