(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

The Little Shuswap Lake Band wants the court to bar its own member from future legal action.

Peter Allan August-Sjodin, who's been referred to in court documents as a "freeman-on-the-land," has already served jail time two years ago for breaking court orders and seeking "fictitious" debts he's levied against the Band. He's still seeking those costs from the Band.

If the Band gets its way, August-Sjodin's status as a vexatious litigant would prevent him from bringing future legal action to the court.

August-Sjodin has disobeyed multiple court orders over several years and was handed 60 days prison time in 2020.

On Aug. 2, he continued his efforts against the Band seeking "damages as per my private fee schedule."

READ MORE: Jail 'only option' for Shuswap Band member, freeman-on-the-land who ignored court order, used hot tub

In return, the Band is petitioning the court to name him as a vexatious litigant, aiming to put a stop to his legal endeavours.

The case between August-Sjodin and the Little Shuswap Lake Indian Band goes back several years and the Band has obtained multiple court orders barring him from using facilities on the reserve as well as contacting over a dozen Band members and other matters.

In earlier court documents, August-Sjodin identified himself using various names including "spi7uwe" and ":spi7uwe./:secwepemc." He has repeatedly stated the courts have no jurisdiction over him and is described as a "freeman-on-the-land," a group of people known to use fictitious and pseudo-legal arguments routinely dismissed by the courts and which often leave followers in financial trouble because they believe they don't have to pay taxes.

He has also filed multiple liens against properties, including ones owned by the Band, its lawyer and judges that have made rulings against him.

In a June 2020 decision, Kamloops Justice Sheri-Ann Donegan said August-Sjodin deliberately filed liens targeting people he felt had wronged him and he was unapologetic in his behaviour.

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"The Band does not seek the declaration of a vexatious litigant lightly," the court documents read. "It views the declaration as the only means to prevent the ongoing abuse of process by Peter August-Sjodin from repetitive unmeritorious proceedings that expend Band and court resources over almost a ten year period."

If approved, August-Sjodin would need permission from the court before bringing any legal action in the future.

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"The Band submits that there have been multiple opportunities for (him) to revoke his conduct," it reads. "Instead, August-Sjodin has chosen to widen the scope of his actions to include any opposing counsel, judge and member of the Band he encounters."

The Band launched the claim on Nov. 15 and there hasn't been any updates or responses in the case since. 

— With notes from Ben Bulmer

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