Finding Aid Search

Title

New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) registers of defendants' appearance

Series Number

JN505

Summary

Volumes contain entries indicating that the plaintiff's declaration (initial plea) was personally served on the defendant, whose appearance (submission to the court's jurisdiction) was entered by the court clerk on motion of plaintiff's attorney. Each entry contains the date, title of the case, and name of plaintiff's attorney.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Trial calendars, rough minutes, pleadings, and other papers

Series Number

JN513

Summary

This series includes trial calendars, rough minutes of trials and inquests, pleadings, and other documents relating to civil cases commenced in the Supreme Court of Judicature and noticed for trial in the Circuit Court for New York City and County (1st Circuit).

Creator

• New York (State). Circuit Court (1st Circuit)

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Bonds for costs on writs of error to the U.S. Supreme Court

Series Number

J0164

Summary

The series consists of bonds or sureties given by appellants for cases appealed as writs from the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors (decided by the U.S. Supreme Court). Appellants were required to guarantee payment of costs incurred if the case was not decided in their favor.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Temporary Commission of Investigation litigation files

Series Number

B2833

Summary

This series consists of court documents, memorandums, correspondence, and related legal materials pertaining to lawsuits which challenge the authority and/or practices of New York State Temporary Commission of Investigation.

Creator

• New York (State). Temporary Commission of Investigation

Access Restrictions

Partially restricted by the Laws of 1958, Chapter 989; Civil Rights Law, section 73.8; Civil Practice Law and Rules, section 3101(b), (c), and (d) and 4503(a); Freedom of Information Law, section 87.2(b), (e)(iii) and (iv), and (g). For further information, please contact the State Archives.

Title

Letters and invitations

Series Number

J5157

Summary

This series consists of letters from officers of public and private institutions inviting the members of the Court of Errors to visit or attend special ceremonies. Also included are letters from municipal officials inviting the court to hold future sessions in their cities.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York State Circuit Court (1st Circuit) accounts of fines in Circuit Court and Court of Oyer and Terminer, New York County

Series Number

JN512

Summary

This volume contains accounts of fines (money penalties) in the Circuit Court and additional "sittings" of that court, and in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held in the city and county of New York. Fines were imposed on jurors and constables who failed to appear as summoned, and on persons who were bound by a recognizance to appear to answer a complaint or to testify in a trial. Between 1796 and 1807 there are also entries of fines imposed on persons convicted in the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Each entry states the name of the individual fined, his or her occupation and residence (city ward), and amount of fine. Entries for each term are signed by the court clerk.

Creator

• New York (State). Recorder's Court (New York)

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Card index to Court of Chancery enrolled decrees and filed papers

Series Number

JN103

Summary

This card index provides access to documents filed or recorded in New York City by the Register and Assistant Register of the Court of Chancery, Clerk of the Court of Chancery (1st Circuit), and Clerk of the Supreme Court in Equity (New York County). Most of the indexed documents are enrolled or transcribed decrees. Other document types include bills, petitions, orders, etc.

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

New York State Court of Chancery First Circuit register of court-appointed guardians, receivers, and committees

Series Number

JN314

Summary

This register (or "docket") contains summary information on judicial trustees appointed by the Court of Chancery, First Circuit, to administer the property of persons not competent to do so themselves. Each entry states the case title (naming the petitioner or the parties to litigation), name of the judicial trustee (guardian, receiver, or committee) and date of appointment. Notes on cases date as late as 1846. A guardian cared for the person and property of a legally incompetent individual, usually a minor. A receiver managed property that was the subject of litigation. A committee administered the property of an adult individual determined to be incompetent.

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 register of bonds

Series Number

JN301

Summary

This register lists bonds filed with the Court of Chancery by guardians and other agents of the court. Register also contains a list of title deeds filed by order of the Court of Chancery, 1760-1804.

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 filed papers and mortgage foreclosure decrees

Series Number

JN315

Summary

The first sub-series contains filed documents in cases that generally did not result in an enrolled decree, the final determination in a Chancery case involving a complainant and defendant. The second sub-series, including corporation cases, includes some decrees or draft decrees, mostly in mortgage foreclosure cases, as well as papers in cases that did not result in decrees. Most of the case papers in this series were filed by the Register (before 1802), Assistant Register (starting 1802), and Clerk of the First Circuit in New York City (1823-1847). Some of the cases were commenced in the Supreme Court, in Equity (New York County), and the papers were filed by the New York County Clerk (1847-1899).

