By: Joel Stephen Mattson
What if the single most dangerous document you possess is your birth certificate? What if that piece of paper—supposedly proof of your identity—is actually used to strip you of your rights and reduce you to a commercial entity? In this article, we break down how your birth certificate is the starting point for a legal fiction, how it’s used to construct a trust that the government controls, and most importantly—how to flip the trap and fight back.
This isn’t theory. It’s the foundation of how they justify everything from taxes to criminal charges—by acting on a version of you that isn’t really you.
What Is the Birth Certificate Really For?
Most people believe their birth certificate is simply a government record of their birth. But the truth is far more disturbing. In the early 20th century, birth certificates were standardized—not just for record-keeping, but for commercial bonding. Your name in all capital letters (JOHN DOE) is not a grammatical typo—it’s a legal designation tied to a corporate fiction. That entity is treated as property of the state.
This fictional entity is created without your consent, bonded by the government, and used to create commercial paper that can be traded—backed by your future labor and taxation.
This is not conspiracy. It’s embedded in the U.S. system of legal presumption, commercial code, and trust law. If you’ve read The Truth About Case Numbers and Legal Fictions, you already know courts are operating on presumptions. This is where those presumptions begin.
The Legal Structure Behind the Birth Certificate
When your birth is registered:
- A legal fiction trust is created using your name in all caps.
- A CUSIP number is assigned to that trust, allowing bonds to be sold in your name.
- The government becomes the presumed trustee of that account.
- You, the living man or woman, are never informed that this has occurred.
From then on, whenever you sign government forms, apply for a license, or use the all-caps NAME, you are interacting with the trust, not asserting your rights as a living being. You’re presumed to be the trustee of the account—liable for its debts and obligations.
How This Ties Into Courtroom Proceedings
When you appear in court, the name on the docket is the NAME created on the birth certificate. You are not that NAME. But if you fail to say otherwise, you’ve just entered the court as the trustee of the corporate fiction—and the court has full administrative jurisdiction over you.
The court never addresses you as “the man” or “the woman.” It only deals with legal entities. That’s why they’re able to impose fines, jail time, and other commercial remedies. You never challenged their authority to act.
This principle ties directly into The Courtroom Consent Game: How Silence Becomes Your Enemy. If you don’t object to the presumption of being the corporate fiction, they treat you as such—by default.
Constitutional Violations Hidden in Plain Sight
This entire system violates the Constitution’s requirement for explicit consent. Article III, Section 2, Clause 1 states that courts may only operate in matters involving real controversies between real parties. But courts today function under Article I administrative rules—treating you as a commercial entity.
If you remain silent or allow yourself to be addressed as the NAME, you’ve effectively:
- Waived your Article III protections
- Entered a contract you never signed
- Allowed administrative proceedings to override the Constitution
These are violations under color of law—and they happen every single day in local and state courts across the country.
Supreme Court Support for Status and Consent
The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear distinctions between individuals and artificial persons:
- Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43 (1906): “The individual may stand upon his constitutional rights as a citizen. He is entitled to carry on his private business in his own way.”
- Penhallow v. Doane’s Administrators, 3 U.S. 54 (1795): “Governments are artificial entities… they can only interact with other artificial entities.”
- Cohens v. Virginia, 19 U.S. 264 (1821): “A corporation is an artificial being… existing only in contemplation of law.”
You are not an artificial being. But the court assumes you are, unless you correct the record.
What Others Have Done to Win Their Case
Many people across the country have escaped administrative traps by filing affidavits of status, declaring they are the beneficiary of the all-caps trust—not the trustee. Others have rebutted jurisdiction early, demanded Article III courts, and forced courts to acknowledge the distinction between the legal fiction and the living man or woman.
This isn’t guesswork. It’s lawful procedure, and when done right, it pulls the rug out from under administrative courts.
How Joel Stephen Mattson Fought His Property Tax Case
When I received a lawsuit from Callahan County over property taxes, they weren’t addressing me—they were addressing the NAME. I responded with a sworn affidavit, denied all jurisdiction, rebutted the presumption of joinder, and invoked the Constitution. What happened? They went silent. They couldn’t proceed because the trap failed. I never stepped into the corporate identity they created—and that’s how I won.
How to Flip the Birth Certificate Trap
- Never answer as the NAME in court without correcting status.
- File an affidavit of status declaring your living man/woman status.
- Rebut all presumptions of joinder with the all-caps NAME.
- Claim beneficiary status under trust law. The trustee (the court) cannot impose on the beneficiary.
- Demand constitutional jurisdiction in all proceedings.
Related Articles
To understand the deeper structure and legal weapons available to you, read:
- The Truth About Case Numbers and Legal Fictions
- The Courtroom Consent Game: How Silence Becomes Your Enemy
- The Fraud of Article I Courts: Why Most Judges Aren’t Real Judges
- How to Turn Their Paperwork Against Them in Court
Final Thoughts
The birth certificate is not a neutral document. It is the starting point of your legal enslavement—unless you break the presumption. The moment you realize they’re not operating under the Constitution, but under commercial fiction, everything changes.
Because the truth is: they’re only winning because you don’t fight back on paper.
Make the record yours.
And let their own filings take them down.
Next Article in the Series: How to Shut Down Jurisdiction with a Single Filing
Back to Consent Trap Series Overview: Consent Trap Landing Page