. . . MCLR gurus harm people. [. . . .]. These gurus teach illusions that will predictably fail. They promise much, but their clientele gets less than nothing.[1]
In spite of a recent decision of the Alberta court which should have persuaded her otherwise,[2] “Jacquie Phoenix”, whose last name is really Robinson, continues shamelessly to employ pseudo law.
In August of 2020, the Alberta court released a decision about Ms. Robinson’s meddling in a high-conflict child custody dispute.[3] She had claimed to act for the mother, maintaining that she had the latter’s power of attorney. To justify her actions, Ms. Robinson relied on the pseudo-law concept of what the court described as the “Magna Carta Lawful Rebellion” (“MCLR”), a muddled mishmash of misbegotten mumble jumble that does not withstand the application of an iota of basic common sense.
In its August decision, the court took apart the notion of the MCLR,[4] pointing out that the act of employing pseudo-law strategies is abusive and causes harm.
At that time, the court ordered that, among other things, Ms. Robinson could not act for the mother in the custody dispute and invited her to make submissions on why she should not be forbidden in any other matter before the Alberta courts.
Was Ms. Robinson contrite? Did she learn a lesson?
The answer is most emphatically, “No”.
A court decision which was released just before the end of 2020[5] sets out what subsequently happened:
- MHVB, the mother, did not appear for a hearing of criminal charges for abduction and a warrant was issued for her arrest;
- AVI, the father, successfully applied to the court to vary parenting arrangements;
- in his application, he stated that he and his lawyer had been “threatened by MHVB and Ms. Robinson, who claim that they are above the law”;[6]
- Ms. Robinson made public statements, including video rebuttals which rejected the court’s authority, proclaiming that the court’s judgment “had no more effect on (her) than a statement by the CEO of McDonalds”;[7] and
- Ms. Robinson sent “notices” and other documents to court staff and had a hand in other materials sent to the Associate Chief Justice which were similar to those she had already sent, erroneously relying on “Article 61 of Magna Carta 1215”,[8] declaring that commonwealth governments had been dissolved, stating that the Alberta court had been “Usurped by a Treasonous Regime”,[9] that the Nazis had laid the foundation of the European Union as part of some nefarious plan,[10] that a succession of UK prime ministers had been engaged in high treason and sedition, and that the last “constitutionally correct Coronation Oath was taken by the traitor James II in 1685”.[11]
In response to the foregoing, the court made various orders designed to prevent Ms. Robinson from continuing to employ pseudo-legal tactics. It also warned Ms. Robinson that she could face contempt of court and concluded as follows:
These schemes are nothing more than cons, led by people who rely and feed on the oft-quoted statement attributed to P.T. Barnum (of circus fame): a sucker is born every minute. That is true now as it was when spoken more than 150 years ago. The Courts are not suckers. And the courts will not be intimidated. [12]
The use of pseudo law is abusive,[13] may constitute contempt of court, [14] and “gurus” like Ms. Robinson who propagate it are charlatans. They provide no small disservice to the public, including people who genuinely need a lawyer.
Those who need legal assistance should stay far away from the likes of Ms. Robinson and seek the aid of a lawyer or a reputable organization which can provide legitimate, timely and practical help and guidance.
[1] AVI v. MHVB, 2020 ABQB 790 [hereinafter AVI #2] at para.53.
[2] AVI v. MHVB, 2020 ABQB 489 [hereinafter AVI #1]. An earlier blog about the decision can be found here.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Particularly at Ibid., para. 72 et seq.
[5] AVI #2, supra note 1.
[6] Ibid. at para 24.
[7] Ibid. at para. 26.
[8] Ibid. at para. 28.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid. at para. 33.
[11] Ibid. at paras 35.
[12]Ibid. at para 54.
[13] AVI #1, supra note 2 at para. 72 et seq.
[14] AVI #2, supra note 1note at para. 52.