New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) Pleadings and Other Civil and Criminal Court Documents
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Overview of the Records
Repository:
New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Summary:
This series contains documents relating to civil litigation in the Supreme Court of Judicature, filed by the court clerk whose
office was in New York City, or in other locations between the years 1778-1783. Most of the documents are pleadings by plaintiffs
and defendants, bonds, draft rules, and affidavits. Criminal case documents include indictments, informations, etc., almost
entirely for the period 1753-1795.
Creator:
Title:
Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) pleadings and other civil and criminal court documents
Quantity:
74 cubic feet
90 microfilm rolls 35mm
Inclusive Dates:
1699-1837
Bulk Dates:
1751-1837
Series Number:
JN522
Sponsor:
With support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Grant number ST-03-27-0006-17), New York State Organization
Daughters of the American Revolution, and the William Nelson Cromwell Foundation.
Arrangement
Arranged by an assigned code entered on the verso of each document. Code consists of the New York County Clerk's Office abbreviated
series title "PL 1754 to 1837" (PL - "pleadings"), then the initial letter of plaintiff's surname, then an assigned sequential
number (up to four digits). The plaintiff in a criminal case is the "King" or the "People." Coded documents are divided into
two groups, first those conserved or identified for conservation, and second those not conserved or identified for conservation.
Scope and Content Note
Series contains documents relating to civil litigation and Criminal prosecutions in the Supreme Court of Judicature, filed
by the court clerk whose office was in New York City, or in other locations between the years 1778-1783. Series also contains
many documents filed by the clerk of the City and County of New York and the clerk of the circuit courts. Most of the documents
in civil cases are pleadings by plaintiffs and defendants, bonds, draft rules, and affidavits. There are many other types
of documents, almost all of them on paper. The few parchment documents are writs. Criminal case documents include indictments,
informations, etc., almost entirely for the period 1753-1795. Among them are indictments of "enemies of the state," i.e. Loyalists,
during and after the Revolutionary War. The series also includes a very small number of documents from other courts. Some
documents are missing (particularly in letter codes B, C, G, H, and I), but they may be available on microfilm.
Other documents, present for most if not all counties, include coroner's inquisitions into unwitnessed or suspicious deaths,
1780-1797, and rough minutes of circuit courts and courts of oyer and terminer, 1787-1798. For New York City and County there
are bonds of individuals receiving liquor licenses, 1785 and 1797, and duplicate militia commissions by the governor, 1797-1822.
Alternate Formats Available
Series is available on microfilm which was produced in 1993 for the New York County Clerk's Office.
New York State Archives Digital Collections
Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) pleadings and other civil and criminal court documents, 1699-1837
Related Material
JN535 New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) Pleadings and Other Civil Court Documents, continues this series.
Related Publications
Kenneth Scott accessed coroner's reports in the New York City Municipal Archives, which slightly overlap and continue the
coroner's inquisitions in Series JN522. See Kenneth Scott, "Early New York City Coroner's Reports [1796-1820]," New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Record, 119 (1988), 76-79, 145-150, 217-219, 120 (1989), 18-20, 88-92.
Other Finding Aids
Available at Repository
Series JN110, Spreadsheet Index to Supreme Court Documents other than Judgment Rolls.
Series JN121, Card Index to Supreme Court Pleadings and other Court Documents.
Access is also provided to these records via the Historical Court Records Index II, 1754-1910, which indexes by both the plaintiffs'
and defendants' full names. This index includes data from the original card file index, Pleadings Index, 1754-1910, which
still exists as a paper index and is also available in microfilm.
Processing Information
Conservation and digitization of a portion of these materials is being supported in part by a Federal Save America's Treasure
grant administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Additional support provided by the William Nelson Cromwell
Foundation.
Custodial History
This collection of court documents was assembled, organized and indexed in the mid-twentieth century by staff of the New York
County Clerk's Office.
Access Restrictions
Use of fragile original documents, especially those in the group identified for conservation, is restricted. Microfilm copies
are to be used for reference and reproduction.
Access Terms
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Function(s):
Detailed Description
| Contents |
Roll |
Accretion: JN522-17 |
| A16 - B1055 |
1 |
