Cestui Que Vie Act 1666

Writing this blog, I sometimes have to sit and think for many hours on which topics to cover; then i get ones that fall in my lap.  This is the later. Browsing through the pile, I found the request called “Do I have to pay council tax?”.  On the surface of it, nothing too major.  Then I started to read down it.  Now for those of you that did not read it, it basically talks about why this person is a freeman of the land and therefore no legal obligation to follow any laws (‘i'll discuss the free men of the land in another post).  The main thing that I am going to look at here is the concept discussed of Cestui Que Vie Act 1666.

This act basically was made for people traveling overseas and, if they hadn't been heard of for seven years, what do do with the aforementioned person estate.  On the surface of it, sounds pretty rational, doesn't it?  Over time, however, this law has been… misunderstood…  You see some people think that when you are born the government makes a legal contract with the queen and takes a trust fund out in your name (You can see why this is interesting, can't you!).  This has caused some people to….  Ask some of the most interesting questions that you can imagine.

For starters the House of Commons has tried its best to explained what this law is about and show that people have misunderstood what it is talking about.  The Ministry of Justice has also given some information about the act (in this one give the actually parts of the law to the person asking) , and the City of London.  This law still raises its ugly head (Even though there are large parts of it which have now been overruled).   

So what about your birth being used to register a trust fund?  Not the case…  As this request clearly states, all that happens when you register a child is simply make them alive in the eyes of the law.  Nothing else!  No trust, no contract, no nothing (In fact have a little look at the Peasants Revolt over the contact to live).  This is clarified in this request.

The thing that is mental in this is how a old law and cause so much problems 350 years later. It has been warped into this thing where you can therefore declare yourself a freeman of the land if you haven't been heard of for seven years.  The thing is this is a good example of the education of the FoI act, because they have been able to clarify a lot of these points AND show the actual legal framework that is put in place.  It also goes to show how people can warp the law to suit their needs.

So the next question is, what is a “Freeman of the land?”  That another post for another time.

PS: Have a look at this request.  It's one of those crazy ones you have to love.