PUBLIC "-//Library of Virginia//TEXT (US::Vi::vi03192::A Guide to the Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955)//EN" "vi03192.xml" A Guide to the Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955 Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955 Greg Crawford Library of Virginia © 2010 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

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Machine-readable finding aid derived from MARC record, created by Greg Crawford, 20 September 2010 Description is in English 2013-11-21 Converted to schema conforming EAD by dtd2schema.vh.xsl. A Guide to the Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955 A Collection in the Library of Virginia Greg Crawford

Library of Virginia 2010 Greg Crawford Library of Virginia Descriptive Summary The Library of Virginia Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955 Library of Virginia 113.2 cubic feet (250 boxes); 20 volumes English Chesterfield County (Va.) Circuit Court. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955. [insert series or volume title]. Local government records collection, Chesterfield County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Chesterfield County in an undated accession. One record came to the Library of Virginia in accession number 33513.

Processing Information

Prior to 2026, the judgement descriptive records were not standardized in their inclusion of contextual information or content lists. Local Records staff reviewed this record and have updated to current standards as of 2026.

The Chesterfield County Judgment of the College of William and Mary vs. John W. Tomlin, 1813 was previously described separately. This judgment is included in this record, but are still described separately in the Library catalog.

Encoded by G. Crawford: 2010; updated by J. Taylor: August 2026.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: Judgments are identified as civil suits, often involving debt, heard by a jury on the "law" side of the court as opposed to the "chancery" (or equity) side. Should the defendant not have funds to repay the debt, the court ordered their property (including enslaved people) to be seized and sold to repay the debt owed to the plaintiff. Judgments also contain suits brought by enslaved people seeking to gain their freedom.

In Judgments, an assumpsit or declaration (sometimes referred to as a narratio) lays out the plaintiff's grievance as a petition acted as a formal application to the court requesting judicial action. Judgment suits also generally included record types like subpoenas, summons, and exhibit. Judgments may also include additional documentations such as executions, bonds, and various kinds of writs.

Judgment suits make up a large quantity of a locality's records; consequently, they provide a great deal of information concerning the activities and interests of the people who lived in the locality. Since the vast majority of judgment suits relate to financial matters, they are a valuable resource in studying the economic and social history of Virginia localities and are the impotence for many chancery suits.

Locality History: Chesterfield County was named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth earl of Chesterfield, British statesman and diplomat, and was formed from Henrico County in 1749. The county seat is Chesterfield Court House. Part of Henrico County was added to Chesterfield in 1922.

Additional Judgment Types

Ejectments are a formal court order that declares the property owner to be the rightful owner of a piece of land or building and legally removes the unauthorized occupant. The court might also declare financial damages for the lost use of the property.

Office judgments are ruled on outside of a traditional court hearing by a court clerk, rather than a judge and usually occurs when a defendant failed to file a timely response.

 Scope and Content

Chesterfield County (Va.) Judgments, 1749-1955 contains civil cases in which justice was administered on the strictly formulated rules of common law. The majority of cases in this record series relate to matters of debt. These records consist of both processed and unprocessed loose records and several volumes.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three series: Series I: Judgments, 1749-1914 Series II: Unprocessed Judgments, 1769-1927 Series III: Judgment Volumes, 1809-1955

Adjunct Descriptive Data Related Material

Additional Chesterfield County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Contents List Judgments, 1749-1914 Library of Virginia 110.85 cubic feet (246 boxes)

This series is organized chronologically by year.

