{"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Petersburg+%28Va.%29+Commonwealth+Causes+Ended%2C+1786-1938+%28bulk+1823-1859%29\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Collection","last":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Petersburg+%28Va.%29+Commonwealth+Causes+Ended%2C+1786-1938+%28bulk+1823-1859%29\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Collection\u0026page=1"},"meta":{"pages":{"current_page":1,"next_page":null,"prev_page":null,"total_pages":1,"limit_value":10,"offset_value":0,"total_count":1,"first_page?":true,"last_page?":true}},"data":[{"id":"vi_vi02629","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)","creator":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi02629#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi02629#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi02629#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi02629","ead_ssi":"vi_vi02629","_root_":"vi_vi02629","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi02629","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi02629.xml","title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"text":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)","1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605","16 boxes","There are no restrictions.","Boxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.","Boxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.","The remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records.","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.","Additional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.","Warrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.","Summonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.","An indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"","Verdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death.","There are no restrictions.","Library of Virginia","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"collection_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605"],"unitid_tesim":["1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court"],"creator_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court"],"access_terms_ssm":["There are no restrictions."],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Petersburg under the accession number 37622."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":["16 boxes"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions."],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eBoxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eBoxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement"],"arrangement_tesim":["Boxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.","Boxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.","The remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information"],"bioghist_tesim":["Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859). Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"prefercite_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859). Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA730\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eWarrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eSummonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eAn indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eVerdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death.   \n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.","Warrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.","Summonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.","An indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"","Verdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e\n      "],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":15,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-08-14T22:25:16.129Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi02629","ead_ssi":"vi_vi02629","_root_":"vi_vi02629","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi02629","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi02629.xml","title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"text":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)","1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605","16 boxes","There are no restrictions.","Boxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.","Boxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.","The remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records.","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.","Additional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.","Warrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.","Summonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.","An indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"","Verdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death.","There are no restrictions.","Library of Virginia","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"collection_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859)"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605"],"unitid_tesim":["1152181-1152187, 0007807132-0007807140, 1046884, 1046930, 1046931, 1046936, 1046937, 1046960, 1046994, 1046995, 1047005, 1047007, 1047035, 1047082, 1183604, 1183605"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court"],"creator_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court"],"access_terms_ssm":["There are no restrictions."],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Petersburg under the accession number 37622."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":["16 boxes"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions."],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eBoxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eBoxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement"],"arrangement_tesim":["Boxes 1-7 are arranged chronologically.","Boxes 8-16 contain commonwealth causes pertaining to free and enslaved persons, and are arranged chronologically.","The remaining collection is unprocessed. The commonwealth causes are filed in bundles with other record types such as judgments, tax and fiscal records, and fiduciary records."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information"],"bioghist_tesim":["Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties.  A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck.  The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry.  Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784.  In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg.  It was incorporated as a city in 1850.  Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859). Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"prefercite_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859). Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA730\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional court records for Petersburg can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eWarrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eSummonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eAn indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","\u003cp\u003eVerdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death.   \n\u003c/p\u003e\n    "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Commonwealth Causes Ended, 1786-1938 (bulk 1823-1859) are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, indictments, and verdicts handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from murder, rape, assault and battery, and larceny to tax evasion and slander. Criminal offenders and victims who appear in cases prior to the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865 included both free and enslaved persons.","Warrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to \"keep the peace of the Commonwealth\" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.","Summonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.","An indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as \"presentments.\"","Verdicts are the formal pronouncements made by juries on issues submitted to them by a judge or other law enforcement official. In the case of a guilty verdict, a judge will sentence the offender. Sentences may include a fine, corporal punishment, and/or imprisonment.\nCoroners also submitted verdicts such as \"death by suicide,\" \"death by natural causes,\" etc. when determining the cause of a suspicious or sudden death."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n      "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e\n      "],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":15,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-08-14T22:25:16.129Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi02629"}}],"included":[{"type":"facet","id":"repository_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Repository","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Library of Virginia","value":"Library of Virginia","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Petersburg+%28Va.%29+Commonwealth+Causes+Ended%2C+1786-1938+%28bulk+1823-1859%29\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Collection\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/repository_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Petersburg+%28Va.%29+Commonwealth+Causes+Ended%2C+1786-1938+%28bulk+1823-1859%29\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Collection"}},{"type":"facet","id":"collection_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Collection","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Petersburg (Va.) 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