I have elsewhere defined nobiliary law as "national legislation, or international or national customs, regulating nobiliary issues. In many cases this is not codified, but rather a set of rules and traditions having gained acceptance" (see my book at http://www.findyournobleancestors.com).

Examples of some of more important issues regulated by nobiliary law are:

- claims to nobility (surname, coat of arms, title) by non-noble persons. This could, but must not, include: children with one or two noble parents but born out of wedlock; stepchildren to noble parents; children to a noble lady in an agnatic family, etc.

- claims to nobility by noble persons, where claims cannot be automatically verified. This could be e.g. inheritance of a noble title in a junior line of family when senior line becomes extinct.

- borderline cases, such as which among ancient patrician families were, and were not, to be numbered among nobility. Or reactivation of a family's nobility after some time of voluntary or involuntary loss of nobility (usually because one or all of nobiliary qualities has not been used for two or more generations).

- naturalisation of foreign nobility, that is assimilation of immigrant nobility into domestic nobility, usually with purpose of ensuring foreign nobility same privileges as domestic.

Doing Business - Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction is a legal term used to define who has authority over something. Applied to this article, term refers to issue of which state has right to regulate a business. In California, issue boils down to whether you are considered to be “doing business” in state.

California is one of most aggressive states when it comes to defining jurisdiction. If you maintain offices or have employees in state, you are considered to be doing business here. You must register with state and pay taxes even if incorporated in another state. This tends to makes incorporating in Nevada an expensive option since you have to pay fees twice.

If you are caught “doing business” in California without having registered, you can be in for a rough time. Initially, back taxes and fees come due. You are also going to be fined and probably suspended from doing business until an audit can occur. The California Employment Development Department may levy back taxes and penalties. Your bank accounts may be frozen. Let’s look at an example.