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Courts of law are a fundamental part of the U.S. judicial system. The U.S. Constitution and all state constitutions recognize a judicial branch of government that is charged with adjudicating disputes. Beginning in the 1990s, vigilante organizations challenged the judicial system by establishingtheir own so-called common-law courts. By 1996 these common-law courts existed in more than 30 states. Though they have no legitimate power,being created without either constitutional or statutory authority, and in fact sometimes contravene established law.Traditionally, common-law courtsadministered the Common Law, that is, law based on prior decisions rather than statutes. These new common-law courts, however, are premised on a mixture of U.S.
Courts of law are a fundamental part of the U.S. judicial system. The U.S. Constitution and all state constitutions recognize a judicial branch of government that is charged with adjudicating disputes. Beginning in the 1990s, vigilante organizations challenged the judicial system by establishingtheir own so-called common-law courts. By 1996 these common-law courts existed in more than 30 states. Though they have no legitimate power,being created without either constitutional or statutory authority, and in fact sometimes contravene established law.Traditionally, common-law courtsadministered the Common Law, that is, law based on prior decisions rather than statutes. These new common-law courts, however, are premised on a mixture of U.S.
Constitutional Law, English common law, and the Bible, all filtered through an often racist and anti-Semitic world view that holds the U.S. legal system to be illegitimate. These common-law courts imitate the formalities of the U.S. justice system, issuing subpoenas, making criminal indictments, andhearing cases. Most of their cases involve Divorce decrees and foreclosure actions. Many of the persons on the courts or seeking their assistance are in dire financial circumstances. They wish to prevent the loss of their property by having a common-law court declare them free of the loans they havesecured from banks.Though common-law courts appeared to be merely a symbolic attempt by extremists to assert their political legitimacy, theactions of some of them led to prosecution for criminal conspiracy. Common-law courts have issued arrest warrants for judges and prosecutors in Montana and Idaho and have threatened sheriffs who refused to follow their instructions. In 1994 the Garfield County, Montana, prosecutor chargedmembers of a common-law court with criminal syndicalism, for advocating violence against public officials. One court member was sentenced to tenyears in prison, and others received shorter sentences.
Constitutional Law, English common law, and the Bible, all filtered through an often racist and anti-Semitic world view that holds the U.S. legal system to be illegitimate. These common-law courts imitate the formalities of the U.S. justice system, issuing subpoenas, making criminal indictments, andhearing cases. Most of their cases involve Divorce decrees and foreclosure actions. Many of the persons on the courts or seeking their assistance are in dire financial circumstances. They wish to prevent the loss of their property by having a common-law court declare them free of the loans they havesecured from banks.Though common-law courts appeared to be merely a symbolic attempt by extremists to assert their political legitimacy, theactions of some of them led to prosecution for criminal conspiracy. Common-law courts have issued arrest warrants for judges and prosecutors in Montana and Idaho and have threatened sheriffs who refused to follow their instructions. In 1994 the Garfield County, Montana, prosecutor chargedmembers of a common-law court with criminal syndicalism, for advocating violence against public officials. One court member was sentenced to tenyears in prison, and others received shorter sentences.
When researching a legal issue, it is helpful to consult relevant case law. The researcher first finds the relevant annotated statutes, and then reads thecases that are listed under the statutes. Reading case law helps the researcher understand how the courts interpret statutes, and also how the courtsanalyze related issues that are not covered in the statutes. Volumes of case law can be found in some public libraries, in law libraries, in courthouses,and in state government buildings such as statehouses and state libraries. Case law research can also be conducted using the Internet. For example,Cornell University's online Legal Information Institute (<http://www.law.cornell.edu>) offers recent and historic U.S. Supreme Court decisions, as well as recent New York appeals decisions
When researching a legal issue, it is helpful to consult relevant case law. The researcher first finds the relevant annotated statutes, and then reads thecases that are listed under the statutes. Reading case law helps the researcher understand how the courts interpret statutes, and also how the courtsanalyze related issues that are not covered in the statutes. Volumes of case law can be found in some public libraries, in law libraries, in courthouses,and in state government buildings such as statehouses and state libraries. Case law research can also be conducted using the Internet. For example,Cornell University's online Legal Information Institute (<http://www.law.cornell.edu>) offers recent and historic U.S. Supreme Court decisions, as well as recent New York appeals decisions
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