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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 18
- Nebraska 8
- Missouri 4
- Oregon 3
Petition Subtype
- Carceral: immigration 6
- Interpersonal: child custody 6
- Institutional: underage military enlistment 5
- Institutional: child custody 3
- Institutional: insanity 2
- Interpersonal: kidnapping 2
- Carceral: adultery 1
- Carceral: assault with a deadly weapon 1
- Carceral: bribery 1
- Carceral: burglary 1
- Carceral: default of bail 1
- Carceral: desertion 1
- Carceral: false accusation 1
- Carceral: family abandonment 1
- Carceral: intent to commit robbery 1
- Carceral: malicious destruction of property 1
- Carceral: moral turpitude 1
- Carceral: opium use 1
- Carceral: peace warrant 1
- Carceral: prostitution 1
- Carceral: public charge 1
- Carceral: rioting 1
- Carceral: running an opium den 1
- Carceral: selling liquor without a license 1
- Institutional: juvenile detention 1
- Institutional: violation of military order 1
Sex of Bound Party
- Male 22
- Female 11
- Unindicated 1
Age of Bound Party
- Adult 18
- Minor 12
- Unindicated 4
- Unclear 1
Race of Bound Party
- White 33
- German 2
- Italian 2
- Unindicated 2
- Afrocaribbean 1
- Black 1
- Chinese 1
- Jewish 1
- Polish 1
- Russian 1
- Unclear 1
Court Name
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha Nebraska) 5
- King County Superior Court (Seattle Washington) 5
- St Louis County Law Commissioners Court (St Louis Missouri) 4
- Third Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 4
- Us District Court For The Western District Of Washington (Seattle Washington) 4
- Marion County Circuit Court (Salem Oregon) 3
- Us District Court For The Omaha Division Of The District Of Nebraska (Omaha Nebraska) 3
- First Judicial District Court For The Territory Of Washington (Colfax Washington) 2
- District Court Of Columbia County Washington Territory (Dayton Washington) 1
- Second Judicial Court For The Territory Of Washington (Montesano Washington) 1
- United States District Court Western District Of Washington Northern Division (Walla Walla Washington) 1
- Us Court Of Appeals For The Eighth Circuit (Omaha Nebraska) 1
- Us Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit (Seattle Washington) 1
Repository
- Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington) 9
- Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska) 5
- National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington) 5
- Missouri State Archives-St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri) 4
- National Archives and Records Administration, Kansas City (Kansas City, Kansas) 3
- Oregon State Archives (Salem, Oregon) 3
- Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch (Cheney, WA) (Cheney, Washington) 3
- History Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebraska) 2
- Marion County Courthouse (Salem, Oregon) 1
- Washington State Archives, Northwest Regional Branch (Bellingham, WA) (Bellingham, Washington) 1
- Washington State Archives, Southwest Regional Branch (Olympia, WA) (Olympia, Washington) 1
Points of Law Cited
- Immigration Act of February 5, 1917 2
- “An act to establish peace with certain hostile tribes of Indians,” July 20, 1867 1
- Act of Congress Approved February 20th, 1907 1
- Burton vs. Burton, 1st Keyes 359 1
- Commonwealth v. Cushing, 11 Mass. 67 1
- Commonwealth v. Downer, 24 Peck 227 1
- Commonwealth v. Fox, 7 Pa. St. 336 1
- De Bruler vs. Gallo 184 Fed. 566 1
- Ex parte McDonald 9 Am L.R. 661 1
- ex Parte Molla Sing et al, 207 Fed. 780 1
- Ex parte Schnied, 1 Dill. 587 1
- Hartman v. Hartman, 59 Ill. 57 1
- Hopkins vs. Fachant, 130 Fed. 839. 1
- Hopkins vs. Fachant 130 Fed. 839, 843 1
- In re Baker, 23 Fed. Rep. 30 1
- In re Chapman, 37 Fed. Rep. 327 1
- In re Collin, 25 How. Pr. 157 1
- In re Doyle, 18 Fed. Rep. 369 1
- In re Grimby, 187 U.S. 147 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 Nickola, 184 Fed. 322 1
- In re Sheegre, 3 Mackey 323 1
- In re Webb, 24 How. Pr. 247 1
- Kane vs. McCarthy, 63 N.C. 299 1
- Kelley v. Sprout, 97 Mass. 169 1
- Kelly v. Kahoe, 19 L. Ed. 284 1
- Kelly v. Owen, 7 Wallace, 496 1
- Local Option Act 1
- Low Wah Suey v. Backus, 225 U. S. 469, 475-6 1
