Finding Aid Search

Title

Cases and briefs on appeal

Series Number

J2002

Summary

The records and briefs in this series were submitted to the New York State Court of Appeals upon appeal of a lower court judgment. They usually contain: Record or appendix, Plaintiff's briefs, and Defendant's briefs. Other documents, such as Reply brief(s) and Amicus brief(s), may also be included. Together, these records document the legal history of a case, often including lower court transcripts, necessary formal applications, arguments for and against legal issues, testimony, and exhibits.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Appeals

Access Restrictions

Volumes containing confidential case(s): Restricted: No access without prior permission of Court of Appeals.

Title

Common rule books

Series Number

J0167

Summary

This series contains common rule books, which the clerks of the Supreme Court of Judicature were directed to keep. The books contain a record of common rules or orders of the court, entered by the clerk on motion made by an attorney for one of the parties to a cause. Each entry in the common rulebooks contains the title of the cause, the name of the attorney moving the court, and the rule granted.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Supreme Court of Judicature (Geneva) declarations

Series Number

J0017

Summary

This series contains plaintiff's declarations, which were the initial pleadings in common law actions. The declaration was made out by the plaintiff's attorney after the defendant had been arrested by a writ of capias ad respondendum. The declaration contains the following parts: caption; venue; commencement; statement of cause of action; and conclusion.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Recognizance rolls

Series Number

J0003

Summary

The recognizance roll is a record of the undertaking of bail, made before a justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature. The roll contains the same information as is found in the plaintiff's declaration, followed by a statement of the obligation of the bail. The recognizance roll was the formal record upon which a plaintiff could bring an action against the defendant's bail.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

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

Court of Appeals register of disbursements, Chancery fund and library fund

Series Number

J3241

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Appeals

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Draft orders, correspondence, reports and miscellaneous papers

Series Number

J2061

Summary

This series consists of draft orders and decrees issued by the Vice Chancellor, copies of reports of fees collected by the court, lists of delinquent guardians, routine correspondence with the Chancellor and Register, appointment documents and oaths of office of court officials, and miscellaneous documents (e.g. deeds, letters, and mortgages) used as exhibits in cases. The draft orders, comprising one half of the series, were presumably entered in Clerk's Minutes of Common Orders and Clerk's Minutes of Decrees.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Certificates of clerkships

Series Number

J0104

Summary

This series contains documents relating to clerkships served by persons who eventually would seek admission to practice as attorneys in the Supreme Court of Judicature. Records concerning law clerkships include certificates stating that a student began a clerkship and setting the term of the clerkship; affidavits of clerkship applicants; certificates attesting to the clerk's moral character; reports of examiners on whether individual candidates passed; and related documents.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York State Commission of Appeals orders of dismissal

Series Number

J1232

Summary

Chapter 9 of the Laws of 1873 provided that any case placed on the calendar of the Commission of Appeals, called for argument, and no other disposition made thereof at the time of the call, shall stand dismissed. In such instances, the commission would enter an order of dismissal that was to be considered absolute unless, on the first day of the next term, one or more of the parties resubmitted the case to be heard by the commission. This volume lists names of parties to cases called for argument on May 5, 1874 and dismissed without being resubmitted.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission of Appeals

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Supreme Court of Judicature (Geneva) transcripts of docket of judgments

Series Number

J0138

Summary

This series consists of transcripts of judgments docketed by the clerk of the Supreme Court at Geneva. Information includes name of party against whom judgment has been obtained, name of party in whose favor judgment has been obtained, amount of debt, amount of damages and costs, date and hour of filing judgment roll, name of attorney for losing party, and date of satisfaction, if any.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Letters of administration

Series Number

J0032

Summary

This series consists of letters of administration of estates of New York residents who died out-of-state, or non-residents who died in the state. Most of the letters are for estates of persons who died intestate (without a will). Microfilm copy covers the period 1778-1797 only.

