The Anti-Government Movement Guidebook - Tulanelink

1 Anti-Government Movement Guidebook The Anti-Government Movement Guidebook The National Center for State Courts 1999, National Center for State Courts anti -Governme nt MovementGuidebookThis guide was developedunder SJI- 96-02B-B-159, "TheRise ofCommon Law Courts inth e UnitedStates: AnExamin ation of th e Movement , The Potential Impact onth e Judiciary, and How the States Could Respond," from th e State points ofviewex pressedare those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies ofth e State Justice nt MovementGuidebookSTAFFM anagingEditorMr.

2 ChuckEricksenActing ExecutiveDirectorInstitute for Court ManagementNational Center for State CourtsContributors andPrimary ResearchersMr. , ge of WilliamandMa ryWilliamsburg, Virgin iaMr. Dov M. Szego, ge of WilliamandMa ryWilliamsburg, Virgin iaProject StaffNationalCenter for StateCourts300 Newport AvenueWilliamsburg, Virgin ia 22185(757) 253-20000Ms. Cat inaN. BurrellSenior Administrative SinghStuart TurnerFunding ,Grant ManagerState Justice Institute1650 KingSt reet, Suite600 Alex an dria, Virginia 22314703-684-7618iAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookPROJECT ADVISORYCOMMITTEEMr.

3 ChuckEricksenState Judicial EducatorOffice of the State CourtAdministratorOl ympi a, Wa , EsquireAssistant Division Chief, Financial Litigation Divisi onOffice of the AttorneyGeneralAustin, TexasHonorable JoanneHuelsmanState SenatorMadi so n, Wisc onsinHonorableJeffrey , 21stJudicial District CourtHamilton, MontanaMr. ThomasMcAffeePr ofessor ofLawSouthern Illinois UniversityCarbondale, IllinoisMr. Nick Murnion,EsquireDistrict AttorneyGarfield County Prosecutor's OfficeJordan, Reynol dsState Justice InstituteAlexandria, VirginiaMr.

4 Stephan Court AdministratorSupreme Court of OhioColu mbus, OhioiiAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookTable of ..xPart ICommon Law and Uncommon Courts:1An Overview of the Common LawCourt ..1 The Posse Legal ..5"Hidden History" as ..6 The Posse and the Common First Wave of the Common ..14 Decline and ..19 The Future ofCommon Law Courts?..29 Part IITactics in the -ChallengingSubject Matter ..32A. The Gold-Fringed Flag ..32B. Typical Responses to the Additional ..34 Subpart -ChallengingPersonal.

5 35A. The "Sovereign" vs. the "Corporate" ..35B. Typical Responses to the Personal Jurisdiction Issu Additional ..38 Subpart -DemandingUse of "The Common Law"..39iiiAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookA. Demanding a Strict Interpretation of "Common Law"..39B. Typical Responses to the Common Law -Significance of "The Bar"..42A. Refusing to Enter the ..42B. Typical Responses to the Bar Additional ..44 Part IIID isrupting the Operation of the -Refusing to Speak/Identify Refusal to Identify.

6 47B. Typical Responses to Refusalsto - ..50A. PartyChooses to Remain Silent or PartyChoosesto "Filibuster"..50B. Typical Responses to Additional ..51 Subpart -Demanding "Counsel of Choice"..52A. PartyRequests to be Represented bya Responding to Requests to be Representedby a ..53 Subpart -Verbal Threats Against the ..54A. PartyMakes Verbal Threats Against the ..54B. Responding to Threats Made by Members of the -Hunger ..56A. PartyBegins a Hunger ..56ivAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookB.

7 Responding to a Hunger ..56 Subpart -Attempts to Disqualifythe ..57A. Judicial ..57B. Typical Responses to Judicial Disqualification or -Forms of ..60A. PartyFiles "Odd" ..60B. Responding to Unusual ..61 Subpart -Refusal to Sign ..63A. PartyRefuses to Responding to a Party's Refusal to Sign ..63 PIVT actics Outside of the -Interactions with the ..66A. Appearance at Office/Window/Counter of ..66B. Clerk Responses to Members ofthe -Actions Against ..69A.

8 Service of Process/Personal SuitsAgainst Court Responses to Service of Process/Personal Additional ..70 Subpart -Threats Against Court ..72A. Threats Against ..72B. Clerk/Personnel -Violent ..74vAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookA. Membersof the Movement Become ..74B. Clerk ..74 Part VTrial Court Performance Between Responses andthe AResource Legislative ..953. List ..95 Appendix BMovement Movement web ..96 Appendix CMovement ..972..1173. Movement .

9 1334. Of ..182viAnti-Governme nt MovementGuidebookPrefaceThere is a moveme ntafootin this co untry todaythatis ma de upofdi saffected an d oftendispossessed Americans who are seekinga better waythrough a whol esale returnto their view ofthe past . This m ovementhas been called manythings:the antigovernmentmovement, t he sovereignt ym oveme nt, and the comm on law cour ts m ovement. Regardless of the name att ached to the beliefs andth e pe ople whofollow them, one common denominato r exists: a feeling of desp air,rootedin pe rsonalandpecuni aryloss, and manifested in a new, defian t mistrust andsp ite for the ways of th e currentgovernment.

10 This guide focuseson the ways in which followersofthese movements impacttheoperationofour state court system the comm entat ors have disc ussed these moveme nts fromallangles - ra nging fromridicule to outrage to fear - most of the mainstreampu ndits di sc ountthe powerfulemotion that drivesindividuals from the fold of our everydaysoci et y and into the ranks of the modempatriots. This guideasks thatour st at e courts not take theseindividuals and thei r proble ms and concer ns 1928, Justice Brandeis said:"Decency,security, and liberty alike demand that government officialssh all be su bjectedto th e sam e rules of conduct that are commands toth e citizen.