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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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Filter by:
State
- Nebraska 12
- Washington 12
- Oregon 4
- Missouri 1
Petition Subtype
- Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine 29
- Carceral: drug use 3
- Carceral: opium use 3
- Carceral: peddling without a license 3
- Carceral: selling liquor without a license 3
- Carceral: municipal violation 2
- Carceral: using obscene language in the presence of women 2
- Carceral: vagrancy 2
- Carceral: assault 1
- Carceral: assault and battery 1
- Carceral: bastardy 1
- Carceral: breaking and entering 1
- Carceral: disturbing the peace 1
- Carceral: hog theft 1
- Carceral: keeping a house of ill repute 1
- Carceral: larceny 1
- Carceral: prostitution 1
- Carceral: selling tobacco 1
- Carceral: selling trade stamps without a licence 1
- Carceral: subornation of perjury 1
- Carceral: violation of city ordinance 1
- Carceral: violation of injunction 1
Sex of Bound Party
- Male 26
- Female 3
- Unindicated 2
Race of Bound Party
- Unindicated 23
- Asian 3
- Chinese 1
- Indigenous 1
Court Name
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha Nebraska) 8
- Third Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 7
- Marion County Circuit Court (Salem Oregon) 4
- Adams County Court (Hastings Nebraska) 1
- First Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Colfax Washington) 1
- King County Superior Court (Seattle Washington) 1
- Second Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Tacoma Washington) 1
- St Louis County Law Commissioners Court (St Louis Missouri) 1
- Us Circuit Court For The Omaha Division Of The District Of Nebraska (Omaha Nebraska) 1
- Us District Court For The North Platte Division Of The District Of Nebraska (North Platte Nebraska) 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
- Us District Court For The Western District Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 1
Repository
- Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington) 8
- History Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebraska) 7
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska) 4
- Oregon State Archives (Salem, Oregon) 4
- National Archives and Records Administration, Kansas City (Kansas City, Kansas) 3
- National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington) 2
- Missouri State Archives-St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri) 1
- Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch (Cheney, WA) (Cheney, Washington) 1
- Washington State Archives, Southwest Regional Branch (Olympia, WA) (Olympia, Washington) 1
Points of Law Cited
- Ex parte Royal 117 U.S. 241 2
- “An act for the support and maintenance of illegitimate children,” 1897 Statutes of Nebraska, Ch. 37, Sec. 1 1
- 2 N.E. 29.; Commonwealth v. Emerson, 165 Mass. 146; Common v. Sisson, 60 NE 385; City of Chicago v. Netcher, 183 Ill. 104 1
- 32 L. R. A. 659 1
- 43 N. E. 624; Eden v. People, 160 Ill. 296 1
- 43 N.E. 1108; Bailey v. People, 109 Ill. 28 1
- 43 N.E. 1108; Ex-parte Frank, 52 Cal. 606, (28 Am. Rep.); Huzo v. San Francisco, 33 Cal. 143; Argenti v. San Francisco, 16 Cal. 282; Wallace v. San Jose, 29 Cal. 180; Dillon on Mun. Corp. sec. 55, et seq.; Fleetwood v. Read, 21 Washington, p. 547; Pierce’s Code: Section 3732, pg. 596; 1
- 48 L. R. A. 261 1
- 49 L. R. A. 181 1
- 5 N.E. 707; State of Missouri ex rel. Wyatt v. Ashbrook, 48 L. R. A. 265; State of Rhode Island v. Dalton, 48 L. R. A. 775; Long v. State of Maryland, 12 L. R. A. 425; Stockton Laundry Case, in re Tie Loy (C. C. Cal.) 26 Fed. Rep. 611; Sam Kee, 31 Fed. 680 1
- 54 L. R. A. 838 1
- 57 N. E. 41; Ex-parte McKenna, 126 Cal. 429 1
- 58 Pac. Rep. 916; City of Tacoma v. Krech, 15 W. 296 Covington & L. Turnpike Road Co. v. Sandford, 164 U. S. 578 1
- 60 N.E. 98; Railroad Company v. Husen, 95 U.S. 465; St. Louis Ry. Co. v. Gill, 156 U. S. 649 1
