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In the matter of the application of Thomas Francis Smiley, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

August 13, 1917 - July 18, 1918

Filed before the Lancaster County District Court (Lincoln, Nebraska)

Case ID: hc.case.ne.0698

Case Summary

Vera Baker petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus to retrieve Thomas Smiley from the custody of William and Pearl Smiley, which was granted. At the hearing, counsel for the petitioner requested a recess to gather evidence in support of the "character of the home of the petitioner and its surroundings," which was also granted. At a second hearing six months later, the court denied the writ and remanded Thomas to the custody of the Smileys. Vera twice excepted to this judgement, but nothing came of her efforts.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

  • Interpersonal

Petition subtype(s)

  • Interpersonal

Outcome

Writ denied

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody

Case Citation

RG207 Lancaster County Subgroup 9: Series 3 Appearance Docket L, p. 171; RG207 Lancaster County Subgroup 9: Series 4 Daily Journal #72: April 1917-Feb. 1918, pp. 269, 272; RG207 Lancaster County Subgroup 9: Series 4 Daily Journal #74: Feb. 1918-Jan 1919, pp. 39, 43, 432

Source material(s)

Docket | Journal

Repository(s)

State

  • Nebraska

People

Citation

Katrina Jagodinsky, Cory Young, Andrew Varsanyi, Laura Weakly, Karin Dalziel, William Dewey, Erin Chambers, Greg Tunink. “In the matter of the application of Thomas Francis Smiley, for a writ of Habeas Corpus.” Petitioning for Freedom: Habeas Corpus in the American West, 1812-1924, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Accessed November 23, 2024. https://petitioningforfreedom.unl.edu/cases/item/hc.case.ne.0698

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