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Cases
Habeas petitions described a broad range of carceral, institutional, and interpersonal confinement over the long nineteenth century, including those used to demand due process, resist enslavement, challenge child removal and reservation confinement, avoid deportation, present child custody claims and protest child marriage, and to challenge institutionalization and detention in private and state institutions. As a legal mechanism borrowed from British common law and guaranteed as a civil right in US federal and state constitutions, habeas provides a lens on a diverse community of legal actors.
Our encoding practice allows us to identify petitions in these three categories and to indicate where those categories overlap. In addition to these three general categories, our team has identified the specific carceral charge being challenged as well as the particular forms of institutional and interpersonal confinements being questioned.
You may also browse or search petitions by location and/or jurisdiction to learn more about the myriad complaints petitioners brought before judges in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington between 1812 and 1924. Each case entry includes a full citation, a summary, links to people with a role in the case, a list of other people named, and any sites of significance. Visitors wanting access to full case files can contact the cited repository for information about obtaining copies. Those without institutional affiliations may request image scans from Dr. Jagodinsky directly. The Glossary defines the attributes used to structure data from the habeas petitions. The Code Book explains the relational structure of the data and functionality of the database website.
Featured story: The Habeas Corpus and Divorce Proceedings of Katie Mayes
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State
- Nebraska 31
- Washington 25
Petition Subtype
- Carceral 56
- Carceral: contempt of court 2
- Carceral: no charge 2
- Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term 2
- Carceral: cause unspecified 1
- Carceral: fugitive from justice 1
- Carceral: gambling 1
- Carceral: grand larceny 1
- Carceral: immigration 1
- Carceral: parole violation 1
- Carceral: statutory rape 1
- Carceral: vagrancy 1
- carceral: Violation of White Slave Traffic Act 1
- Interpersonal: divorce 1
Sex of Bound Party
- Male 36
- Female 11
- Unindicated 4
Court Name
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha Nebraska) 27
- King County Superior Court (Seattle Washington) 16
- Us District Court For The Western District Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 4
- Gage County District Court (Beatrice Nebraska) 3
- Third Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 2
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- United States District Court Western District Of Washington Northern Division (Walla Walla Washington) 1
- Us District Court For The Northern District Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 1
- Us District Court For The Omaha Division Of The District Of Nebraska (Omaha Nebraska) 1
Repository
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska) 26
- Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington) 18
- History Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebraska) 15
- National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington) 6
- Gage County District Court (Beatrice, Nebraska) 3
- National Archives and Records Administration, Kansas City (Kansas City, Kansas) 1
Points of Law Cited
- Act of Congress approved June 21, 1902, Sec. 1, 2, and amendment of April 27, 1906 Act of Congress approved June 21, 1910 National Banking Act An Act to Parle United States Prisoners, and for other purposes, approved June 25, 1910, Sec. 2-10 Sec. 4 of the Act of March 3, 1891 Federal Statutes, Vol. 6, Sec. 40 1
- Act of Congress approved June 21, 1902, Sec. 1, 2, and amendment of April 27, 1906 Act of Congress approved June 25, 1910, Sec. 2-10 Parole Law (vol. 1 Supp. 1912 Fed. Stat. Ann., p. 304) Commutation Law (vol. 6 Fed. Stat. Ann., p. 41, as Amended April 27, 1906, Supp. 1909, p. 529) Section 3, 6, 10 of the Parole Act National Banking Act 1
- Enabling Act of 1889 1
- Revised Statutes of Nebraska 1913 Sec. 8874 1
- Sec. 1042 Revised Statutes of the United States Law of 1878 1
- Section 16, Chapter 186, Laws of Nebraska 1917 as amended by Section 16, Chapter 156, Laws of Nebraska, 1921 (Section Laws 1921, Page 639) 1
- Treaty between the Indian Tribes and the United States made the second day of January, 1855, at Point Elliot, Washington Territory 1
- White-Slavery Act (Mann Act); The Immigration Act of March 26, 1910 (36 Stat. 264); United States v. Sibray, 178 Fed., 148, 149; 36 CYC., p.1118; People vs. Chicago, 152 Ill. App., 546-552; 38 N.E., 746; U. S. v. Williams, 200 Fed., 541-2; U. S. v. Williams, 189 Fed., 917; Frick vs. Lewis, 195 Fed., 696; U. S. vs. Martin, 193 Fed., 797 - 8; Ex parte Saraceno, 182 Fed., 957; Ex parte Patterson, 166 Fed., 539; Chin Yow v. U. S., 208 U.S., 11; Ex parte Long Lock, 173 Fed., 208; Yamataya v. Fisher, 189 U.S., 86; 47 Law Ed., 721; In re Unlawful Detention of Mullah Singh and Seventy-two other Hindu Aliens, Case No. 2532; Ekiu v. United States, 142 U.S., 651; 35 Law Ed., 1146; United States v. Ju Toy, 198 U.S., 253; Lee Moon Sing v. United States, 158 U.S.538; Du Bruler v. Gallo, 184 Fed., 566, at 569; Williams v. U. S., 186 Fed., 479; Sinis Calchi v. Thomas, 195 Fed., 701; United States v. Williams, 175 Fed., 274; Holy Trinity vs. U.S., 143 United States, 457; William Williams vs. United States, ex rel Antonios Bougaris, 186 Fed., 479; The Japanese case in 189 U.S. page 87; Fou Yue Tin vs. United States, 149 U. S. 698; 13 Sup. Ct. 1016; 37 L. Ed. 905; United States vs. Sibray, 178 Fed. pp. 148 and 149; 39 L. Ed. 1085 1