- 623; Mugler v. Kansas, 123 U. S. 661 Ex-parte Leo Jentzsch, 32 L. R. A. 664 Eden v. People, 161 Ill. 296 1
- 6th Amendment: Right to counsel 1
- 7 N.E. 631; Munn v. Illinois, 94 U. S. 113; Shaver v. Pennsylvania Co. 71 Fed. 931; 86 Ohio Laws, p. 149; Re: Wiltshire, 103 Fed. 620 1
- Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution 1
- Book 39 L. R. A. 567; People ex. Rel Madden v. Dycker, 76 N. Y. Supp’t 111; Ruhstrat v. People, 185 Ill. 133 1
- Book 41 L.C.P. Co. 560; Bessette v. People, (Ill.) 62 N.E. 215; Millett v. People, 117 Ill. 294 1
- Boyce v. Tabb, 18 Wall. 547, 21: 757 1
- Brooklyn City, etc. R.R. Co. V. Nat. Bank of Republic, 102 US 14, 26:62 1
- Carpenter v. Providence Washington Insurance Co. 16 Pet 495 10: 1044 1
- Carroll v. Carroll, 16 How. 275, 14: 936; Louisville & N.R.R. Co. v. Palmes, 169 U.S. 244, 27:922; Wright v. Nagle, 101 U.S. 791, 25: 921; Jefferson Branch Bank v. Skelly, 1 Black, 436, 17: 173; Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 30: 220; Olcott v. Fond du Lac County, 16 Wall. 678, 21: 382; State v. Mitchell, 53 Atl. 887; City of Springfield v. Jacobs, 73 S. W. Rep. 1097; Gast v. Buckley, 64 S. W. Rep. 632; Thurlow Medical Company v. City of Salem, N.J., 50 Atl. 475; State (Margalies prosecutor) v. City of Atlantic City, N.J., 50 Atl. 367; People v. Gillson, 109 N. Y. 390; People v. Gillson, 17 N. Y. 343; New York Acts c. 691, 1887, amendatory of Pen. Code 335a; People v. Marx, 99 N. Y. 377 1
- Chapter 21 of the Revised Ordinances of the Village of Bayard, Nebraska, passed and approved June 26, 1917 1
- Chicago v. Robbin, 2 Black, 418, 17: 298 1
- City of Seattle, Ordinance 6036; T.J. Fleetwood v. Read, 21 Wash, page 547; W.C. Stull v. JP DeMattos, et al. 23 Wash. Page 71; City of Seattle v. R. W. Barto, 31 Wash, page 141; Venice v. Murdock, 92 US 494, 23: 583 1
- Cook v. Hart, 146 U.S. 183 1
- Delmas v. Merchants Mat Ins. Co. 14 Wall 661, 20: 757 1
- Eaton v. State of West Virginia, 91 Fed. 760 1
- Genoa v. Woodruff, Id. 502, 23: 586 1
- Hulburt v. Palmer, 39 Neb. 158 1
- in re Hong Wah, 82 Fed. 523.; Harding v. People, 160 Ill. 459 1
- In Re Huse, 79 Fed. 305 1
- In re Huse, 79 Fed. 305, 25 “C.C.A.” 1 1
- In Re Wood, 140 U.S. 278 1
- In Re Wood, 146, U.S. 241 1
- Markuson v. Boucher, 175 U.S. 184 1
- New York v. Eno, 155 U.S. 89 1
- New York v. Eno, 155 U.S. 96 1
- Ordinance 705: An Ordinance to license tax and regulate auctioners, hawkers and peddlers 1
- Ordinance No. 433 of the City of Fremont, Nebraska 1
- Paragraph 8865 of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska for 1913 1
- Pepke v. Cronan, 155 U.S. 101 1
- Pepke v. Cronin, 155 U.S. 100 1
- Sec 528 Nebraska Criminal Code 1
- Sec. 6 & 7 of Ordinance NO. 710 of City of Seattle, approved Feb. 6 1886 Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 US, 356; Case of Re Wo Lee 26 Federal Reporter 471, Circuit Court of California Jan 26 1886; Stockton laundry case, Tie Lot, 26 Fed Reporter 611 to 616; Sam Kee reported 31st Fed Reporter 680 to 681; Hong Wah 82 Fed Reporter 623, Northern Dist. of California on Sept 7 1897; Grice Federal Reporter 627, 633, Circuit Court of Northern Texas; Minneapolis Brewing Co. vs. McGilloway 104 Fed Reporter 258; Gundling v. City of Chicago rep 177, 725 1
- Section 20.12 of Washington Code 1
- Section 290 of the Criminal Code of the State of Nebraska 1
- Section 608 of the Code of Oregon 1
- United States v. McAleese, 95 Fed. 656 1
- Whitten v. Tomlinson, 160 U.S. 242 1
People
- Greene, Roger Sherman 6
- McDonald, John W. 4
- Boise, Reuben Patrick 3
- Durbin, Frank W. 3
- Hall, W. W. (clerk) 3
- Hanford, Cornelius Holgate 3
- McNary, John Hugh 3
- Seavey, James (clerk) 3
- Adams, Louis 2
- Baker, Benjamin S. 2
- Buller, Ellis 2
- Carson, John A. 2
- Clark, Michael L. 2
- Frank, Albyn L. (clerk) 2
- George, R. R. 2
- Haines, John C. 2
- Harris, J. D. (deputy) 2
- Howard, Edgar 2
- Hoyt, R. C. (clerk) 2
- McGraw, John Harte (J. A. McGraw) 2
- Munger, William H. 2
- Murray, T. B. (City Prosecutor) 2
- Overton, H. 2
- Redick, William A. 2
