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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
- Washington 23
- Nebraska 6
Petition Subtype
- Interpersonal: child custody 7
- Carceral: desertion 2
- Carceral: grand larceny 2
- Institutional: child custody 2
- Institutional: underage military enlistment 2
- Carceral 1
- Carceral: being in possession of stolen goods 1
- Carceral: cause unspecified 1
- Carceral: embezzlement 1
- Carceral: false pretenses 1
- Carceral: fugitive from justice 1
- Carceral: immigration 1
- Carceral: kidnapping 1
- Carceral: larceny 1
- Carceral: living with a prostitution 1
- Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses 1
- Carceral: practising dentistry without a license 1
- Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine 1
- Carceral: selling trade stamps without a licence 1
- Carceral: wrongful imprisonment 1
- Interpersonal: divorce 1
- Interpersonal: kidnapping 1
Sex of Bound Party
- Male 17
- Female 10
- Unindicated 1
Age of Bound Party
- Adult 10
- Minor 9
- Unindicated 9
Race of Bound Party
- Unindicated 24
- Chinese 2
- Asian 1
- Colored 1
- White 1
Court Name
- King County Superior Court (Seattle Washington) 18
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha Nebraska) 4
- Us Circuit Court For The Ninth District Washington (Seattle Washington) 4
- Us District Court For The Omaha Division Of The District Of Nebraska (Omaha Nebraska) 2
- Us District Court For The Western District Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 2
- Us Court Of Appeals For The Eighth Circuit (Omaha Nebraska) 1
Repository
- Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington) 18
- National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington) 5
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska) 4
- History Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebraska) 4
- National Archives and Records Administration, Kansas City (Kansas City, Kansas) 2
Points of Law Cited
- 103rd article of War 1
- 104th Article of War 1
- 1899 Criminal Code of Alaska 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
- 47th Article of War 1
- 48 L. R. A. 261 1
- 48th Article of War 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
- 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
- Act of April 11, 1890, General Statutes, Vol. 26, p. 54 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
- Carter v. McClaughry, 183 U.S. 365 1
- Carter v. Roberts, 177 U.S. 496 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
- Commonwealth v. Cushing, 11 Mass. 67 1
- Commonwealth v. Downer, 24 Peck 227 1
- Commonwealth v. Fox, 7 Pa. St. 336 1
- Delmas v. Merchants Mat Ins. Co. 14 Wall 661, 20: 757 1
- Ex parte Ortez, 100 Fed. 95 1
- Ex parte Schnied, 1 Dill. 587 1
- Exparte Anderson, 16 Iowa 1
- Genoa v. Woodruff, Id. 502, 23: 586 1
- Hartman v. Hartman, 59 Ill. 57 1
- Hijo v. United States, 194 U.S. 315 1
- In re Baker, 23 Fed. Rep. 30 1
- In Re Bogart, 2 Sawyer, 396, Fed. Cases 1596 1
- In Re Broady, 128 Fed. 665 1
- In re Chapman, 37 Fed. Rep. 327 1
- In re Collin, 25 How. Pr. 157 1
- In Re Davidson, 21 Fed. 618 1
- In re Doyle, 18 Fed. Rep. 369 1
- In re Grimby, 187 U.S. 147 1
- in re Hong Wah, 82 Fed. 523.; Harding v. People, 160 Ill. 459 1
- In re Hope, 15 Fed. Rep. 259 1
- In re McNulty, 2 Lowell 270 1
- In re Morrissey, 137 Ill. 57 1
- In re Sheegre, 3 Mackey 323 1
- In re Webb, 24 How. Pr. 247 1
- In Re White, 17 Fed. 723 1
- Johnson v. United States, 3 McLean 89, Fed. Cases 7418 1
- Kelley v. Sprout, 97 Mass. 169 1
- Kurtz v. Moffitt, 115 US, 487; Burrus case, 136 U.S. 586; King V. McLean Asylum, 64 Fed. Rep. 331; Wisconsin v. Pelican Insurance Co. 127 U.S. 265-300 1
- Paragraph 2, Section 2, Art 4 of the Constitution; Provisions of the 14th amendment of the Constitution; Section 5278 of the Revised Statutes of the United States; 1
- re: Cosenow, 37 Federal Reporter, 668; re: Dowd, 90 Federal Reporter, 718 1
- re: Dohrendorf, et al. 40 Federal Reporter, 148 1
- re: Kaufman, 41 Federal Report, 876 1
- Refers to Barry v. Mercein, 5 How., 118 1
- S.E. H US Reporter 54 1
