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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.

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Petition Subtype : Carceral: immigration

92 results

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In the Matter of the restraint of Gee Lee and other Chinamen

  • Earliest record date: February 7, 1886
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Yu Gum and Yu Hung for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 7, 1886
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Ah Sing For a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 25, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Wong Sam et al. for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 10, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus by certain Chinamen, whose names are hereafter written

  • Earliest record date: October 11, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Wah Ni for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 11, 1892
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | deported

In the Matter of the Application of Soo Hoo Wing for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 3, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Order of discharge | released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of Moy Wah for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 22, 1892
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Moy Chong for a Writ of Habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 10, 1892
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Yvonne LeFevre, Marie LeFevre, and Georgette Normand for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 11, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: public charge | Institutional: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail | deported | jumped bail

In Re: Petition of Ham Hung Wah by Tom Sing for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 3, 1904
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Berl Bernard for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 3, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of application of Jenny Degauy for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 3, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Yuzuoka Mutsu for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 18, 1910
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: deportation | Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | deported

In the matter of the application of Nitta Yoshitone For Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 20, 1907
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Nahagawal Hatsu For Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 20, 1907
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Application of Mori Tsuchine For Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 29, 1906
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Ben Wa, for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Tung Kee

  • Earliest record date: July 9, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: deportation | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Marie Miller

  • Earliest record date: January 7, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of the Unlawful Detention of Seventy-Six Hindus.

  • Earliest record date: October 8, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Antonia Bisegna for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 14, 1908
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: public charge | Carceral: immigration | Carceral: moral turpitude
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Harry Gong for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Yut Yow

  • Earliest record date: November 4, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of application of K. Gregory, et al. for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 20, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of the application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Gwoo Shee Ah Look

  • Earliest record date: November 4, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Celia Berg O'Neill for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 14, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In Re Osip on Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 30, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Petition denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Marie Robina Grayson for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 14, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of CHIN HING, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus.

  • Earliest record date: September 28, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Petition of William Gerald for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 13, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: smuggling | Carceral: immigration | Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Ng Key Tung for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 17, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of Henri Dachez on Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 14, 1877
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied | writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Gussie Goldman Woods for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 13, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Elsie Miller Dickinson for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 13, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of Chin Quock Wah for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 14, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Chin Sheung Wing for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 25, 1915
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Ng Kwack Kang for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 10, 1915
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of the application of Tom Berbilis for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 2, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: violation of Mann Act/White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of William Gerald on Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 1, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term | Carceral: smuggling
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Chin Wah Hing, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Chin Doe Tung

  • Earliest record date: July 7, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Sam Plastino for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 25, 1911
  • Petition type(s): carceral: Violation of White Slave Traffic Act | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Yo You Jam, for a writ of habeas corpus.

  • Earliest record date: August 4, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Kunijiro Toguchi for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 6, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Joseph Hansen for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 14, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Charles Jackson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 19, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Carl Berg for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 15, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property | Carceral: public charge | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Martin DeWall for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 13, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Edwin Ekstrom, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 14, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property | Carceral: Violation of Immigration Act of 1917 | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Tom Weber, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 29, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property | Carceral: Violation of Immigration Act of 1917 | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Mike Oumpu, for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 29, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property | Carceral: Violation of Immigration Act of 1917 | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Frank Sulak, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 29, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property | Carceral: Violation of Immigration Act of 1917 | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown
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