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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.

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  • between 11 and 20 pages 589

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Length of Case File : between 11 and 20 pages

589 results

Application of James Sparks for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 2, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: malicious destruction of property
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the re-application of N. D. Coleman for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 5, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fraud
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of William F. Herman for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 5, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fraud
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Application of James (Jas.) H. Howard for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 13, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Washington Johnson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 26, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

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 the application of Andrew Anderson for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 5, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • 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 Charles F. Ireland, For a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 20, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: arson
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Solomon Boward for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 25, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody | remained in custody

In the matter of the application of C. S. West for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 1, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disorderly conduct
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Chas. Graham for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 29, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: robbery
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of J. P. Black for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 28, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forgery
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Released from 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 Beula Dixon and Maud Lewis for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 20, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Oscar B. Hill for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 12, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor without a license
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Application of Eva Miller & Jessie Miller (Minors) for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 4, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In Re Pet. of Millie F. Porter for Habeas Corp.

  • Earliest record date: April 28, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

State of Nebraska on the relation of Samuel J. Coffman vs. India A. Coffman

  • Earliest record date: May 15, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In Re Petition for Habeas Corpus for R. E. McKenzie

  • Earliest record date: September 20, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In Re Application of Edward Sprouse for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 1, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from 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 Jessie Fiandt for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 3, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Application of Gertrude Bloomfield, on Behalf of Pearl Proto (infant) for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 29, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody | Interpersonal: kidnapping
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

On the Matter of Application of Jim Smith for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 22, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: drunk and disorderly | Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the application of the petition of Emma E. Howard for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 4, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of Link Rothwell for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 5, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: trespass
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Application for the Writ of Habeas Corpus for Mary Plunkett

  • Earliest record date: March 25, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of George M. Bigelow for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 17, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forcible defilement
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In Re-Application of Frank Dolezal for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 25, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disturbing the peace
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

In re: The application of Antwine Michel for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 12, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault with a deadly weapon
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown | custody transferred to third party

In the Matter of the Application of Virgil Wilson Laverne Wilson and Frances Wilson for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 8, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the application of Gus Langston for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 13, 1882
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: unlawfully keeping and operating a pool and billiard table
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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

On the Application of Henry Bell for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 26, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: wrongful imprisonment
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In re-Application of George Compton for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 6, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • 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 Kittie Owens and Mary Brown for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 21, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the application of Annie Nelson and Daisy Williams for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 23, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: wrongful imprisonment
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Application of Maud Ely by J. O. Ely her father for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 18, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

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 the Matter of the application of Oscar Lehmann for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 23, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

On the Matter of the Application of Walter Versteeg for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 29, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: wrongful imprisonment
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application E. H. Hall for the Writ of Habeas Corpus for Lizzie Storz

  • Earliest record date: October 4, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In re-application of Harry Atkinson by his next friend and father William Atkinson for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 26, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: child abuse
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

In the Matter of the Application of Mary Quine for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 7, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the application of George H. Place on Behalf of his two minor children Howard D. Place and Zella V. Place for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 21, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Daniel Doody for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 21, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

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

  • Earliest record date: December 6, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody
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