Research


New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) Pleadings and Other Civil 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:
Series contains documents relating to litigation in the Supreme Court of Judicature, filed by the court clerk in New York City, and in that court's successor the Supreme Court (New York County), filed by the New York County Clerk. Most of the documents are pleadings by plaintiffs and defendants. There are also numerous affidavits of service, bonds for court costs, clerk's reports of damages, writs of inquiry and inquisitions, and circuit rolls (including minutes of trials). There are many declarations by the district attorney of New York County seeking recovery of debt and damages from individuals who had been arrested and gave bond for appearance in the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and failed to appear. Some documents are missing (particularly for codes 1842 M and 1844 H), and there are very few documents for 1845 and 1846.
Creator:
Title:
New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) pleadings and other civil court documents
Quantity:

27 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:
1838-1847
Series Number:
JN535

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year, then by an assigned code entered on the verso of each document. The code consists of the New York County Clerk's Office abbreviated series title "PL" ("pleadings"), the initial letter of plaintiff's surname, and an assigned sequential number (up to four digits).

Scope and Content Note

Series contains documents relating to litigation in the Supreme Court of Judicature, filed by the court clerk in New York City, and in that court's successor the Supreme Court (New York County), filed by the New York County Clerk. Most of the documents are pleadings by plaintiffs and defendants. There are also numerous affidavits of service, bonds for court costs, clerk's reports of damages, writs of inquiry and inquisitions, and circuit rolls (including minutes of trials). There are many declarations by the district attorney of New York County seeking recovery of debt and damages from individuals who had been arrested and gave bond for appearance in the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and failed to appear. Some documents are missing (particularly for codes 1842 M and 1844 H), and there are very few documents for 1845 and 1846.

Related Material

JN522 Supreme Court of Judicature (New York) Pleadings and other civil and criminal court documents, contains related material

JN110 Spreadsheet index to Supreme Court documents other than judgment rolls, and

JN121 Card index to Supreme Court pleadings and other court documents, index Series JN535.

Related Publications

Inventory of New York County Clerk Court Records of Statewide Significance (New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, 2016), section 5.35, pages 287-289.

Acquisition Information

These records were transferred by the New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration in 2017.

Custodial History

Documents were filed by the clerk of the Supreme Court of Judicature in New York City prior to July 1, 1847. During the period July 1-December 31, 1847, documents were filed by the New York County Clerk. The latter group includes documents of proceedings commenced in the Court of Chancery (1st Circuit) prior to its discontinuance on July 1, 1847, and of proceedings in the Supreme Court, Equity Term (New York County), after July 1, 1847, in which a final decree or order was issued before the end of that year.

Access Restrictions

Use and reproduction of fragile documents may be restricted.

Access Terms

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Detailed Description

Contents Box

Accretion: JN535-17
1838A-1841B 1
1841B-1841K 2
1841K-1841P 3
1841P-1842A 4
1842A-1842B 5
1842C-1842 E 6
1842E-1842H 7
1842H-1842L 8
1842L-1842M 9
1842P-1842S 10
1845S-1842V 11
1842V-1843A 12
1843A-1843C 13
1843C-1843E 14
1843E-1843H 15
1843H-1843M 16
1843M-1843R 17
1843R-1843T 18
1843T-1844A 19
1844B-1844D 20
1844D-1844H 21
1844H-1844M 22
1844M-1844S 23
1844S-1844W 24
1844W-1847B 25
1847B-1847M 26
1847M-1847Z 27