People
- Smith, Robert (Clerk) 20
- Steere Jr., Asel (Deputy) 10
- Clark, Michael L. 9
- Clark, Michael L. (sheriff) 7
- Redick, William A. 7
- Sears, Willis G. 7
- Briggs, John 5
- Cushman, Edward E. 5
- O'Keefe, T. J. (Y. J.) 5
- Bell, William R. 4
- Fitzgerald, James M. (James J.) 4
- Leslie, Charles 4
- Shotwell, Abel V. 4
- Sullivan, John J. 4
- Van Duesen, Charles H. (Van Deusen) 4
- Beal, Henry (county attorney) 3
- Crosby, Frank L. (Clerk) 3
- Cudihee, Edward (Cudahee) 3
- Foster, W. A. 3
- Halligan, O. P. 3
- Humes, Thomas J. 3
- Morearty, J. F. (Notary Public) 3
- Reed, Charles S. (Reid) 3
- Brewster, J. M. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- Beyer, F. W. (Berger) 2
- De Bruler, Ellis 2
- Dempsey, Michael F. 2
- Dunn, Henry W. 2
- Dunn, John T. (John J. Dunn) 2
- Eberstein, Marshall 2
- Ellington, E. C. (deputy clerk) 2
- Endres, M. L. (sheriff) 2
- Estelle, Lee S. 2
- Fishburne, George P. 2
- Foster, W. A. (deputy) 2
- Hanford, Cornelius Holgate 2
- Harshberger, F. M. (deputy) 2
- Hoye, Charles W. (deputy) 2
- Hunter, Richard C. (R. C. ) 2
- Jackson, Andrew 2
- Jacobs, Orange 2
- Koepfli, C. A. (Clerk) 2
- Koepfli, C. A. (Clerk); Corcoran, William (Deputy); Cudihee, Edward (Sheriff) 2
- Lichtenberg, Isaac J. (Charles Westerfield) 2
- Marcil, James A. (Marcel) 2
- McGraw, John Harte (J. A. McGraw) 2
- Moore, Frank E. (clerk) 2
- Sims, Frank E. 2
- Steere, Asel Jr. (deputy) 2
- Troupe, A. C. (Troup) 2
- Welch, P. J. (Deputy) 2
- Woolery, James H. 2
- No Label 1
- Algar, F.C. (Surety) 1
- Bentick (first name unclear, notary) 1
- Haines, J.C. (Initial attorney for gambling). 1
- Holloway, George M. (clerk); Pidduck, Thomas H. (Deputy Clerk); Ballard, C. J. (Deputy, unclear); 1
- Moore, William Hickman (Witness). 1
- Mr. Cave (first name unknown 1
- Piddeaux, Thomas (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Stanley, George (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Agee, A. C. (deputy) 1
- Alexsa, Joseph 1
- Aliemie, C. E. (Notary Public) 1
- Allen, Clay 1
- Allen, Frank Jr. (deputy) 1
- Anderson, Bertha (witness/victim) 1
- Anderson, George W. 1
- Armstrong, H. 1
- Arnstein, Sigmund 1
- Ashlyn, Mildred 1
- Baldwin, John N. (John W.) 1
- Bannick, Claude George (Claud) 1
- Banta, Isaac 1
- Barnes, John B (Notary) 1
- Benson, E. D. 1
- Berger, John M. 1
- Bernstein, Jack (Anderson's employer); 1
- Bird, Charles 1
- Bird, Josephine (Jack Lewis) 1
- Black Jr., A. L. (Commissioner) 1
- Blackburn, T. 1
- Blackford, Ellison 1
- Bloom, Amy K. 1
- Bostwick, Harrison 1
- Bowes, H. H. 1
- Boyd, John F. 1
- Brady, Thomas E. 1
- Brady, Thomas E. (Notary Public) 1
- Britt, C. W. 1
- Brockway, Earl B. 1
- Brome, 1
- Brown, J. W. (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Bruce, S. M. 1
- Bruin, George W. (notary public) 1
- Brum., Alex (notary public) 1
- Burleigh, Andrew Faulk 1
- Bush, J. E. 1
- Casking, M. H. (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Clark, Michael L. Clark (sheriff); 1
56 results
Download JSON Download CSVIn the matter of the application of P. H. McNamara for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 19, 1889
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of H. T. Thomas for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 7, 1890
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Maria Miller for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 7, 1891
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of J.H. Foster for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 2, 1889
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: gambling
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of L. M. Hunter for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 20, 1892
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of William Prido for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 18, 1892
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of William Shooks for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 12, 1893
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: contempt of court
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the application of Frank Dupree for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 30, 1894
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: grand larceny
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Howard Litz for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 10, 1895
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Sigmund Arnstein for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 29, 1895
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of application for Habeas Corpus for Jay Roy
- Earliest record date: May 3, 1898
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In Re Habeas Corpus of D. B. Davidson
- Earliest record date: August 29, 1898
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re application of Adam Treger for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 14, 1899
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Edward Ladd for writ of Habeas Corpus Case No:34690
- Earliest record date: February 11, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: fugitive from justice
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Frances Palmer for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 18, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Petition of Frank E. Sims for Habeaus Corpus for F. W. Beyer
