New York State Court of Chancery Oaths of Office of Attorneys, Solicitors, and Counsellors

Rough chronological order.

A law of 1788 (Chapter 28) required judicial officers (construed to include lawyers) to sign two oaths: one renouncing allegiance to any foreign king, prince, or potentate and swearing allegiance to the State of New York; and the other swearing to execute their office to the best of their ability.

Chapter 57 of the Laws of 1796 added an oath to uphold the United States Constitution and a law of 1816 (Chapter 1) added an anti-duelling oath to those already taken by lawyers. The State Constitution of 1821 replaced all previous oaths with one which swore to uphold the State and Federal Constitutions and to execute one's office to the best of one's ability. The requirement for an anti-dueling oath was repealed by a law of 1824 (Chapter 41).

This series consists of the signed oaths of office taken by attorneys of the Supreme Court of Judicature and by solicitors and counsellors in Chancery.

Each roll contains at least the text of one or more oaths and a list of signatures and dates. Most rolls contain one oath pertaining to one office. A number of rolls, however, contain a number of different oaths or the same oath repeated for solicitors and counsellors in Chancery. The oaths of attorneys of the Supreme Court of Judicature generally do not appear on the same roll with solicitors and counsellors.

By law the oaths in this series were required to be filed with the Secretary of State. They remained, however, with the court.

The Court of Appeals placed these records on deposit at the Historical Documents Collection, Queens College, from 1973-1982.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.