This question comes from Michele L., who asks:

In light of the endless Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movies I’ve seen (they started doing Halloween week and I cannot stop watching; send help) where a lovely American lady meets and is swept off her feet by a handsome Prince/King/Earl/whatever from a nondescript, vaguely British-esque country no one has ever heard of before – here is my question: 

What, if any, legal hurdles would there be to relocating to a foreign nation and marrying into the ruling family of said nation?

Say I meet Prince Charisma from Moldivitinia, could I, a lawyer barred in the state of NJ, transfer any certifications to work in a legal capacity there to help the local children’s center remain open? Could his evil queen mother have me deported and or thrown in prison for accidentally knocking over and denting that Medieval suit of armor while practicing my curtsey? Or is it all happily ever after? Thanks! 

Great question, Michele! I chose this question because I’m in a particularly Hallmark-y mood. This week on Thursday, February 10 at 8PM CT, Christie and I are going to roast a Hallmark Valentine’s Day movie for you live on CrowdCast. Neither of us have seen it. We’re going to throw it on screen, let the saccharine sweet plot wash over us, and holler out our observations. Join us and re-watch on demand by registering here and check out the replay of the one we did for Christmas by clicking here.

On to the question…

What, if any, legal hurdles would there be to relocating to a foreign nation and marrying into the ruling family of said nation?

For starters, there shouldn’t be any legal hurdles if you have the blessing of the ruling family. If they truly are in charge (as they are many times in these movies – stuff like Constitutions and Parliaments and Prime Minsters are boring!!!), then by the wave of Her Majesty’s hand, you’d be golden. No paperwork, no red tape.

In an absolute monarchy, like Saudi Arabia for instance, the ruling family, well, rules. Sure, there are laws that they follow called the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia, but everybody serves at the pleasure of the royal family. Anyone with authority is appointed by the royal family and can be un-appointed just the same.

So once you fall in love with the Prince of Moldivitinia, assuming that Moldivitinia is an absolute monarchy, the family can square away any red tape you may run into. If, on the other hand, Moldivitinia is a constitutional monarchy, the royal family’s authority to make your immigration easy would be subject to the rules as outlined in the Moldivitinian constitution.

Say I meet Prince Charisma from Moldivitinia, could I, a lawyer barred in the state of NJ, transfer any certifications to work in a legal capacity there to help the local children’s center remain open? 

When I did a study abroad program in law school to the Cayman Islands, I was verrrrry interested in how a law license may transfer over to a foreign jurisdiction. When I looked into it, I became verrrrry disappointed.

Turns out, you must have practiced in a Commonwealth jurisdiction for over three years to qualify for transfer. Those include the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. I noticed Texas was not on that list. Boooo!

The laws of reciprocity vary by jurisdiction. For instance, to transfer your foreign law license to practice in England and Wales, you need to fill out an application and submit it to the Bar Standards Board (BSB). This application provides evidence of your academic and professional qualifications. You have to jump through several hoops and provide evidence of your good character and repute, your academic transcripts, and any representations you are relying on to be admitted. You also have to pass the Bar Transfer Test if what you learned in law school and what you have experienced in practice differ substantially from what is covered by the education and training provided in England and Wales.

But that’s a bunch of rules for a stick-in-the-mud constitutional monarchy. The absolute monarchy of Moldivitinia has laws, sure, but those laws are subject to the whims of the royal family aka your new in-laws. With the wave of a wand or the cross of a sword, your license transfers and you can help as many children’s centers stay open as your heart desires.

Could his evil queen mother have me deported and/or thrown in prison for accidentally knocking over and denting that Medieval suit of armor while practicing my curtsey?

I feel you on the knocking over and denting a Medieval suit of armor. I knock over stuff all the time, so I’d be on the Moldivitinian chopping block if I hooked up with Prince Charisma and that was a jailable offense.

In short, yes, she could definitely deport you for whatever reason she wanted, assuming Moldivitinia is an absolute monarchy.

As for jailing you? Also probably yes. I’m not sure whether Moldivitinia has signed on any human rights treaties. Regardless, in the view of the United Nations, all countries are subject to the International Criminal Court. Set up in 2002, the ICC normally tries lower level individuals responsible for very serious crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

Even though she is the Queen of Moldivitinia, she’s not completely immune from punishment. Many leaders and former leaders have also been prosecuted and convicted by international courts for those kinds of serious crimes listed above, including leaders from Liberia, Rwanda, Serbia, and Sudan. 

Locking you up for denting a suit doesn’t quite fit the definition of any of those serious crimes per the definitions laid out by the UN/ICC. However, a widespread media campaign may pressure her to release you, so just make sure someone you love with access to social media knows your whereabouts so they can start the Change.org petition asking her to let you go.

Or is it all happily ever after?

In a Hallmark movie? Always.

Thanks for asking!

Got a question? Submit it here. They can be legal what-if questions, questions on current events, or questions about the legality of actions in TV shows or movies you’ve seen. I never ever want to answer your personal legal questions, so don’t send those. Love you, but I don’t do that.

Until next week, that’s the tea, and there’s no ending happier than a Hallmark movie.

Got a question? Submit it here. They can be legal what-if questions, questions on current events, or questions about the legality of actions in TV shows or movies you’ve seen. I never ever want to answer your personal legal questions, so don’t send those. Love you, but I don’t do that.

***

This piece first appeared in Sunday Morning Hot Tea. Subscribe so you don’t miss another piece.