- Section 1342, Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 1418 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 1419 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 1624 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 751 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 752 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 753 of the 1878 Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section One (1) of the Fourteenth (14th) Amendment 1
- unnamed case, 24 Fed. Rep. 13 1
- unnamed case, 87 Fed. Rep. 319 1
- unnamed case, 89 Fed. Rep. 150 1
- unnamed case, 90 Fed. Rep. 717 1
- U.S. ex rel Wagner, Nebraska 1
- U.S. v. Cook, 17 Wall. 168 1
- U.S. v. Stuart, Crabbe 265 1
- Vance v. Vance, 108 U.S. 514 1
People
- Tallman, Boyd J. 9
- Koepfli, C. A. (Clerk) 7
- Cudihee, Edward (Cudahee) 6
- Hanford, Cornelius Holgate 5
- Bell, William R. 4
- Broadwell, Frank A. (clerk) 4
- Day, George A. 4
- Delaney, Thomas R. 4
- Grossmann, John H. (deputy) 4
- Moore, A. N. (Deputy Clerk) 3
- Power, John (sheriff) 3
- Smith, Everett 3
- Abbott, Lyle I. 2
- Ayres, A. Reeves (Clerk) 2
- Brown, Harrison D. 2
- Cunningham, W. G. (deputy) 2
- Drake, James C. (Clerk) 2
- Gordon, John B. 2
- Griffin, Arthur E. 2
- Hopkins, P. M. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- Hoyt, R. C. (clerk) 2
- Hughes, P. D. 2
- Mathews, T. L. (U.S. marshal) 2
- Mickey, John H. 2
- Munger, William H. 2
- Oy, Ah (Loy Sen) 2
- Plimpton, C. E. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- Tallman, Boyd J (Judge) 2
- Wright, B. O. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- Breivete, J.M (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Cuddihee, Edward (Sheriff) 1
- Gillett, J.N. (Nora's attorney during divorce proceedings) 1
- Greenwood, J.C. (Deputy Sheriff) 1
- Kimball, Geo. H. (Deputy Clerk during the divorce proceedings); Brown, T.M. (Sheriff during the divorce proceedings) 1
- Koepfli, C. A. (Clerk) 1
- McGee, H. J. (Deputy) 1
- Adams, H.C. (Complainant) Brown, Stewart (Witness) Mason, Alfred (Witness) Koepfli, C. A. (Clerk) Plimpton, C. E. (Deputy County Clerk) Brewster, J. W. (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Agnew, James (Witness) 1
- Agnew, James P. (Notary) 1
- Allen, Charles C. (court-martial member) 1
- Allen, J.H. 1
- Alton, Bob (witness) 1
- Anderson, A.A. 1
- Ayres, A. R. (Clerk of District Court) 1
- Baker, Joseph H. (Assistant Cashier at Bozeman National Bank Witness) 1
- Baker, Pruitt (Alleged Kidnapped Child). 1
- Ball, Dr. J. W. (Witness) 1
- Bartlett, Mrs. Frank (Witness and Dental Patient) 1
- Baxter, Irving F. 1
- Beach, H. C. 1
- Bell, R. A. (Judge who ruled in original custody case) 1
- Berg, Anna 1
- Berg, Robert 1
- Best, F. C. (petitioner witness) 1
- Bethel, W. A. 1
- Bettlet, W. A. (Major and Judge Advocate, U.S. Army) 1
- Bevington, Ella 1
- Black, Andrew R. 1
- Booth, John (Witness) 1
- Borchsenius, George (Clerk) 1
- Borsheim, Alice Annette 1
- Borsheim, Helen Fanning 1
- Borsheim, Louis A. 1
- Brady, John G. 1
- Brewster, J. W. (Deputy) 1
- Briggs, John 1
- Brome, Harrison Crosby 1
- Brown, J. W. (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Buller, Ellis 1
- Burkett, E. J. (U.S. congressman) 1
- Calhoun, Scott (Notary Public); 1
- Carroll, Carroll 1
- Carroll, J. J. (Witness) 1
- Case, Otto A. (Clerk) 1
- Casking, M. H. (Deputy Clerk) 1
- Chandler, Louis B. (court-martial member) 1
- Chapman, Samuel M. 1
- Christian, George M. 1
- Clapp, Charles S. (surety) 1
- Clark, Byron 1
- Clifford, Peter 1
- Cody, A. J. (Agent) 1
- Combs, James G. 1
- Congoon, George C. 1
- Connell, William J. 1
- Conover, D. C. 1
- Cook, Henry 1
- Corbin, Frank 1
- Corbin, Jerome C. 1
- Coreoram, William (Deputy Sheriff) 1
- Cory, Epes (witness) 1
- Cowing, Mary 1
- Cowing, Warren B. (Junior) 1
- Cowing, Warren B. (Senior) 1
- Cummins, Albert B. (Governor of Iowa) 1
- Cushman, Edward E. 1
- Custer, Dr. Charles A. (Witness) 1
- Dahl, A.H. (Notary Public); Koepfli, C.A. (Clerk) 1
- Day, Francies R. 1
- Deles Dernier, Chester 1
29 results
Download JSON Download CSVIn the matter of the Application of Nora Hanna for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 8, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of Jerome C. Corbin for the Writ of Habeas Corpus of Frank E. Corbin, a minor.
- Earliest record date: November 30, 1903
- Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Howard L. Rucker for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 21, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: false pretenses