- Shotwell, A. V. (County Attorney) 2
- Slabaugh, Willard. W. 2
- Smith, Robert (Clerk) 2
- Sullivan, John M. 2
- , William (A Chinaman) 1
- Abbott, C. E. 1
- Adail, Frank (witness) 1
- Addleman, Joe (witness) 1
- Akoun, Gaston 1
- Albyn, Frank L. (Clerk) 1
- Andrews, William R. 1
- Archer, Michael (judge) 1
- Bancroft, Henry 1
- Barnes, Charles 1
- Barnes, John (presumed relative of bound party) 1
- Bennett, George A. 1
- Berger, John M. 1
- Billings, William 1
- Bishop, Charles (C. P.) 1
- Black, N. J. (interested party) 1
- Blackburn, Mr. (referenced) 1
- Blackwell, W. J. (interested party) 1
- Boln, Will (witness) 1
- Bremers, R. H. (Notary Public) 1
- Bryant, F.E. (Sheriff) 1
- Buck, Thomas 1
- Burbank, B.F. (witness) 1
- Burke, Thomas 1
- Burnett, George H. 1
- Burnett, W. (interested party) 1
- Buson, Allen J. (notary public) 1
- Cady, Charles F. 1
- Cann, T.H. (judge) 1
- Cann, Thomas H. (justice of the peace) 1
- Carroll, Carroll 1
- Caton, Nathan Thomas (Caten) 1
- Caufield, G. W. 1
- Chow, Ah 1
- Chung, Chin 1
- Cochran, William (Cochrane) 1
- Cohen, Robert A. (Clerk) 1
- Colvin, John W. 1
- Condit, Alva O. 1
- Cook, J. C. 1
- Cooper, E. E. (deputy sheriff) 1
- Cote, Eugene (shot by John Barnes on January 3, 1886, Charles aided); Seavey, James (clerk) 1
- Cunningham, Scott R. (Judge for previous case with these petitioners); 1
- Daugherty, Edward E. 1
- Davis, Herbert J. 1
- Debruller, Ellis (attorney for John Sullivan) 1
- Delaney, Edmond (Ed) 1
- Delaney, Thomas R. 1
- Dick, John 1
- Dick, Nicholas 1
- Dick, Oscar 1
- Dillon (police officer) 1
- Drummy, (police officer) 1
- Dugan, F. P. (Notary Public) 1
- Dungan, Harry S. 1
- Dwyer, Mack 1
- Egan, W. H. (clerk) 1
- English, James P. 1
- Estelle, Lee S. 1
- F. A. (deputy clerk) 1
- Fahenstock, Louis (complainant) 1
- Faust, Bertha 1
- Ferry, Elisha P. 1
- Flynn, Thomas J. (U.S. marshal) 1
- Fong, Lee 1
- Foong, Ah 1
- Forger, Charles (alleged victim) 1
- Forrest, W. L. (Clerk) 1
- Foster, Charles E. 1
- Foster, W. A. (deputy) 1
- Gadden, M (deputy) 1
- Gehrke, Fruida E. (notary public) 1
29 results
Download JSON Download CSVIn the Matter of the Application of Ah Chow for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 1, 1869
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: selling tobacco
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Territory of Washington v. Chin Chung. Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 10, 1882
- Petition type(s): Carceral: drug use | Carceral: opium use | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Sid Howard for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 10, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: drug use | Carceral: opium use | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Charles Barnes for a writ of Habeas Corpus.
- Earliest record date: January 4, 1886
- Petition type(s): Carceral: breaking and entering | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
Foong V. William Murphy. Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 1, 1886
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: peddling without a license
- Petition outcome: Petition denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of James McDevitt for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 1, 1889
- Petition type(s): Carceral: hog theft | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of August Klabunde for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 10, 1893
- Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Nicholas Dick for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 1, 1894
- Petition type(s): Carceral: disturbing the peace | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In re: application of C.P. Bishop and N. H. McLean for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 6, 1894
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the application of Bertha Faust for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 14, 1896
- Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of George Schuler for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 25, 1898
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: selling liquor without a license
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Henry Bancroft for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 28, 1898
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor without a license | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the application of Gaston Akoun, Madroche Zitoune, Abraham L. Reed, and S. B. Wadley for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 30, 1898
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: violation of injunction
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Samuel Jackson for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 30, 1900
- Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Oliver Lachapell for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 31, 1900
- Petition type(s): Carceral: using obscene language in the presence of women | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Joe Lachapell for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 31, 1900
- Petition type(s): Carceral: using obscene language in the presence of women | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of John Walker for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 25, 1900
- Petition type(s): Carceral: bastardy | Carceral: subornation of perjury | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Lee Fong for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 14, 1902
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: violation of city ordinance
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Robert Welts for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 13, 1903
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: selling liquor without a license
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of W. L. Lafferty by his attorney Francis J. Lynch for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 10, 1903
- Petition type(s): Carceral: peddling without a license | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: municipal violation
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Ernest Hutchinson a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 1, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling trade stamps without a licence | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application Susie Jackson for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 5, 1915
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of application of William Wernsen for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 25, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Petition of Bertram Mulcahy for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 6, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: peddling without a license | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: municipal violation
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re app of Mack Dwyer for writ of H.C.
- Earliest record date: August 28, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of William, A Chinaman, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 24, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: opium use | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine | Carceral: drug use
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
Habeas Corpus in the matter of William Omara & Margaret Omara
- Earliest record date: June 1, 1855
- Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application for writ of Habeas Corpus of H. W. Hull
- Earliest record date: April 21, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: keeping a house of ill repute | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Samuel Gowen and Donald Webster for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 24, 1883
- Petition type(s): Carceral: assault | Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
