Research


Scope and Content Note

Series consists of indexes to case files for enrolled decrees and other final orders of the Court of Chancery and Court of Vice Chancery (First Circuit), approximately 1770-1847; and indexes to case files for judgments in equity and other special proceedings in Supreme Court (New York City and County), 1847-1910. Cases include adversarial proceedings between opposing parties, but exclude special proceedings commenced by petition by a single party.

Each index entry states name of complainant or plaintiff; name of respondent or defendant; nature of action or proceedings; filing date of decree, final order, or judgment; and case file code for filed papers, or volume number for transcribed papers. The most frequent case type is mortgage foreclosure. Other case types found in index entries pre-dating 1848 are accounting, divorce, injunction, partition, specific performance, and other equity proceedings. Entries post-dating 1847 refer to case files that remain in custody of the New York County Clerk's Office. Post-1847 corporate plaintiffs include corporations, joint-stock companies, and partnerships and other unincorporated firms.

Index includes references to cases in the Court of Chancery and the Court of Vice-Chancery (1st Circuit) in New York City commenced before July 1, 1847, and in the Supreme Court (New York City and County) commencing July 1, 1847.