DIRECTORY REQUIREMENT

directory requirement.A statutory or contractual instruction to act in a way that is advisable,

but not absolutely essential — in contrast to a mandatory requirement. • A directory requirement is

frequently  introduced  by  the  word  should  or,  less  frequently,  shall  (which  is  more  typically  a

mandatory word). [Cases: Statutes    227. C.J.S. Statutes §§ 362–369.] [Blacks Law 8th]