“Use of “near” with Zip Code”

Sovereign citizens sometimes include the word “near” next to their zip code on addresses they submit on legal documents or forms. This is yet another tactic based on a misconception of the legal system and has no real impact. Here’s a breakdown of why they do it and why it doesn’t hold up:

• Misunderstanding Contract Law: They mistakenly believe a mailing address with a zip code constitutes a contract with the government, subjecting them to unwanted regulations [1, 2]. This concept has no legal basis in contract law.
• Symbolic Act of Non-Consent: Adding quotation marks or parentheses around the zip code is a symbolic gesture. Sovereign citizens believe it signifies they’re not truly consenting to the system, even though they’re still using the postal service [2].
• Attempt to Avoid Legitimate Communication: Some sovereign citizens might misuse this tactic to avoid receiving legal documents or correspondence from government agencies [2]. However, courts can still find them in contempt if they willfully avoid receiving legal notices.
• Belief in Selective Application: Sovereign citizens often believe they can pick and choose which laws apply to them. Using quotation marks with a zip code exemplifies this belief that they can manipulate the system through semantics [3].

Reality of Zip Codes:

• Zip codes are simply designated areas for mail delivery by the United States Postal Service (USPS) [4].
• Using a zip code ensures proper mail delivery and has no legal implications beyond that.

Important to Remember:

• Misusing zip codes on addresses doesn’t shield sovereign citizens from legal obligations or government authority.
• Courts won’t recognize quotation marks or parentheses around zip codes as a valid legal argument.

Citations:

• [1] Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts: Sovereign Citizen Use of Documents chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2022/pr22-23-order.pdf 
• [2] Anti-Defamation League: The Sovereign Citizen Movement https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/sovereign-citizen-movement-united-states 
• [3] UNC School of Government: A Quick Guide To Sovereign Citizens https://www.sog.unc.edu/publications/bulletins/quick-guide-sovereign-citizens
• USPS:[4] USPS (.gov): About USPS: https://about.usps.com/?_gl=1*13qw50m*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MjA2MTU2NDAuQ2p3S0NBanc0cmkwQmhBdkVpd0E4b282RnlMUjdHZ1JiVnp4ZUthM1lkZXJSYV9ZRDVjaW50RHprY0l5OU9jbkVpZU1pWjl0UUhrVmt4b0NSOVlRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_dc*R0NMLjE3MjA2MTU2NDAuQ2p3S0NBanc0cmkwQmhBdkVpd0E4b282RnlMUjdHZ1JiVnp4ZUthM1lkZXJSYV9ZRDVjaW50RHprY0l5OU9jbkVpZU1pWjl0UUhrVmt4b0NSOVlRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MTc5NTgzMzgwMi4xNzIwNjE1NjM5*_ga*OTE4MTk3MDIuMTcyMDYxNTY0MA..*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTcyMDYxNTYzOS4xLjEuMTcyMDYxNTY3NC4wLjAuMA..