Case Summary

Gerasimos Nicolovinis, the petitioner, was born in Kalovata, Kepal, Greece, in 1892 and moved to the United States in 1910. Nicolovinis was drafted, but because of his lack of understanding of English and knowing the facts, he failed to make a claim of exemption and is certified by the Local Board No. 2 as a deserter. Afterward, he was apprehended and taken in front of the board and then put into custody at Camp Lewis and inducted into the army. The petitioner stated he was being restrained from his liberty because he was an alien and not subject to the draft. The petition was dismissed with prejudice, reasoning not included in case files.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Institutional

Petition subtype(s)

• Seeking exemption from draft

Sites of significance

• National Army Camp at American Lake, Camp Lewis (Lakewood, Washington)

Outcome

Writ denied

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody

Case Citation

Citation: RG 21 U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of the Western District of Washington Civil, Criminal, Admiralty, and Bankruptcy Case Files, 1890-1950, No. 2467

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 6 and 10 pages

Repository(s)

• National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington)

State

• Washington

Point(s) of law cited

Selective Service Law

Tag(s)

• Military

People

• Fishburne, George P. (respondent attorney)
• Cross, A. Emerson (petitioner attorney)
• Cushman, Edward E. (judge)
• Nicolovinis, Gerasimos (petitioner)
• Nicolovinis, Gerasimos (bound party)
• Rase, Fredrick H. (holding party)

• Additional parties

  Chinn, Grace (notary public)