Finding Aid Search

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

Papers of Aaron Burr (Project) card index to court cases in which Aaron Burr was an attorney or litigant

Series Number

JN104

Summary

Card indexes document court cases in which Aaron Burr was an attorney or a litigant. Separate card files index plaintiffs, defendants, and attorneys; cases in each court; and cases in chronological order. Courts represented are the New York Supreme Court of Judicature, Court of Chancery, and Court for the Correction of Errors; the New York City Mayor's Court (Court of Common Pleas for County and City of New York); and the United States District Court for New York and the Circuit Court for New York, Southern District. Most cards refer to a court document (filed parchment or paper, or entry in a minute book or common rule book). There are also cards for Burr legal documents in private manuscript repositories.

Creator

• Papers of Aaron Burr (Project)

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Spreadsheet index to Supreme Court pleadings and other documents

Series Number

JN110

Summary

This series is an electronic index (Historical Court Records Index II) for filed documents of the Supreme Court of Judicature (New York). It contains selected data from Series JN121, Card Index to Supreme Court Pleadings and Other Court Documents. It also serves as an index for filed documents of the reorganized Supreme Court (New York County) held by the New York County Clerk's Office. Few documents in the index predate 1751. Most index entries post date 1847. No post-1910 documents are indexed. Index data fields include plaintiff name, defendant name, date of filing document, file reference code, and entry or line number.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office. Division of Old Records

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material. Email ARCHREF@nysed.gov to obtain a copy of the spreadsheet index and instructions for navigating the file.

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

Indexes to Vice-Chancery decrees filed in New York City

Series Number

JN313

Summary

These volumes index enrolled decrees and transcribed enrolled decrees of the Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) filed by the court clerk. The indexes include adversarial cases, commenced by complaint, but not non-adversarial cases commenced by petition. The three volumes index the Vice-Chancellor's enrolled decrees that were filed by the Clerk of the Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) in New York City. The volumes contain essentially the same kinds of data, but the third volume is the most complete.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

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

Commissioners of Records for the City and County of New York consolidated index of court judgments docketed in New York County and City

Series Number

JN111

Summary

This series consists of printed volumes containing summary information on money judgments in the superior civil courts in New York County and City, and occasionally other courts in New York City and State.

Creator

• Commissioners of Records for the City and County of New York

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York County Clerk's Office card index to Supreme Court pleadings and other court documents

Series Number

JN121

Summary

Card index provides access to individual documents in two large series of Supreme Court of Judicature pleadings and other civil and criminal court documents: Series JN522 and Series JN535. An index card contains for each case document the names of plaintiff and defendant, name of court, date of filing, and reference to the document code (year-letter-number). Multiple plaintiffs are indexed individually.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Card index to Supreme Court and Court of Chancery documents on parchment

Series Number

JN120

Summary

This card index provides access to documents (mostly on parchment, some on paper) filed by clerks of the Supreme Court of Judicature and Court of Chancery.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office. Division of Old Records

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Spreadsheet index to Supreme Court judgement rolls and other documents on parchment, Court of Chancery First Circuit filed and transcribed documents, and New York City Court of Common Pleas and New York City Superior Court filed documents

Series Number

JN109

Summary

This series is an electronic index of selected data from Series JN103, Card Index to Court of Chancery Enrolled Decrees and Filed Papers and Series JN120, Card Index to Supreme Court and Court of Chancery Documents on Parchment. This spreadsheet serves as an index for documents of the Supreme Court of Judicature (New York), Supreme Court (New York County), and Court of Chancery. Index data fields include plaintiff name, defendant name, year of filing document, alphanumeric file reference code, and entry or line number.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office. Division of Old Records

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) judgment rolls

Series Number

JN529

Summary

This series consists mostly of judgment rolls filed by the clerk of the Supreme Court of Judicature in New York City, prior to July 1, 1847. It also includes judgment rolls of the reorganized Supreme Court, July 1-December 31, 1847, filed by the New York County Clerk. A judgment roll (also called a judgment record) contains a summary of the pleadings and other proceedings in a common-law action, including the trial if there was one. At the conclusion of the judgment roll is the final determination by the court and the amount of the money judgment (debt and/or damages, court costs). The file may contain additional documents relating to defendant's attorney and bail, and satisfaction (payment) of the judgment debt.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature (New York)

