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Home > Collections > Court Records 1684-1966
COURT RECORDS 1684-1966
Indictments, case
files, docket books.
The Municipal Archives has the most comprehensive
collection of records pertaining to the administration
of criminal justice in the English-speaking world. There
is a record, at least in summary form, of every felony
prosecution in Manhattan from 1684 to 1966. For the
period after 1790, there are indictment papers and case
files for every felony arrest. Every misdemeanor and
violation is recorded in docket books that date back
to 1800.
The major series are New York County Court of General
Sessions, Minutes of the Sessions, 1684-1920; indictment
files, 1790-1938 (also identified as District Attorney
indictment papers); Police Court/Magistrate's Court
docket books, 1799-1930; papers filed in dismissed cases,
1807-1856; Court of Special Sessions, calendar of prisoners,
1829-1839. Kings County Criminal Court indictment records
1894-1965 (with gaps); Kings County Special Sessions
(Bastardy proceedings) 1926-1936; Richmond County Special
Sessions (Bastardy proceedings) 1899-1939. Civil court
records include Kings County "Papers in Suits" (papers
related to civil actions) 1847-1873. New York County
Surrogate's Court, estate inventories 1780s-1830s and
insolvent assignments (bankruptcy), 1800-1830.
COLLECTION STATUS:
Most court records are arranged
chronologically. Each volume of the Minutes of the Court
of General Sessions is self-indexed by name of defendant.
The Municipal Archives created a database of General
Sessions indictment files 1879-1893; it can be searched
by name or crime. The New York County District Attorney
Record of Cases, 1895-1966, is an alphabetical list
of defendants that can be used to locate court records
for that period (see District Attorney Records). The
estate inventories are arranged alphabetically and there
is a two-volume name index to the insolvent assignments.
With major assistance from the National Endowment for
the Humanities, the Municipal Archives has microfilmed
most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century criminal
court records.
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