Dead Papers/Judgments 1749-1754 Dead Papers/Judgments 1755-1763 Dead Papers/Judgments 1763-1764 Dead Papers/Judgments 1764-1765 Dead Papers/Judgments 1765-1767 Dead Papers/Judgments 1767, 1769 Dead Papers/Judgments 1769-1770 Dead Papers/Judgments 1770-1771 Dead Papers/Judgments 1771-1772 Dead Papers/Judgments 1772 Dead Papers/Judgments 1773 Dead Papers/Judgments 1773-1774 Dead Papers/Judgments 1774 Dead Papers/Judgments 1775-1779 Dead Papers/Judgments 1779 Dead Papers/Judgments 1780-1783 Dead Papers/Judgments 1783-1784 Dead Papers/Judgments 1784 Dead Papers/Judgments 1784-1785 Dead Papers/Judgments 1785 Dead Papers/Judgments 1785-1786 Dead Papers/Judgments 1786 Dead Papers/Judgments 1786 Dead Papers/Judgments 1787 Dead Papers/Judgments 1787 Dead Papers/Judgments 1787-1788 Dead Papers/Judgments 1788 Dead Papers/Judgments 1788-1789 Dead Papers/Judgments 1789 Dead Papers/Judgments 1789-1790 Dead Papers/Judgments 1790 Dead Papers/Judgments 1790-1791 Dead Papers/Judgments 1791 Dead Papers/Judgments 1791 Dead Papers/Judgments 1791-1792 Dead Papers/Judgments 1792 Dead Papers/Judgments 1792 Dead Papers/Judgments 1792-1793 Dead Papers/Judgments 1793 Dead Papers/Judgments 1793-1794 Dead Papers/Judgments 1794 Dead Papers/Judgments 1794 Dead Papers/Judgments 1794-1795 Dead Papers/Judgments 1795 Dead Papers/Judgments 1795 Dead Papers/Judgments 1795 Dead Papers/Judgments 1795-1796 Dead Papers/Judgments 1796 Dead Papers/Judgments 1796 Dead Papers/Judgments 1796 Dead Papers/Judgments 1796-1797 Dead Papers/Judgments 1797 Dead Papers/Judgments 1797 Dead Papers/Judgments 1797 Dead Papers/Judgments 1797-1798 Dead Papers/Judgments 1798 Dead Papers/Judgments 1798 Dead Papers/Judgments 1798 Dead Papers/Judgments 1798 Dead Papers/Judgments 1799-1800 Dead Papers/Judgments 1799 Dead Papers/Judgments 1799 Dead Papers/Judgments 1799 Dead Papers/Judgments 1800 Dead Papers/Judgments 1800 Dead Papers/Judgments 1800-1801 Dead Papers/Judgments 1801 Dead Papers/Judgments 1801 Dead Papers/Judgments 1801-1802 Dead Papers/Judgments 1802 Dead Papers/Judgments 1802 Dead Papers/Judgments 1802 Dead Papers/Judgments 1803 Dead Papers/Judgments 1803 Dead Papers/Judgments 1803 Dead Papers/Judgments 1803-1804 Dead Papers/Judgments 1804 Dead Papers/Judgments 1804 Dead Papers/Judgments 1804 Dead Papers/Judgments 1804-1805 Dead Papers/Judgments 1805 Dead Papers/Judgments 1805 Dead Papers/Judgments 1805 Dead Papers/Judgments 1806 Dead Papers/Judgments 1806 Dead Papers/Judgments 1806 Dead Papers/Judgments 1806-1807 Dead Papers/Judgments 1807 Dead Papers/Judgments 1807 Dead Papers/Judgments 1807 Dead Papers/Judgments 1807-1808 Dead Papers/Judgments 1808 Dead Papers/Judgments 1808 Dead Papers/Judgments 1808 Dead Papers/Judgments 1808-1809 Dead Papers/Judgments 1809 Dead Papers/Judgments 1809 Dead Papers/Judgments 1809 Dead Papers/Judgments 1809-1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1810 Dead Papers/Judgments 1810 Dead Papers/Judgments 1810 Dead Papers/Judgments 1810-1811 Dead Papers/Judgments 1811 Dead Papers/Judgments 1811 Dead Papers/Judgments 1811 Dead Papers/Judgments 1811-1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1812 Dead Papers/Judgments 1812-1813 Dead Papers/Judgments 1813 Dead Papers/Judgments 1813 Dead Papers/Judgments - Oversize 1813, 1859, 1876 Dead Papers/Judgments 1813-1814 Dead Papers/Judgments 1813-1815

