In spite of the strict formalization of the law of status relationships it does happen that a status under personal law is legally void, a fact which has gone unrecognized. How does the law react to an incorrect declaration of a name, a void marriage which is actually being practiced or a parent-child relationship which only exists de facto? After giving a systematic overview of the case material, Jan Ole Flindt gives a point by point analysis of the approaches to solving the problem as provided by established law and proposes a new principle for the protection of confidence, one which encompasses all aspects of status.