- Regina vs. Manning, 2nd Carr. & Kir. 886 1
- S.E. H US Reporter 54 1
- Sec. 1, Chapter 26, Article 3, of the compiled statutes of Nebraska for 1899 1
- Section 11, Chapter 38, Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois 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 1993 Revised Statutes of the United States, Leonard vs. Grant, 5 Fed. 11 1
- Section 2124 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 2125 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 2147 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 2148 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 2150 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 2151 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1
- Section 31 Page 133 Laws of 1893 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
- Sprung vs. morton, 182 Fed. Rep. 330 1
- Territory of Washington, Plaintiff, vs. David E. Kimble and A. B. Corriell, Defendants 1
- Treaty with the Sioux at Fort Laramie, April 29, 1868 1
- U. S. Compiled Statutes 1918 1
- United States vs. Cohen, 179 Fed. Rep. 835. 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. Const. art. I, § 8. 1
- U.S. Const. amend. V. 1
- U.S. ex rel Wagner, Nebraska 1
- U.S. v. Keller C.C. 13 Fed. 82 1
- U.S. v. Stuart, Crabbe 265 1
- Vance v. Vance, 108 U.S. 514 1
- Vol. 15 U.S. Laws, p. 17 1
- Vol. 15 U.S. Laws, p. 635 1
- Ware v. Wisnor, C.C. 50 Fed. 301: Broadis v. Broadis, C. C. 86 Fed. 951 1
- Ware vs. Wisner, 50 Fed. Rep. 310. 1
People
- Neterer, Jeremiah 5
- Colvin, John W. 4
- White, Henry M. 4
- Boyle, John M. (U.S. Marshal) 3
- Pierce, Ralph S. 3
- Saunders, Robert C. 3
- Boyer, U. G. (deputy clerk) 2
- Brown, 2
- Callahan, W. P. (Immigration Inspector) 2
- Case, Otto A (Clerk) 2
- Chadwick, S. J. 2
- Esch, William (sheriff) 2
- Ferguson, F. B. (complainant) 2
- Galloway, William 2
- Gardner, William L. (W. T. Gardiner, John Doe Gardiner) 2
- Gehlhar, Max (clerk) 2
- Greene, Roger Sherman 2
- Harshberger, F. M. (Clerk) 2
- Henderson, W. G. (sheriff) 2
- Hoyt, R. C. (clerk) 2
- Jones, G. W. (clerk) 2
- Jones, Richard A. 2
- Keevan, Della 2
- Keevan, John 2
- Kliks, B. A. 2
- Langford, William G. 2
- Leitch, S. E. (Deputy Clerk) 2
- McKay, Alice 2
- McKay, Mary (Mamie Keevan or Mary Keevan) 2
- Morris, George E. 2
- Pearce, Vine W. 2
- Redick, William A. 2
- Seavey, James (Clerk) 2
- Shotwell, A. V. (County Attorney) 2
- Smith, Robert (Clerk) 2
- Steiner, R. E. Lee 2
- Sullivan, 2
- Young, D. L. (Notary Public) 2
- Gordon, T.W. (County Clerk) 1
- , Joe (Joe Chinaman) 1
- Abbott, Ray J. 1
- Agee, A. E. (Deputy Sheriff) 1
- Agren, Alex (Alek) 1
- Albert Jr., Frank (Deputy U.S. Marshal) 1
- Alexander, George R. (notary public) 1
- Allen, Clay 1
- Allen, Clay (U.S. Attorney) 1
- Allen, John H. 1
- Allen, Jr., Jay Cooke 1
- Allen, Thomas S. 1
- Allyn, Frank 1
- Atherton, B.E. (Benjamin Earnest Atherton) 1
- Baker, Benjamin S. 1
- Baldwin, C. A. 1
- Barrington, Mr. (witness) 1
- Barrington, Mrs. (witness) 1
- Bearr, William (colonizer) 1
- Belknap, W. W. (U.S. Secretary of War) 1
- Bendjus, Gus 1
- Benét, S. V. (recruiting officer) 1
- Berniger, N. H. (colonizer) 1
- Berry, Lewis P. 1
- Bigelow, Anson H. (Notary public) 1
- Bignold, Lewis B. 1
- Bingham, George G. 1
- Black, John (justice of the peace) 1
- Blair, R. G. (Notary Public) 1
- Blodgith Sr. (witness) 1
- Boldue, Frank (colonizer) 1
- Bowen, Jno S. (captain) 1
- Bowen, William R. (notary public) 1
- Bower, O. D. (sheriff) 1
- Bower, Oscar D. (deputy sheriff) 1
- Boyer, U. G. (clerk) 1
- Boyington, M. G. (deputy clerk) 1
- Bradley, L. P. (U.S. Army Colonel) 1
- Brailey, Edwin F. 1
- Brasher, William M. 1
- Brighain, F. P. (colonizer) 1
- Brocket, J. W. (colonizer) 1
- Brown, J.J. (Witness); 1
- Brown, R. T. (clerk) 1
- Bunnell, Cal M. (Witness) 1
- Burke, Charles 1
- Burke, Thomas 1
- Burkett, E. J. (U.S. congressman) 1
- Burkhart, S. O. (deputy sheriff) 1
- Burnham, Horace Blois 1
- Bush, N. W. 1
- Bush, W. S. 1
- Byles, Charles N. (Surety) 1
- Cady, Edwin L. 1
- Camp, F. D. (examining surgeon) 1
- Campbell, Alex 1
- Camron, Charles (army enlistee) 1
- Capizza, Carmella 1
- Capizza neé Colanne, Carmella (Aurello's ex-wife) 1