Included in these records is the suit of the College of William and Mary vs. John W. Tomlin from 1813. This suit was an ejectment suit involving property owned by the plaintiff in King William County and Tomlin was a tenant. College of William and Mary accused Tomlin of violating the rental agreement between the two by cutting trees for personal gain and failure to pay rent on schedule. The suit includes three indentures used as exhibits.

 Dead Papers/Judgments 1814 Dead Papers/Judgments 1814-1815 Dead Papers/Judgments 1815 Dead Papers/Judgments 1815-1816 Dead Papers/Judgments 1815-1816 Dead Papers/Judgments 1816 Dead Papers/Judgments 1816-1817 Dead Papers/Judgments 1816-1817 Dead Papers/Judgments 1817 Dead Papers/Judgments 1817 Dead Papers/Judgments 1817-1818 Dead Papers/Judgments 1817-1818 Dead Papers/Judgments 1818 Dead Papers/Judgments 1818 Dead Papers/Judgments 1818 Dead Papers/Judgments 1818-1819 Dead Papers/Judgments 1819 Dead Papers/Judgments 1819 Dead Papers/Judgments 1819 Dead Papers/Judgments 1819-1820 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820-1821 Dead Papers/Judgments 1820-1821 Dead Papers/Judgments 1821 Dead Papers/Judgments 1821 Dead Papers/Judgments 1821-1822 Dead Papers/Judgments 1821-1822 Dead Papers/Judgments 1822 Dead Papers/Judgments 1822-1823 Dead Papers/Judgments 1822-1823 Dead Papers/Judgments 1823 Dead Papers/Judgments 1823 Dead Papers/Judgments 1823-1824 Dead Papers/Judgments 1823-1824 Dead Papers/Judgments 1824 Dead Papers/Judgments 1824 Dead Papers/Judgments 1824-1825 Dead Papers/Judgments 1824-1826 Dead Papers/Judgments 1825-1826 Dead Papers/Judgments 1826 Dead Papers/Judgments 1826-1827 Dead Papers/Judgments 1826-1827 Dead Papers/Judgments 1827 Dead Papers/Judgments 1827-1828 Dead Papers/Judgments 1827-1828 Dead Papers/Judgments 1828 Dead Papers/Judgments 1828-1829 Dead Papers/Judgments 1828-1830 Dead Papers/Judgments 1829-1830 Dead Papers/Judgments 1830 Dead Papers/Judgments 1830-1831 Dead Papers/Judgments 1830-1831, undated Dead Papers/Judgments 1831-1832 Dead Papers/Judgments 1831-1834 Dead Papers/Judgments 1832-1833 Dead Papers/Judgments 1833-1834 Dead Papers/Judgments 1834-1836 Dead Papers/Judgments 1834-1836 Dead Papers/Judgments 1836-1837 Dead Papers/Judgments 1836-1838 Dead Papers/Judgments 1838 Dead Papers/Judgments 1838-1839 Dead Papers/Judgments 1838-1839 Dead Papers/Judgments 1840-1841 Dead Papers/Judgments 1840-1842 Dead Papers/Judgments 1840 Dead Papers/Judgments 1841 Dead Papers/Judgments 1841-1842 Dead Papers/Judgments 1842 Dead Papers/Judgments 1842-1843 Dead Papers/Judgments 1842-1843 Dead Papers/Judgments 1843-1844 Dead Papers/Judgments 1843-1845 Dead Papers/Judgments 1844-1845 Dead Papers/Judgments 1845-1846 Dead Papers/Judgments 1845-1846 Dead Papers/Judgments 1846-1847 Dead Papers/Judgments 1846-1848 Dead Papers/Judgments 1847-1849 Dead Papers/Judgments 1848-1850 Dead Papers/Judgments 1849-1850 Dead Papers/Judgments 1850-1851 Dead Papers/Judgments 1850-1852 Dead Papers/Judgments 1852-1855 Dead Papers/Judgments 1853-1854 Dead Papers/Judgments 1855-1856 Dead Papers/Judgments 1855-1856 Dead Papers/Judgments 1856-1857 Dead Papers/Judgments 1856-1858 Dead Papers/Judgments 1857-1858 Dead Papers/Judgments 1858-1859 Dead Papers/Judgments 1858-1859 Dead Papers/Judgments 1859-1860 Dead Papers/Judgments 1860-1861 Dead Papers/Judgments 1861-1866 Dead Papers/Judgments 1861-1867 Dead Papers/Judgments 1867-1868 Dead Papers/Judgments 1867-1868 Dead Papers/Judgments 1868-1869 Dead Papers/Judgments 1868-1870 Dead Papers/Judgments 1869-1871 Dead Papers/Judgments 1870-1871 Dead Papers/Judgments 1871-1873 Dead Papers/Judgments 1872-1873 Dead Papers/Judgments 1873-1874 Dead Papers/Judgments 1873-1875 Dead Papers/Judgments 1874-1875 Dead Papers/Judgments 1876-1877 Dead Papers/Judgments 1876-1881 Dead Papers/Judgments 1878-1880 Dead Papers/Judgments 1881-1883 Dead Papers/Judgments 1882-1888 Dead Papers/Judgments 1883 Dead Papers/Judgments 1884-1887 Dead Papers/Judgments 1887-1888, 1890 Dead Papers/Judgments 1889-1892 Dead Papers/Judgments 1891-1893 Dead Papers/Judgments 1893-1895 Dead Papers/Judgments 1893-1896 Dead Papers/Judgments 1896-1899 Dead Papers/Judgments 1897-1900 Satisfactions of Judgments 1899-1934 Dead Papers/Judgments 1900-1903 Dead Papers/Judgments 1901-1904 Dead Papers/Judgments 1903-1906 Dead Papers/Judgments 1907, 1909, 1911-1914 Unprocessed Judgments, 1769-1927 State Records Center 2.25 cubic feet(4 boxes)

