Table of Contents

Preface................................................................................. ix 

Acknowledgements........................................................................ xi 

Part I: Common Law and Uncommon Courts: An Overview of the Common Law Court Movement ... 1 
Introduction....................................................................... 1 

The Posse Comitatus................................................................ 3 

Avoiding Legal Authority........................................................... 5 

"Hidden History" as Justification.................................................. 6 

The Posse and the Common Law....................................................... 9 

The First Wave of the Common Law Movement.......................................... 15 

Decline and Resurgence............................................................. 21 

The Future of Common Law Courts?......................................…………......... 32 
Part II: Tactics in the Courtroom....................................................... 35 
Subpart 2.1 - Challenging Subject Matter Jurisdiction.............................. 36 
A. The Gold-Fringed Flag Issue........................................…....... 36 

B. Typical Responses to the Flag Objection...................…................ 37 

C. Additional Authority................................................…...... 38 
Subpart 2.2 - Challenging Personal Jurisdiction.................................... 40 
A. The "Sovereign" vs. the "Corporate" Citizen....…........................... 40 

B. Typical Responses to the Personal Jurisdiction Issue.....…................. 41 

C. Additional Authority....................................................... 43 
Subpart 2.3 - Demanding Use of "The Common Law".................................... 44 
A. Demanding a Strict Interpretation of "Common Law"...…...................... 44 

B. Typical Responses to the Common Law Demand.......…......................... 46 
Subpart 2.4 - Significance of "The Bar".............................….............. 47 
A. Refusing to Enter the Bar..........................................…....... 47 

B. Typical Responses to the Bar Argument..................…................... 48 

C. Additional Authority............................……………...................... 49 
Part III: Disrupting the Operation of the Court..............….......................... 51 
Subpart 3.1 -Refusing to Speak/Identify Oneself.................................... 52 
A. Refusal to Identify Oneself................................................ 52 

B. Typical Responses to Refusals to Identify.................................. 53 
Subpart 3.2 - Silence/Filibuster................................................... 55 
A. Party Chooses to Remain Silent or Party Chooses to "Filibuster"............ 55 

B. Typical Responses to Silence/Filibuster.................................... 55 

C. Additional Authority....................................................... 56 
Subpart 3.3 - Demanding "Counsel of Choice"........................................ 58 
A. Party Requests to be Represented by a Non-Lawyer........................... 58 

B. Responding to Requests to be Represented by a Non-Lawyer................... 58 
Subpart 3.4 - Verbal Threats Against the Court..................................... 60 
A. Party Makes Verbal Threats Against the Court............................... 60 

B. Responding to Threats Made by Members of the Movement..…….................. 60 
Subpart 3.5-Hunger Strikes......................................................... 62 
A. Party Begins a Hunger Strike............................................... 62 

B. Responding to a Hunger Strike.............................................. 62 
Subpart 3.6 - Attempts to Disqualify the Judge..................................... 64 
A. Judicial Disqualification.................................................. 64 

B. Typical Responses to Judicial Disqualification or Recusal.................. 65 
Subpart 3.7 - Forms of Pleadings................................................... 67 
A. Party Files "Odd" Documents/Uses Antiquated Pleading Forms................. 67 

B. Responding to Unusual Documents............................................ 68 
Subpart 3.8 - Refusal to Sign Documents......................…..................... 70 
A. Party Refuses to Sign Documents.......................................……... 70 

B. Responding to a Party's Refusal to Sign Documents.............……........... 70 

PART IV: Tactics Outside of the Courtroom......................….....….................. 73 
Subpart 4.1 - Interactions with the Clerk.....................….................... 74 
A. Appearance at Office/Window/Counter of Court Clerk......................... 74 

B. Clerk Responses to Members of the Movement.......………....................... 75 
Subpart 4.2 - Actions Against Court Personnel..........................…………........ 77 
A. Service of Process/Personal Suits Against Court Personnel.................. 77 

B. Responses to Service of Process/Personal Suits ............................ 77 

C. Additional Authority....................................................... 79 
Subpart 4.3 -Threats Against Court Personnel......…….........…..................... 81 
A. Threats Against Court Personnel................................………......... 81 

B. Clerk/Personnel Responses..........................................…....... 81 
Subpart 4.4 - Violent Actions...................................……................. 83 
A. Members of the Movement Become Violent.………................................. 83 

B. Clerk Responses.........................................….................. 83 
Part V: Trial Court Performance Standards............................................... 85 

Relationship Between Responses and the TCPS............................................. 89 
 
Appendix A: Resource Guide.............................................................. 95 
1. Legislative Responses........................................................... 97 

2. Helpful Websites.......................................…........................ 110 

3. Listserv...........................................................…............ 111 
 
Appendix B: Movement Sources............................................................ 113 
1. Movement web pages.........................................….................... 115 
 
Appendix C: Movement Documents.......................................................... 119 
1. Tactics.............................................................…….......... 121 

2. Briefs/Filings.................................................................. 147 

3. Movement Manifestos............................................................. 169 

   Manifestos continued (180k in size)
4. Of Note....................................................................……….. 241