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Released on bail
In the matter of the Application of Anna Berg et al for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Wasgreu
- Earliest record date: October 26, 1903
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re application of William Deles Dernier and Gertrude I. Deles Dernier for writ of habeas corpus of Chester Deles Dernier
- Earliest record date: February 4, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: desertion | Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the petition of Ida King for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 2, 1903
- Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Louis A. Borsheim and Helen A. Borsheim for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 5, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: New custody arrangement reached
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 of Ella Bevington Habeas Corpus of F. R. Day
- Earliest record date: April 12, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Josie Martin in Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 27, 1904
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Henry Cook for a writ of Habeas Corpus for and on behalf of James Garfield
- Earliest record date: May 16, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: wrongful imprisonment
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
Peter A. Clifford, Petitioner, vs. Herbert O. Williams and Grace E. Williams, Respondents in Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 19, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Thomas Dennison for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 4, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of O. J. Watkins for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 11, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In Re: Petition of H. C. Littooy for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 4, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: practising dentistry without a license
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed | writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Petition of Ben Gabriel for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 31, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: being in possession of stolen goods
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Lucie T. Dominick for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 8, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of W. H. Harris for Writ Habeas Corp.
- Earliest record date: July 13, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: living with a prostitution
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of Ah Oy, alias Loy Sen for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 14, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: embezzlement
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Ah Oy, alias Loy Sen for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 14, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of B. C. McCormick for Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 16, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Richard Townsend, by his Attorneys, McDonald & Woodland, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 2, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: desertion
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
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
In the matter of the Application of John King for writ Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 15, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: kidnapping
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Gideon W. Morley for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 20, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
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 for Writ Habeas Corpus W. B. Cowing Jr.
- Earliest record date: November 14, 1904
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of W. J. Irwin for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 19, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Petition of Robert Gillis for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 22, 1904
- Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
