Finding Aid Search

Title

Register's engrossed minutes

Series Number

J1059

Summary

This series contains engrossed copies of the minutes contained in Chancery Minutes providing a daily record of the proceedings of the Court of Chancery. The names of the parties and their attorneys, summaries of arguments and documents read or submitted, and actions taken by the court are recorded. Also included are the minutes of proceedings in which court officials were appointed, court rules and terms were set, and other court business not related to cases was conducted.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Court of Chancery Assistant Register's rough minutes

Series Number

JN322

Summary

Rough minute books contain brief entries of proceedings before the Chancellor. Entries include notes of motions made, documents filed, and preliminary and final orders in cases involving a complainant and defendant. The minutes also record the admissions of solicitors and counselors to practice in the Court of Chancery.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

Several of the volumes have severe water and mold damage; use is restricted.

Title

Court of Chancery index to Chancery papers

Series Number

J1071

Summary

This series is an alphabetical index by last name of complainant to Chancery Papers, State Archives Series J0070. Each entry in the index contains the names of the complainant and defendant and a file number. There are also special sections in the back of the index for banks, churches, insurance companies, and miscellaneous corporations.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Register's notes of cases heard by Chancellor Walworth

Series Number

J1082

Summary

This series consists of notes made, presumably, by the register of the Court of Chancery, of cases heard by Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth. Entries include the title of the case, the name of the solicitor for the petitioner, claimant, or appellant and the outcome of the case.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Court of Chancery transcriptions of enrolled decrees into libers

Series Number

JN306

Summary

This series contains transcriptions of enrolled decrees, the final determinations in equity cases involving a complainant and defendant. The decrees were issued by the Chancellor, the Circuit Judge in the 1st Circuit (1823-1829), the Vice-Chancellor in the 1st Circuit (1830-1847), or (after July 1, 1847) a Justice of the Supreme Court. 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.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Title

Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) decrees

Series Number

JN312

Summary

This series constitutes a full record of the judicial proceedings in such equity matters as foreclosure (the majority of cases), divorce, marital separation, dower rights, partitions of real property, injunctions against the performance of certain acts, and the settlement of legacies. Typical documents in addition to decrees and final orders include bills of foreclosure, answers to charges, reports of the Masters in Chancery, and subpoenas.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Bonds of guardians, committees and receivers

Series Number

J6061

Summary

This series consists of bonds for the performance of duties executed by guardians, committees, and receivers. A law of 1815 required a court appointed guardian to give bond to the infant-trustee. The bond was to be filed with the court. In practice such bonds were also required from committees for lunatics and habitual drunkards, receivers of property of insolvent corporations, and administrators of estates.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Clerk's register of guardians, committees, and receivers

Series Number

J1054

Summary

This series is a listing of information on cases in which a guardian, committee, or receiver was appointed by the Vice Chancellor in the Third Circuit.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Enrolled decrees transcribed into libers

Series Number

JN307

Summary

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.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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.

Title

Exhibits of Chancery cases

Series Number

J2020

Summary

This series contains business account books submitted as documentary evidence in Court of Chancery cases involving book accounts. Most are financial records of the Clinton Woolen Manufacturing Company in Oneida County.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Index to enrolled decrees, in re papers and other case files

Series Number

J0062

Summary

This series is an alphabetical index by last name of complainant or subject of a petition to Enrolled Decrees, In Re Papers, and other Case Files created by the Court of Chancery (records found in Series J0061). All entries contain the names of the complainant and defendant (for In Re cases only the name of the subject of the petition is provided).

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Mortgages filed in Register's Office

Series Number

J4061

Summary

This series consists of copies of mortgages. Court rules required the Master involved in the sale of mortgaged property to file a copy of the mortgage with the Register, Assistant, or clerk of the court.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Chancellor's enrolled decrees after 1800

Series Number

J0063

Summary

This series consists of records pertaining to original cases decided by the Chancellor. Records include the abstract; the original bill of complaint or petition; the answer or pleading of the defendant; amendments to the original bill or to the answer; orders issued in the case; and a bill of costs or fees assessed by the court. Other investigative records may include Masters' or other reports, depositions, affidavits of witnesses, transcripts of testimony, evidence submitted, and other documents.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Chancellor's draft decrees and orders

Series Number

J0089

Summary

This series consists of draft decrees and orders used as entry documentation for the State Court of Chancery Common Order Book 1806-1830, Register's Minutes of Decrees 1830-1847, and Register's Minutes of Common Orders 1830-1847. Draft decrees appear in this series beginning in 1830. Occasionally a draft court rule or certificate of registry of a solicitor or counsellor appear. Within some court sessions some common orders, special orders, and decrees are bundled separately by court session.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Masters' bonds

Series Number

J5061

Summary

This series consists of bonds for the performance of duties executed by Masters in Chancery. A law of 1833 required Masters to execute and deliver to the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor a bond with sufficient surety or sureties for the amount of $5,000 or, if he served in New York City or County, $10,000.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Orders and decrees issued in the matters of the Utica and Schenectady Railroad Company

Series Number

J0092

Summary

This series consists of copies of orders and decrees issued by the Chancellor in cases of disputes between the Utica and Schenectady Railroad and owners of property it wished to appropriate. A law of 1833 incorporated the railroad and established the procedures for resolving such conflicts in the Court of Chancery. Records include orders directing both parties interested in the property to attend an initial hearing; orders appointing commissions of three competent and disinterested freeholders of the county in which the property is located to appraise that property; and Chancellor's final decrees.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Clerk's rough minutes

Series Number

J0068

Summary

This series contains a brief daily record of actions taken in cases heard by the Vice Chancellors of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th Circuits. Information includes hearing date, names of the parties and often their solicitors, and a statement of actions. The statement varies in content and detail depending on the stage and subject of the case. Rough minutes taken at special terms of the court held in Geneva are included with the 7th Circuit.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Record of foreign and out-of-state wills proved

Series Number

J0040

Summary

This series consists of the record of wills proved before the Chancellor of the State Court of Chancery. A law of 1830 required that wills in which the witnesses resided out of state or which were filed with a foreign or out-of-state court or government office be proved in the Court of Chancery. A will would normally have been proved in county surrogate's court during the 1830s and 1840s.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Register's register of guardians, committees, and receivers

Series Number

J0054

Summary

Chapter 12 of the Laws of 1788 gave the Court of Chancery the responsibility for overseeing the well being and property of persons deemed idiots or lunatics and infant trustees (persons under the age of 21 whose person and estate are under the care of a trustee of guardian). This series is a listing of information on cases in which a guardian, committee, or receiver was appointed by the Chancellor.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Oaths of office of attorneys, solicitors, and counsellors

Series Number

J0044

Summary

The laws of 1788 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. Later laws amended these oaths. 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.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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