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Supreme Court (New York County) record of wills proved at New York

Series Number

JN540

Summary

The first two volumes in this series contain records of wills proved in the Supreme Court in New York City, 1787-1829. The record of a probate proceeding includes a copy of the will and the proof of the will. The volume for the years 1847-1856 includes wills of individuals residing or dying out of state that were proved in the Supreme Court (New York County), Special Term. In some cases there is written testimony regarding the authenticity and validity of the will.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court (New York County)

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Spreadsheet index to Supreme Court judgement rolls and other records

Series Number

JN199

Summary

This series is an electronic index (Law Judgments Index) containing selected data from series JN117, Card Index to Supreme Court Judgment Rolls. This spreadsheet serves as an index to series JN529, Supreme Court of Judicature Judgment Rolls and for post-1847 Supreme Court judgment rolls and other filed documents held by the New York County Clerk's Office. Most index entries post-date 1847. Index data fields include plaintiff name, defendant name, year of filing judgment roll, file reference code, and entry or line number.

Creator

• New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office. Division of Old Records

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material. Email ARCHREF@nysed.gov to obtain a copy of the spreadsheet index and instructions for navigating the file.

Title

New York State Supreme Court (New York County) certificates of clerkships and other attorney admission documents

Series Number

JN504

Summary

Most documents in this series are certificates of clerkships of applicants for admission as attorney or counsellor in the Supreme Court of Judicature and (after July 1, 1847) the Supreme Court. Other documents include reports of examiners of candidates for admission; copies of orders admitting attorneys to practice; attorney licenses (most on parchment); certificates of education in a college or academy; and affidavits of age, citizenship, residence, and good character of candidates for admission. A few documents relate to admission to practice in the Court of Chancery and in county-level courts.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court (New York County)

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) clerk's register of cases argued and decided

Series Number

JN510

Summary

This register contains entries for cases placed on the calendar and argued during May term, 1842. Disposition of each case is indicated. Cases include arguments on demurrer, motions for a new trial (including a few criminal convictions), motions to set aside a referee's report, and applications for a special writ (attachment against a defaulting sheriff, mandamus, habeas corpus, etc.). There are a few entries relating to partition of real property and the admission of attorneys to practice in the court.

Creator

• New York (State). Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (Albany) bills of costs taxed by court officers

Series Number

JN601

Summary

This volume contains bills of costs in civil court proceedings taxed (approved) by a judge or court clerk. Each entry includes the name of court, title of case, itemized costs of the proceeding (whether it went to trial or not) allowed by statute, total costs, name of the defendant's attorney, and signature of the judge or court clerk. Most cases were determined in the Supreme Court of Judicature, others in the Mayor's Court in New York City and the Mayor's Court in Albany.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature (Albany)

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Transcripts of chancery decrees

Series Number

JN544

Summary

This series consists of transcripts of decrees docketed by the Court of Chancery. These records are simple folded sheets of paper with information given in tables: the name of the person on whose behalf the court made the decree, that person's residence, the amount of debt (and damages and costs) adjudged, the date and time of the decree, and the case title. These transcripts were sent by the Court of Chancery to the Supreme Court of Judicature when requested by the winning litigant in a case before the court.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature (New York)

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Writs of habeas corpus

Series Number

JN550

Summary

The writ of habeas corpus ("you have the body") ordered a lower court or public officer to bring a defendant into the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Judicature. This small collection of writs of habeas corpus includes one colonial example; the others are from the early national period. Almost all the writs in this series were directed to the Court of Common Pleas for the City and County of New York (known as the Mayor's Court, since that official or his designee presided).

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature (New York)

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Writs of inquiry and inquisitions

Series Number

JN551

Summary

This small series of writs of inquisitions includes to colonial examples; the others are from the early national period. The writ is accompanied in most cases by the jury's inquisition, determining the amount of money owed by the defendant to the plaintiff. The inquisition bears the jurors' signatures and seals.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature (New York)

Access Restrictions

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