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York County Clerk's Office certifications of constables' attendance at Circuit Court

Series Number

JN516

Summary

This volume contains certifications by the clerk of the city and county of New York that constables have attended a term of Circuit Court held in New York County and, before 1823, in the court's additional "sittings." The entry for each court term lists the names of the constables and the number of days or actual dates of service.

Creator

• New York (Colony). Prerogative Court

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Internal case reports files

Series Number

J2003

Summary

The series consists of internal case reports, memoranda, and a small number of draft opinions, opinions, and dissenting opinions prepared by judges of the Court of Appeals, the state's highest court. The reports give background information on a case; outlines of the issues; points of law; and often a recommendation (e.g., that the judgment be affirmed without opinion; that a motion should be granted).

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Appeals

Access Restrictions

Restricted according to Memorandum of Understanding between Court of Appeals and State Archives, dated January, 1993.

Title

Opinion reports and supporting documents prepared for Indian land claim litigation

Series Number

B1712

Summary

This series consists of opinion reports and appendices prepared for court cases involving Indian land claims filed against New York State by the Cayuga Indian Nation, the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, the Seneca Nation of Indians, and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians. Reports were authored by consulting expert Dr. Alexander von Gernet. They are entitled "The Historical Context of the Cayuga Treaties with the State of New York" and "Aboriginal Use and Occupancy of the Niagara River Environs."

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York State Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors draft judgments and decrees

Series Number

J2157

Summary

During the time period in which these records were created, the Court for the Correction of Errors (Court of Errors) handled only cases from the State's principal courts of law (Supreme Court) and equity (Chancery Court). The records consist of draft judgments rendered by the Court of Errors in law cases appealed from the Supreme Court and draft decrees issued by the court in equity cases appealed from the Court of Chancery.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York County Clerk's Office receipt book for satisfaction of judgments

Series Number

JN537

Summary

This volume contains attorneys' receipts for monies paid by judgment debtors to the sheriff of the city and county of New York in full or partial satisfaction of money judgments. Each entry contains the name of the court, title of the case, amount of payment, name of prevailing party's attorney, and his signature. There are entries for cases in both the Supreme Court of Judicature and the Court of Common Pleas for the City and County of New York.

Creator

• New York (Colony). Prerogative Court

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) docket of judgments

Series Number

JN527

Summary

This series is the docket of money judgments filed and docketed by the clerk of the Supreme Court of Judicature at New York City. Each entry includes name of the party against whom judgment was obtained (usually defendant); name of the party in whose favor judgment was obtained (usually plaintiff); amounts of debt, damages, and costs; date of filing judgment; name of attorney for judgment debtor; and date of satisfaction if any. Amounts are in pounds, shillings, and pence until mid-1797, in dollars and cents thereafter.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

Indexes to notices of equity in Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) and Supreme Court (New York County)

Series Number

JN112

Summary

Printed volumes list notices of pending suits in equity filed in the New York County Clerk's Office. Each entry includes name of defendant, name of complainant, and date of notice. Courts with equity jurisdiction were the Court of Equity (1823-1829), Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) (1830-1847), and the Supreme Court (New York County) (starting 1847). Entries start May 1, 1823, and end December 31, 1855.

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

Petitions for attachment of property of absconding, concealed, and non-resident debtors

Series Number

JN534

Summary

Petitions were submitted by creditors for the issuance of a warrant of attachment, ordering a sheriff to seize the real and personal property of a debtor for payment of his debts. The proceeding was available when a debtor could not be arrested, either because he had absconded or concealed himself, or was not a resident of New York.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Title

New York County Clerk's Office docket of insolvent assignments

Series Number

JN114

Summary

Two volumes are a docket of insolvent assignments filed in the offices of the clerk of the Supreme Court of Judicature (prior to July 1, 1847) and the clerk of the City and County of New York (starting July 1, 1847). Each docket entry includes the year, or year and date, of the assignment; the name of the insolvent debtor assigning his property for benefit of creditors; and infrequently, brief notes.

Creator

• New York (Colony). Prerogative Court

Access Restrictions

Use of fragile microfilm may be restricted.

Title

Precipes

Series Number

JN536

Summary

This series contains precipes generated by the New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York). Precipes are brief instructions by an attorney to the court clerk to seal a writ or enter a common rule. The precipes list parties to the action and the attorney's name and date.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.