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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 42
Petition Subtype
- Carceral: refusal or inability to pay fine 6
- Carceral: cause unspecified 4
- Carceral: opium use 4
- Carceral: running an opium den 3
- Carceral: assault 2
- Carceral: contempt of court 2
- Carceral: drug use 2
- Carceral: embezzlement 2
- Carceral: gambling 2
- Carceral: immigration 2
- Carceral: murder 2
- Carceral: selling liquor to Indians 2
- Institutional: detaining sailors aboard ship 2
- Carceral: accessory to polygamy 1
- Carceral: administering drug to cause abortion 1
- Carceral: assault and battery 1
- Carceral: breaking and entering 1
- Carceral: debt 1
- Carceral: desertion 1
- Carceral: grand larceny 1
- Carceral: horse stealing 1
- Carceral: indebted to saloon keepers 1
- Carceral: keeping a house of ill repute 1
- Carceral: making written threats 1
- Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses 1
- Carceral: passing counterfeit currency 1
- Carceral: peddling without a license 1
- Carceral: polygamy 1
- Carceral: possession of opium derivatives 1
- Carceral: unlawfully soliciting business 1
- Carceral: vagrancy 1
- Institutional: child custody 1
- Interpersonal: child custody 1
- Interpersonal: trafficking 1
- Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement 1
- Interpersonal: wrongful servitude 1
Sex of Bound Party
- Male 36
- Female 4
- Unindicated 1
Age of Bound Party
- Adult 25
- Unindicated 12
- Minor 2
- Unclear 1
Race of Bound Party
- Unindicated 31
- Asian 7
- White 2
- Chinese 1
Points of Law Cited
- Article V, of the amendments of the Constitution of the United States 1
- Article XIV of the amendments of the Constitution of the United States 1
- City of Seattle Ordinance no. 800 Provision 1, Section 1 1
- L. Wash. Ten. 1875 139-166 Subdivision 7 of Section 32 1
- L. Wash. Ten. 407-455 subdivision 7, of section 32 1
- Ordinance 318 of Seattle, WA ("An ordinance to prevent the smoking and inhaling of opium") 1
- Ordinance 618 of Seattle, WA 1
- Ordinance 705: An Ordinance to license tax and regulate auctioners, hawkers and peddlers 1
- Section 11 of the act of July 14, 1870 which relates to income 1
- Section 128, 1873 Criminal Practice Act of Washington Territory 1
- Section 20.12 of Washington Code 1
- Section 2073 of the Code of WA 1
- Section 5352, Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 711, Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Sections 1271 to 1285 inclusive of the Code of Washington (Territory) 1
People
- Greene, Roger Sherman 42
- Seavey, James (Clerk) 19
- Ludlow, James P. (Deputy Clerk) 13
- McGraw, John Harte (J. A. McGraw) 10
- Billings, William 6
- Lewis, James Hamilton 5
- Haines, John C. 4
- O’Brien, R. G. (Clerk) 4
- Struve, Henry G. 4
- Wyckoff, Louis V. 4
- Ferry, Elisha P. 3
- Houghton, J. H. (Clerk) 3
- McMicken, Maurice 3
- McNaught, James 3
- McNaught, Joseph G. 3
- Mitchell, John H. 3
- Rasin, U. M. 3
- Woolery, James H. 3
- Bradshaw, Charles M. (Bradshaus, Burdsham) 2
- Campbell, Alex 2
- Finleyson, George J. 2
- George, J. W. (U.S. Marshall) 2
- Gilman, Luthene Claremont (L. C.) 2
- Hall, J. M. 2
- Hanford, C. H. (notary public) 2
- Hanford, Cornelius Holgate 2
- Holt, H. H. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- Ludlow, James P. (deputy) 2
- Ludlow, James P. (deputy) 2
- Lyon, George G. 2
- McGraw, J. H. (sheriff) 2
- Mitchell, John H. (notary public) 2
- Preston, Harold (Notary Public) 2
- Ronald, James Theodore 2
- Seavy, James (clerk) 2
- Hanford, C.H. (notary public) 1
- , Joe (Joe Chinaman) 1
- , Qui 1
- Seavey, James (clerk) 1
- , William (A Chinaman) 1
- Ah, Ken 1
- Alexander, E. (John) 1
- Allen, J. B. 1
- Allen, Joseph S. 1
- Arnold, George 1
- Bagley, C. B. (Notary Public) 1
- Ballard, (Attorney) 1
- Barktell, Frank A. 1
- Barnes, Charles 1
- Barnes, John (presumed relative of bound party) 1
- Baugs, F. L. (Complainant) 1
- Beaton, Thomas (sheriff) 1
- Beer, J. 1
- Bell, O. F. 1
- Billings, William (Sheriff) 1
- Billy, Tokvat (witness) 1
- Black, N. J. (interested party) 1
- Blackwell, W. J. (interested party) 1
- Bowlin, James (Deponent) 1
- Brerrian, L. P. (witness on commitment, saloon owner) 1
- Buck, Thomas 1
- Bunker, 1
- Burnett, W. (interested party) 1
- Byrd, Lewis (Pierce County Sheriff) 1
- Caan, Thomas H. (Justice of the Peace), McCowan, D. L. (Witness) 1
- Cale, Alfred 1
- Campbell, Andrew J. (Alleged Murder Victim) 1
- Campbell, Edward (Complainant) 1
- Cann, T. H. 1
- Cann, T. H. (justice of the peace) 1
- Cann, T.H. (judge) 1
- Cann, Thomas H. (justice of the peace) 1
- Carpenter, James 1
- Carpenter, Mary (assaulted) 1
- Caso, Jamie F. (deputy) 1
- Caufield, G. W. 1
- Chung, Chin 1
- Clayton, C. A. 1
- Clinger, J. G. (deputy U.S. marshal) 1
- Cochran, William (Cochrane) 1
- Cote, Eugene (shot by John Barnes on January 3, 1886, Charles aided); Seavey, James (clerk) 1
- Coulter, Samuel 1
- Daly, George R. 1
- Daly, William (informant, owner of the horse stolen by George Daly) 1
- Davisson, D. W. C. (sheriff) 1
- Delaney, Daniel (Deponent) 1
- Delaney, Thomas (witness) 1
- Dobrin, Mark (Notary Public) 1
- Dobrin, Mark (Stenographer) 1
- Eatton, James (witness on commitment, bartender) 1
- Elder, A. R. 1
- Elton, James 1
- Erenham, L. G. 1
- Everice, Edward 1
- Evershan, E. L. 1
- Finn, Chareles (witness) 1
- Fletcher, M. W. (Deputy Aheriff) 1
- Foong, Ah 1
- Forger, Charles (alleged victim) 1
- Fowle, Fannie 1
42 results
Download JSON Download CSVIn the Matter of the Application of Samuel Coulter for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 22, 1872
- Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of said William Kirkland for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 12, 1872
- Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of J. J. Johnson for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 19, 1874
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor to Indians
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Wm C. F. Martz for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 11, 1875
