New York State Court of Chancery Enrolled Decrees Transcribed into Libers

Numerical corresponding to liber (volume) number.

The decree was issued by the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor in the 1st Circuit or (after July 1, 1847) a Justice of the Supreme Court. Most of the enrolled decrees in this series were filed by the Register (before 1802), Assistant Register (starting 1802), and Clerk of the 1st Circuit in New York City (1823-1847). Some of the decrees were issued in the Supreme Court in Equity, New York County, after the Court of Chancery was abolished effective July 1, 1847. They were filed by the New York County Clerk.

This series contains original enrolled decrees that were transcribed into the bound volumes that comprise Series JN306, Transcriptions of Enrolled Decrees into Libers. The enrolled decree was the final determination in an equity case involving a complainant and defendant.

The enrolled decree typically includes the bill of complaint that originated a case; answer by the defendant; any amendments to the bill or the answer; affidavits; orders; bonds; and notices. Depending on the proceedings and complexity of a case, other transcribed documents may include a Master's report; depositions by witnesses, transcripts of testimony, and evidence submitted (e.g. wills, deeds, maps, or accounts); and other filed documents.

Most of the case files concern equity proceedings in the Court of Chancery and the Supreme Court, New York County. There are a few cases from other courts, including the Supreme Court of Judicature. Most cases concern disputes arising in New York City and in other counties in the First Circuit, but a few cases involve parties residing in other parts of New York State or out-of-state. The most numerous case category is mortgage foreclosures. Less numerous case categories include matrimonial proceedings (divorce, separation, annulment), commercial disputes, wills, trusts, injunctions, and receiverships.

Included in this series is a file containing documents pertaining to the divorce proceeding of Eliza B. Burr, complainant, against Aaron Burr, defendant. Documents include bill of complaint, defendant's answer, complainant's replication, orders, affidavits, depositions of witnesses, report of master in Chancery, defendant's petition for a rehearing, and final decree dissolving the marriage. This case record was disclosed by court order in April and May of 1976. It is now disclosable under Domestic Relations Law section 235.5.

J0059Series J0059, Register's minute books

J0063Series J0063, Enrolled decrees after 1800

J0090Series J0090, Register's order and minute books

JN312Series JN312, Enrolled decrees and

JN319Series JN319, Register's and Assistant Register's Minute Books

JN306Series JN306, Transcriptions of enrolled decrees into libers.

Indexes containing references to file codes are in JN103, Card Index to Court of Chancery enrolled decrees and filed papers; JN109, Spreadsheet index to Supreme Court judgment rolls and other documents on parchment, Court of Chancery and Vice-Chancery filed and transcribed documents, and New York City Court of Common Pleas and New York City Superior Court filed documents; JN303, Index to Chancellor's decrees filed in New York City; and JN313, Indexes to Vice-Chancery decrees filed in New York City.

Published indexes lacking references to file codes are JN111, Consolidated index of court judgments docketed in New York County and City; JN112, Indexes to notices of equity suits in Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) and Supreme Court (New York County).

This series is closed to researchers due to its fragile physical condition. Researchers should use the transcription of the case papers found in Series JN306, Transcriptions of Enrolled Decrees into Libers.