Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807. Local government records collection, Sussex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Sussex County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807. Local government records collection, Sussex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807, deal with court matters relating primarily to civil cases involving debt. Rules are defined as "orders or directions made by a court regulating court practices or the actions of parties; also, a session of court." A docket is defined as "a brief formal record of proceedings in a court of justice; an entry of all acts in the conduct of a case, from inception to conclusion." In addition to judgments, these volumes also include commonwealth causes (criminal), chancery causes and orders. Each entry lists the name of the parties involved in the case, what the case involves and how the case proceeds through the various court sessions or rules--resulting in a decision. Rule Docket Book, 1785-1786 is unpaged and is found only on Microfilm Reel 336. The initials of the lawyer assigned the case are found in the far left column of both volumes. An index (A-Z) is found at the rear of Rule Docket Book, 1785-1807. The index is arranged, for the most part, alphabetically by the surname of the plaintiff as it appears in the volume and numbers 21 leaves. By September 1785, in Rule Docket Book 1785-1807, the status of the sheriff's return is noted. One of the sheriff's chief duties was as a law enforcement officer of the court.

Biographical / historical:

Sussex County was formed from Surry County by a statute adopted in 1753. The county court first met on 30 May 1754. The county was named for the English county.

The original court papers, from which these volumes were compiled, were created by the County Court.

Acquisition information:

Microfilm Reel 336 (Rule Docket Book, 1785-1786) was generated by a field operator, from the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Microfilm Section, while filming in the Sussex County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Rule Docket Book, 1785-1807, came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Sussex County.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 v. (102 p. and 114 leaves); 1 microfilm reel