- Earliest record date: December 10, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Petition of Frank E. Sims for Habeaus Corpus for F. W. Beyer
- Earliest record date: December 10, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Jeannie Du Bois for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 26, 1903
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of James O'Donnell for writ Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 2, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: divorce | Carceral
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
Nick Mordavick, Plaintiff, vs. Joseph R. H. Jacoby, as Marshall of the above named District, Defendant
- Earliest record date: April 21, 1912
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
Habeas Corpus of William Young against Edward Cudihee as "Sheriff"
- Earliest record date: January 28, 1913
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released on bail
Habeas Corpus of H. Segawa against Claude Bannick Chief of Police
- Earliest record date: February 8, 1913
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of J. A. Marcil for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 21, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: parole violation
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
Application of James A. Marcil for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 21, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re: E. Stubley on Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 1, 1909
- Petition type(s): Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term | Carceral
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Charles Bird - and Josephine Bird, also known as Jack Lewis, by Irene Steward, petitioner for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 6, 1916
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of George H. Harris for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 28, 1916
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the Application of Glen Hull for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 22, 1917
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In re application of Henry Peterson for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 30, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Joseph Alexa for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 13, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re appl’n Joe Ronneburg for writ Habeas Corpus vs. Marshall Eberstern Chief of Police, John Brigss Chief of Detectives, Captain Vanous, Captain of Police of Omaha
- Earliest record date: October 3, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re application of Joe Petrovick for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re application of Kate Petrovick for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re application of John Larkovich, as known as, John Karkovich for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re application of Mary Larkovich known as Mary Karkovich for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of R.E. Wilkinson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 10, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of application of Cloid J. Wilson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 29, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of Thomas Sullivan on writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 13, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: statutory rape
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re application of Mildred Ashlyn for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 8, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Gordon Wells for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 2, 1920
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In re Petition of Joseph Menzies by Frank H. Kelley, his attorney, for Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 22, 1920
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: contempt of court
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Amos Milling for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 15, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Thomas Wyatt Robinson and Bessie Kraus for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 13, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
On the Matter of the Application of Susie Hunter for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 19, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of application of Fred Sledge for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 19, 1922
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of application of George Painter for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 18, 1922
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Carl Fisher for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 12, 1922
- Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: no charge
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Edgar I. Fuller for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 27, 1922
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Anna Nocita for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 3, 1923
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of application of Philmore David and Ellison Blackford for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 20, 1923
- Petition type(s): Carceral
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
