Pseudolaw and Sovereign Citizens

Name: Pseudolaw and Sovereign Citizens
Brand: Hart Publishing
SKU: 9781509978953
Price: 567.32 HKD
Availability: PreOrder
Author: Harry Hobbs; Stephen Young; Joe McIntyre
ISBN: 9781509978953

Edited by Harry Hobbs · Stephen Young · Joe McIntyre

Coming Soon Hart Publishing Available July 2026

Specifications

ISBN-13: 9781509978953
Publisher: Hart Publishing
Publication: July 2026
Jurisdiction: U.K. ? Countri(es) for reference only

Also available as

Hardback

Details

This is the first-ever edited volume solely dedicated to examining pseudolaw, offering in-depth insights into its global growth and alarming adaptability to local legal contexts.

Can you avoid any law you do not consent to? Can you avoid paying taxes by declaring yourself sovereign? Do courts operate under Admiralty or Maritime law? No. But welcome to the strange world of pseudolaw.

This book examines the perplexing and demanding growth of this phenomenon. While it might be tempting to laugh at the ridiculousness of pseudolaw, it is a serious matter. People who make these claims rob themselves of meaningful legal opportunities and impose great costs to themselves and the community. It is also linked to violent extremism and indicative of growing social insecurity.

Part I offers ways to analyse and differentiate pseudolaw from other forms of conspiracy ideation and fringe legal interpretation. Part II examines the history of pseudolegal thinking and surveys contemporary manifestations and practices of pseudolaw, including that of sovereign citizens. Part III explores the rise of far-right extremism, lay-persons in judicial proceedings, fraudulent “get out of jail” schemes, and responses to this phenomenon.

Foreword, Mark Pitcavage (Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism, USA)

1. Understanding Pseudolaw, Harry Hobbs (University of Technology Sydney, Australia), Stephen Young (University of Otago, New Zealand) and Joe McIntyre (University of South Australia)

Part I: Theorising Pseudolaw

2. Pseudolaw, Folk Law and Natural Law: How to Tell the Difference, Jonathan Crowe (University of Southern Queensland, Australia)

3. Pseudolaw and Legal Fictions: Vaccine Mandate Claims During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Future Implications, Maria O'Sullivan (Deakin Law School, Australia)

4. Pseudolaw as Utopia and Legal Smorgasbord, Bruce Baer Arnold (University of Canberra, Australia)

5. Failure to Perform: How can Theatre and Performance Studies Help us Understand Conspiracy Theories? Kate Leader (Queen Mary, University of London, UK)

Part II: The Operation and Practice of Pseudolaw around the Globe

6. The Rise of Sovereign Citizen Pseudolaw in the United States of America, Stephen Young, Harry Hobbs (University of Technology Sydney, Australia) and Rachel Goldwasser (Southern Poverty Law Center, USA)

7. The Sun Only Shines on YouTube: The Marginal Presence of Pseudolaw in Canada, Donald J Netolitzky (Alberta Court of King's Bench, Canada)

8. A Kind of Magic: Pseudolaw in Australia, Glen Cash (District Court of Queensland, Australia)

9. Asserting Sovereignty: An Empirical Analysis of Sovereign Citizen Litigation in Australian Courts, Marilyn McMahon (Deakin Law School, Australia)

10. 'Germanite is a Rare Mineral': Sovereignism in Germany, Anna Löbbert (University of Oxford, UK)

Part III: Emerging Areas and Issues Involving Pseudolaw

11. American State Nationals: The Next Iteration of the Sovereign Citizen Movement, Christine M Sarteschi (Chatham University, USA)

12. Traffic Matters and Pseudolaw: Th e Big Shakedown, David Heilpern (Southern Cross University, Australia)

13. The 'First Nation Medical Board': A Case Study of Pseudolegal Parasitisation of Legitimate Indigenous Sovereignty, Colin McRoberts (University of Kansas, USA)

14. Pseudolaw Advocates: Managing Advocates who Advance Pseudolaw Arguments, Bridgette Toy-Cronin (University of Otago, New Zealand)

15. The Paradox of Pseudolaw and Sovereign Citizen Ideology: Vulnerability, Malevolence and Disengagement, Josh Roose (Deakin University, Australia)

16. Responding to Pseudolaw, Harry Hobbs (University of Technology Sydney, Australia), Stephen Young (University of Otago, New Zealand) and Joe McIntyre (University of South Australia)

HKD 567.32 −3%

HKD 584.87

Inclusive of HK delivery

Pre-order now

Quantity