Creator

• New York State Custodial Asylum for Feeble-Minded Women

Access Restrictions

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

Title

County treasurer's receipts for fees

Series Number

J7013

Summary

This series consists of receipts from county treasurers for money collected from attorneys for fees due to the clerk of the Supreme Court of Judicature. The county treasurers transmitted these monies pursuant to legislation of 1829 requiring them to receive and pay over all monies belonging to the state.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Vice Chancellor's draft decrees and orders

Series Number

J1089

Summary

This series consists of drafts of decrees and orders entered in Series J0048, Clerk's Minutes of Decrees, 1830-1847, and Series J0047, Clerk's Minutes of Common Orders, 1830-1847. Within some court sessions common orders, special orders, and decrees are bundled separately.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Chancery

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Index to dockets of judgments

Series Number

J0142

Summary

This series is an index to losing parties in judgments awarded by the Supreme Court of Judicature. Following the date are the letters 'U', 'G', or 'N', standing for judgments filed at Utica, Geneva, and New York, respectively. If there is no letter, the judgment roll was filed at Albany.

Creator

• New York (State). Supreme Court of Judicature

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Bar examinations

Series Number

J2027

Summary

This series consists of copies of bar examinations administered to candidates seeking admission to practice law in the State of New York. Questions test both substantive and adjective law. Later volumes contain exam questions with "yes" or "no" answers. Notes on applicable statutes or cases are often provided to justify answers.

Creator

• New York (State). State Board of Law Examiners

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Supreme Court of Judicature (Utica) insolvency papers

Series Number

J0156

Summary

Insolvency papers include documents relating to the assignment and sale of property of insolvent debtors who petitioned for relief (voluntary assignment), or the attachment and sale of property of "absconding, concealed, or non-resident debtors" (involuntary assignment). Content of files varies depending on the type of assignment, but most files include petitions, accounts, inventories, affidavits, certificates, and orders.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Inventory of wills, administration papers and inventories transferred from the Secretary of State to the Court of Probates

Series Number

J0036

Summary

This series consists of one volume, containing an inventory of the records of the provincial (colonial) Prerogative Court transferred from the Secretary of State to the Court of Probates. The inventory is divided into five sections: wills probated before the Revolution in 1776; wills probated behind British lines by the provincial Prerogative Court between 1776 and 1783; inventories and accounts exhibited before 1776; inventories and accounts exhibited behind British lines between 1776 and 1783; and administration granted before 1776.

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Probates

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Copies of pleadings furnished to circuit courts

Series Number

J0022

Summary

This series contains records of the pleas, issue, trial, and verdict in civil causes in Circuit Courts. Each record has the following parts: the placita, which gives names of the parties; the memorandum, which gives the name of the court, the term, the names of plaintiff and defendant, and the plaintiff's initial declaration; the subsequent pleadings by both defendant and plaintiff; the imparlance; the award of jury process in Circuit Court; and the continuances.

Creator

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

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Law students' applications denied

Series Number

J1102

Creator

• New York (State). Court of Appeals

Access Restrictions

Access to this series is restricted. Prior permission of Court of Appeals is required as stipulated by State Judiciary Law, Section 90.10.

Title

Temporary Commission on Revision of the Penal Law and Criminal Code administrative and working files

Series Number

13828

Summary

This series consists of correspondence; studies; reports; newspaper clippings; drafts of bills; minutes and memorandums generated and received by the Temporary State Commission to Revise the Penal Law and Criminal Code. Subjects include abortion; adultery; arson; assault; birth control; bribery; burglary; capital punishment; disorderly conduct; entrapment; extortion; extradition; firearms control; gambling; homicide; insanity; kidnapping; larceny; malicious mischief; obscenity; narcotics; parole; post-conviction remedies; public intoxication; prostitution; probation; prisons; restitution; search and seizure; sentencing; and youthful offenders.

Creator

• New York (State). Temporary Commission on Revision of the Penal Law and Criminal Code

Access Restrictions

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