Template:Cover abstract/Freeman on the land

Freeman on the land

Pseudolegal notice in Belfast, Northern Ireland using Freeman of the land terminology, "Sovereign patrick of the family: mc elroy; Authorized Agent and Representative for PATRICK McELROY"

Freeman on the land, also known as FMOTL, FOTL, "Footle" or simply freeman, is a form of pseudolegal woo in various English-speaking countries. Freemen believe they can opt out of being governed, and that what normal people understand to be "laws" are merely a form of "contract" that applies only if people consent to it. In short: saying a few magic incantations super-secret legal phrases will get you out of anything!

Freemen hold that we are all subject to a massive international legal conspiracy perpetrated for the profit of the elites, but that you can hack the system if you just use the right form of words. They believe only in their version of natural law, which they call "common law." In practical terms, they believe this means they do not have to pay taxes, debts, mortgages, etc. because we were all deceived and if you say the right form of words, this fact will be accepted! Think of it as people trying to use a real-life 'cheat code' or a magical incantation.

Freemen believe they can declare themselves independent of government jurisdiction using the concept of "lawful rebellion": that all statute law is contractual and therefore only applicable if an individual consents to it. They assert that what everyone else regards as "the law" doesn't apply to them as they have not consented to a contract (or sometimes "covenant") with the state, even going so far as to claim they have a lawful right to refuse arrest if they do not consent. They insist that the government is a corporation, are obsessed with maritime law, and call themselves things like "John of the family Smith." Essentially, they're hilarious — and while somewhat less threatening than sovereign citizens, freemen are (as of 2015) being recognized as a domestic terrorist threat by both the FBI and the Canadian CSIS. The B.C. Notaries and the Law Society of B.C. also both warned the public about the Freemen, which the Law Society worryingly numbers at as many as 30,000 individuals in Canada alone (as of 2013).