New York State Supreme Court of Judicature (Albany) General and Special Term Minute Books
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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:
Minute books for 1797-1800 contain grand jury proceedings and minutes of trials and sentencing. The series also contains special
rules or orders granted upon special motions, orders issued in real property proceedings, appointments of commissioners to
screen candidates for attorney or counsellor in the Supreme Court, and general procedural rules.
Creator:
Title:
General and special term minute books
Quantity:
Quantity:
Inclusive Dates:
1797-1847
Series Number:
J0130
Arrangement
Chronological.
Scope and Content Note
Minute books for 1797-1800 contain grand jury proceedings and minutes of trials and sentencing. The series also contains special
rules or orders granted upon special motions, orders issued in real property proceedings, appointments of commissioners to
screen candidates for attorney or counsellor in the Supreme Court, and general procedural rules.
The Albany minute books for the years 1797-1800 contain proceedings of grand juries. These list names of persons indicted
and state the crimes with which they were charged and their pleas upon arraignment. Following are minutes of the trials of
indicted persons who pleaded not guilty. These minutes list the names of jurors and of the witnesses for the prosecution and
defense and state the verdict found by the jury. There are also minutes of sentencing of defendants who were convicted or
who pleaded guilty. The early Albany minutes also contain a few orders for the naturalization of aliens (unindexed). The minutes
for each term of court open with a list of proclamations made--opening the court, calling on sheriffs to return writs or precepts,
and directing mayors, justices, coroners, and other public officers to bring into court any recognizances of bail taken by
them. The date of each daily session and the names of the justices present are entered. Each minute, or entry, in these books
states the names of the parties to the action and the attorney moving the court for a rule.
Minute books of the Supreme Court of Judicature prior to 1830 contain mostly special rules or orders granted upon special
motions made in court in general term. Starting in 1830 parties could apply for most special rules only during special terms
held monthly except in January, May, and July at the Capitol in Albany. In 1841 a special term was established at Rochester
to be held each October. Special motions usually had to be supported by an affidavit, which was filed with the court. (See
the various series containing "motion papers.") Special motions were made for a great variety of purposes. The most frequent
were motions for referral of cases involving examination of complex accounts to disinterested persons for a defendant as in
the case of non-suit; to set aside a default of the defendant to plead; and for judgment on grounds that the defendant's demurrer
was frivolous.
Other motions were made to reverse the judgment of a lower court, brought up on writ of error, and to order a new trial; to
set off a portion of the costs to an opposing party in a cause; to amend a declaration, a judgment, or an execution; to quash
a writ of certiorari or other writ; for issuance of writ of mandamus, ordering a lower court, a judicial officer, or a public
or private corporation to perform an official act; for issuance of a commission to authorize persons to examine material witnesses
residing far away; for issuance of a writ of capias ad satisfaciendum to arrest a defendant; for issuance of a writ of attachment
against a sheriff's property for failure to return a writ (or against that of an absconding debtor); and to grant a stay of
proceedings or to show cause for any reason. Most of these fall into the category of "enumerated motions" placed on the calendar.
The minute books also contain orders were issued in partition cases or other real property proceedings, to appoint a guardian
to represent a minor defendant; to require tenants to appear and show title; to appoint commissioners to make a partition;
or, before 1829, to issue a writ of right summoning the electors (i.e. jurors) of a grand assize, which determined the title
or right of a tenant to land; and to confirm and certify a partition or a confirmation of title. The court also issued special
orders confirming the proceedings of commissioners appointed to assess the value of lands taken for laying out or widening
streets in New York City.
The orders include copies of the commissioners' reports which contain detailed descriptions of the property taken. (These
orders are found in both the Albany and Utica minute books.) The minutes include orders appointing commissioners to examine
the qualifications of persons applying for admission as attorneys or counsellors in the Supreme Court; lists of applicants;
orders admitting attorneys and counsellors to practice; lists of persons admitted; orders to newly admitted counsellors and
attorneys to take and subscribe their oath; orders striking from the roll names of attorneys and counsellors who had been
convicted of crimes or who had committed other irregularities; and orders appointing commissioners to take affidavits to be
read in Supreme Court.
General rules of procedure adopted by the Supreme Court of Judicature are also entered in the minute books. (They are available
in published form.) The minutes also contain a few orders for proof of the wills of testators who left no heirs resident in
New York State, and for recording of the will by the clerk of a local court of record. These orders sometimes include the
text of the will proved and copies of affidavits of witnesses as to their own signatures and the competency of the testator.
The minute books prior to 1830 also include minutes of the engrossment of final concords or "fines" (conveyances of real property
executed and delivered in court), of the proclamation of the fine in court, and of the delivery of the upper part of the fine
to the demandant and the foot of the fine to the clerk for filing.
Most of the motions for special rules were "non-enumerated;" that is, they did not appear on the court calendar of causes
to be heard. The "enumerated" motions which did appear on the calendar were made for arrest or stay of judgment because of
a defect in the record; for setting aside a verdict, a non-suit, an inquisition, or a report (except for irregularity); and
for matters involving a special verdict (in which a jury found the facts but left it to the court to determine the law) or
bill of exceptions (taken by a plaintiff in a lower court), or a writ of error or writ of mandamus, or a "case" agreed to
by the parties, or demurrer to evidence or pleadings. Finally scattered through the minute books are orders setting terms
of circuit courts in each county.
Related Material
J1130 Rough Minute Books, contains the rough version of these engrossed minutes
J1011 Fines and Chirographs, contains records of court agreements settling legal actions concerning conveyance of real property
Other Finding Aids
Available at Repository
Each volume indexed beginning with Volume 9 (February 1824): alphabetical list of parties making a motion or submitting a
petition.
Series J2130, Index (Partial) to Minute Books (Albany).
Custodial History
The Court of Appeals placed these records on deposit at the Historical Documents Collection, Queens College, from 1973-1982.
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.
Access Terms
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Detailed Description
Dates |
Contents |
Box |
Accretion: J0130-82 |
1797-1802 |
1797 April - 1802 October |
1 |
1803-1807 |
1803 January - 1807 August |
2 |
1808-1811 |
1808 February - 1811 August |
3 |
1812-1814 |
1812 January - 1814 August |
4 |
1815-1816 |
1815 January - 1816 August |
5 |
1817-1818 |
1817 January - 1818 August |
5 |
1819 |
1819 January - October |
6 |
1820-1821 |
1820 January - 1821 August |
7 |
1822-1824 |
1822 January - 1824 February |
8 |
1824-1825 |
1824 October - 1825 October |
9 |
1826 |
1826 February - October |
10 |
1827 |
1827 February - October |
11 |
1828-1829 |
1828 February - 1829 October |
12 |
1830 |
1830 February - October |
13 |