Collections : [Montgomery County Circuit Court]

Montgomery County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1773-1938, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

Montgomery County (Va.) Bonds/Commissions/Oaths, 1800-1949 contains miscellaneous bonds and oaths. Bonds are obligations or covenants between persons, made binding by a money guarantee. Bonds are given for various causes. They show the names of the principal and sureties, the date, amount and condition of the obligation, and signatures. Person receiving commissions to serve as officials in the county or city governments provided a bond for their service.

Montgomery County (Va.) Common Law and Judgments, 1772-1993, contains civil cases in which justice was administered on the strictly formulated rules of common law. The majority of the cases in this record series relate to matters of debt. This collection may also contain criminal and other court records.

Montgomery County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1822-1911, 1924-1946 are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious manner, or died without medical attendance. Causes of death found in coroners' inquisitions include murder, infanticide, suicide, domestic violence, exposure to elements, drownings, train accidents, automobile accidents, and natural causes, or as commonly referred to in the 19th century, "visitation by God." Documents commonly found in coroners' inquests include the inquisition, depositions, and summons. Criminal papers such as recognizance bonds can be found in coroner inquisitions. Information found in the inquisition include the name of the coroner , the names of the jurors, the name and age of the deceased if known, gender and race of the deceased, and when, how, and by what means the deceased came to his or her death. If the deceased was African American, the inquest would identify the deceased as a slave or free person if known. If the deceased was a slave, the inquest would include, if known, the name of the slaveowner and the slaveowner's residence. Information found in the depositions includes the name of the deponent and his or her account of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased. Slaves were deponents in coroner investigations.

Montgomery County (Va.) County Administrative and Board of Supervisors Records, 1778-1938 (non-inclusive) consist of claims involving county funds and projects for the years predating the creation of the Board of Supervisors. The collection also contains the actual records of the Board of Supervisors. County Courts were responsible for the creation and maintenance of the road and bridges in their county. The Court accepted or rejected petitions to create new roads, alter existing roads, or to discontinue roads. They accepted or rejected petitions to build new bridges, replace old bridges, or make repair to existing bridges. The County Government paid for the creation, the alterations, the repairs or replacement of the roads and bridges.

Montgomery County (Va.) Criminal Records, 1750-1993 include 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.

Montgomery County (Va.) Election Records, 1800-1980. These records are not indexed.

Montgomery County (Va.) Executions, 1800-1914, are court orders directing a sheriff, or other officer, to enforce a judgment usually by seizing and selling the judgment debtors' property. Original file drawer numbers from file cabinets retained.

Montgomery County (Va.) Fiduciary Records and Wills, 1775-1973 includes Estate papers, 1775-1840, Vouchers , 1800s, Estate and Administrator Bonds, 1773-1873, Wills and Appraisements, 1815-1873, Settlements, 1888-1973, and Inheritance tax reports, 1921-1924. Estate papers and Estate and Administrator Bonds include some material from Fincastle County. Settlement papers includes inheritance tax certificates.

Montgomery County (Va.) Health and Medical Records, 1805-1968 consists of records previously described as Lunacy Papers. These records pertain to the legal determination of whether an individual was deemed unfit to handle their own affairs based on inebriety, insanity or other mental incompetence. It often includes the records of appointment and administration of a guardian.