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Edward B. Fuller for a Writ of Habeas Corpus to Discharge Him from the Illegal Restraint by William Billings at the Jail of said County
- Earliest record date: June 13, 1877
- Petition type(s): Carceral: making written threats | Carceral: accessory to polygamy
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Sarah Elizabeth Seibert for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 28, 1877
- Petition type(s): Carceral: polygamy
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Henry Palm for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 19, 1878
- Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of S. W. Hall for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 6, 1879
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified | Carceral: embezzlement
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
M. T. Ward v. L. V. Wyckoff
- Earliest record date: July 14, 1879
- Petition type(s): Carceral: debt
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
James McGarth and William Herbert v. King County
- Earliest record date: March 17, 1880
- Petition type(s): Carceral: passing counterfeit currency
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of George Arnold for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 5, 1881
- Petition type(s): Carceral: desertion
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Henry Imhoff for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 1, 1881
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor to Indians
- 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 William Spears and James McGough for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 26, 1883
- Petition type(s): Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
City of Seattle v. John McLaine
- Earliest record date: February 28, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of George R. Daly for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 15, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: horse stealing
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Sam Hing, John Sam, Joe Chinaman, Jim Kee, Ah Kee, Ah Sing, Ah Him, all Chinamen,--and James D. Patterson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 2, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: opium use | Carceral: running an opium den
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Ah Korn et al. for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 10, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: gambling
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Albert Rhude for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 10, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Qui, a Chinaman, for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: November 14, 1884
- Petition type(s): Carceral: running an opium den | Carceral: opium use | Carceral: possession of opium derivatives
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Ah Sam and Ah Who for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 21, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: gambling
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
United States of America vs. Leonard Martin
- Earliest record date: May 1, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: unlawfully soliciting business
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Lee Kee for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: May 21, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: running an opium den
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Michael Henan for discharge on a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 20, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Charles Lind of King County Washington Territory for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 24, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: indebted to saloon keepers
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Alfred Woods for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 22, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of George Walker, John San Francisco and Pedro O'Brien for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1885
- Petition type(s): Institutional: detaining sailors aboard ship
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of C. W. Hutchinson for writ of Habeas Corpus.
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: embezzlement
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Fannie Fowle, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 20, 1885
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement | Interpersonal: wrongful servitude | Interpersonal: trafficking
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
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 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 C. A. Clayton, Geo Rosenthal, Wm Lewis, John McDonald, Chas Olsen, Chao Kales, Fredericke Linde, C. Roschman For a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 9, 1886
- Petition type(s): Institutional: detaining sailors aboard ship
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Ah Ken for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: February 1, 1887
- Petition type(s): Carceral: assault
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of I. E. Spafford for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 29, 1887
- Petition type(s): Carceral: administering drug to cause abortion
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Alice McKay for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 19, 1894
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody | Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
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
In the matter of the application of Habeas Corpus for J. S. McGuire
- Earliest record date: June 5, 1885
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of James Carpenter for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 28, 1880
- Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- 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