All records in this record series are unprocessed and remain tri-folded within their original bundles; the bundles also include other court records, such as commonwealth causes, road and bridge records, tax and fiscal records, Overseers of the Poor, etc. Not all record types will be found in every bundle of papers. The contents of the boxes are not arranged in any particular order and dates may overlap between boxes. Some records may be fragile.

Judgments, executions, tax and fiscal 1769-1837 Judgments,criminal,dog licenses,etc 1812-1912 Judgments,school records,tax and fiscal 1825-1917 Court Records (Judgments, Criminal Records), Fiduciary Records, County Administrative Records (Board of Supervisors Records: Road and Bridge Records) 1835-1927 Judgment Volumes, 1809-1955 State Records Center 20 volumes Office Judgments [also, Rule Docket 1809-1827 Office Judgments [includes Chancery] 1827-1848 Justices' Judgment and Execution Book 1878-1907 Justices' Judgment and Execution Book 1908-1913 Justices' Judgment and Execution Book 1915-1923 Justices' Judgment and Execution Book 1923-1925 Justices' Judgment and Execution Book 1924-1926 Judgment Docket 1926-1933 Judgment Docket 1926-1942 Judgment Docket 1933-1939 Judgment Docket 1939-1941 Judgment Docket 1941-1945 Judgment Docket 1942-1950 Judgment Docket 1945-1948 Judgment Docket 1948-1950 Judgment Docket 1950-1951 Judgment Docket 1950-1953 Judgment Docket 1951-1953 Judgment Docket 1953-1954 Judgment Docket 1953-1955