Sovereigns: The Next Generation

[Burzmali]

So this video has been making the rounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPtpKNyaO0U

Presuming the story is legit (I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise, but I always get a little tingle when someone makes a mass appeal like this), is there any hope for this poor kid? Based on what I can gather, her mom went full on Christian Sovereign Citizen at some point and brought her dad along for the ride. She has no birth certificate, social security card or any tangible form of ID and her parents (or at least mother) is withholding any documentation in her possession.

[Paths of the Sea]

The story seems legitimate and she has parents who have, apparently, some litigation history worthy of a discussion here.

They are James and Lisa Pennington, best I can tell; though they have other names they have been known to use as well.

In a Tax Court decision last year they won some and lost some on the tax issues but seem to have come out big winners in getting over $50,000 awarded to them in litigation costs.

Who will explain what is going on with the Pennington's down in Texas on the sovcit, tax protestor front.

I heard James Pennington was a lawyer.

Sincerely,
Maury Enthusiast!

[Paths of the Sea]

Here's a link to one bit of litigation history involving Pennington and something called "The Anchor Group" which claims to be a church:

http://courtweb.pamd.uscourts.gov/Court ... 799626.pdf

Sincerely,
Maury Enthusiast!

[Pottapaug1938]

I saw that case as well.

Here's another story about Alecia's struggle for proof of her US citizenship:

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/02/1 ... r-identity

[Arthur Rubin]

I've asked the question on a moderated legal group where I am generally welcome; I'll report any response.

[GlimDropper]

I'm not sure this is sovcitry, it might be an issue of religious views. But if someone could check into this tax court ruling it might shed some light. It seems the Penningtons (formerly known as Sublett) are very devout fundamentalist Christians with some ties to what has been called the quiverfull movement, their recipe for winning the "culture war" is to have as many kids as possible (the Pennington's have 9), raise them to be good Christian soldiers and try to out populate the sinners. The Penington's are also Home Schoolers (and antivaxers and a few other things) and one possible motive for births being unrecorded is that in case home schooling ever became illegal undocumented kids might escape the public indoctrination school system.

The thing i can't get over is the claim that this girl has never been to a doctor, that sorta blows my mind. Her mother is a Young Living (essential oil MLM) rep and seems to think the oils are good for pretty much whatever ails you. This blog post (archive link, the blog is down now) is the mother's prescription for the trauma of her daughter leaving her (link to that post is on the page as well). Nothing says lack of self absorption like using a family crisis to shill for your MLM.

I'm happy to say Faith seems to be in contact with some sort of legal aid service in Texas, which is probably the best thing she could be doing.

[JamesVincent]

How about a judge ordering them to either admit or deny that she is their child. And then charging them with contempt and holding them until they comply.

[Burzmali]

Here's the father's rebuttal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezZs2rT ... pp=desktop

[JamesVincent]

Here's the father's rebuttal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezZs2rT ... pp=desktop

A couple of words come to mind, douchenozzle being one and they go downhill from there.

[Gregg]

The asshat father mentions he is an accountant and an attorney. I hate to even ask, but is he the same kind of attorney that practice in courtrooms in Denny's and Waffle House courtrooms or did the State of Texas actually admit this moron to the bar?

[Arthur Rubin]

The asshat father suggests that she get a passport. If you can get a (US) passport without a birth certificate, or more proof of identity than normally required for a drivers license, I would be surprised. Even in Texas.

I suppose a foreign-born child of American citizens would have a similar problem, but usually the parents would take active steps to get the required identification and Social Security number upon return to the US.

The instructions for applying for a passport describe the proofs required; I don't think she could come up with those without first having a birth certificate or drivers license (or equivalent state ID).

[Jeffrey]

This may have changed, but it was easier for me to get a passport than a drivers license given the new requirements.

[wserra]

Unless things have changed a lot since I took the Bar - I know, I know, the Code of Hammurabi isn't on it anymore - if Douchbag Dad really is a lawyer, he had to provide far more proof that the driver's license requires just to take it.

[Famspear]

If the father is a "James C. Pennington" as referenced in the linked court case, there is a "James Clark Pennington" who is a CPA at Kerrville, Texas. There are two attorneys licensed in Texas by the name of James Pennington, but neither has the middle initial "C."

[Famspear]

There is this guy in Kerrville, Texas:

http://www.penningtontaxlaw.com/about-us

Resume says he's licensed as an attorney in California and as a CPA in Texas.

Don't know whether this is our guy or not.

[Burzmali]

he's licensed as an attorney in California

Of course he is...

[Pottapaug1938]

he's licensed as an attorney in California

Of course he is...

Hey -- if California will let our dear friend Oily Taitz practice law there, this buffoon can certainly get a law license there.

[grixit]

There is a brute force method that can be used.

1. A DNA comparison to prove the familial connection.

2. A physician's evaluation of her approximate age.

3. A reconstruction of the mother's history to show that she would have been in the US at the time of birth.

[Gregg]

he's licensed as an attorney in California

Of course he is...

Hey -- if California will let our dear friend Oily Taitz practice law there, this buffoon can certainly get a law license there.

That's it, Chili Dog is gonna take the Bar exam and start practicing law (and dentistry) in California.

[notorial dissent]

I almost hate to admit it, but that was my first response when I read this, "oh, a CA lawyer, wonder what fly by night law school he graduated from"? Certainly fits the profile. As to the child, she can sue for paternity I would assume, I suspect TX has all sorts of laws about that that she could use. She at least in theory knows who her mother was, so get her and her putative father tested and get a court finding and then use that to get the process started to get ID in TX, again I am sure there is something to cover this, TX being TX.

I think it is a nasty situation, but not an unexpected one.