- Capt. Welch (Witness on behalf of the Keevans) 1
- Carr, Mary J. 1
- Carsillo, Angeline (Sister Angelena) 1
33 results
Download JSON Download CSVHabeas Corpus in the matter of James McCanter
- Earliest record date: April 6, 1855
- Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Habeas Corpus in the matter of James McAlvoy
- Earliest record date: August 27, 1855
- Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Habeas Corpus in the matter of John W. Donohue
- Earliest record date: October 5, 1855
- Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Habeas Corpus in the matter of Albert Herckenrath
- Earliest record date: October 15, 1855
- Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of John Gordon, for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 15, 1875
- Petition type(s): Institutional: violation of military order
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Custody transferred to third party
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 Jacob Schuman for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 27, 1886
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor without a license
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of William W. Tinkham for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 31, 1887
- Petition type(s): Carceral: false accusation
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody | released on bail
In Re Petition of Gus Bendjus et al for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 15, 1887
- Petition type(s): Carceral: rioting | Carceral: malicious destruction of property
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Released on bail
In the Matter of the Application of Alice McKay for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for the Body of Mary McKay Her Infant Daughter
- Earliest record date: November 25, 1887
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody | Interpersonal: kidnapping | Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Nelson Davis for the Custody of Maggie M. Davis, a Minor Child
- Earliest record date: November 27, 1888
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Petition of Michael Shrek for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 23, 1888
- Petition type(s): Carceral: peace warrant | Carceral: default of bail
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
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 Nathan Sanguinette for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 22, 1894
- Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Edward Rosewater for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: January 2, 1901
- Petition type(s): Carceral: bribery
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of John H. Allen for writ of Habeas Corpus for J. C. Allen Jr.
- Earliest record date: January 25, 1902
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
- 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 application of James Murray for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 14, 1905
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of James Plymate for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 19, 1905
- Petition type(s): Carceral: assault with a deadly weapon | Carceral: intent to commit robbery
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Mary J. Carr for writ H. C.
- Earliest record date: July 11, 1911
- Petition type(s): Carceral: adultery
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Habeas Corpus of Theodore Mazzine for Martha Mazzine against Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart
- Earliest record date: February 22, 1912
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Petition of Edwin L. Cady for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, in behalf of William L. Gardner vs Dr. R. E. Lee Steiner, Sup’t. of the Oregon State Hospital for the Insane
- Earliest record date: September 1, 1911
- Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
- Petition outcome: Writ 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 W. T. Gardiner for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (James Walton Jr Petitioner)
- Earliest record date: September 1, 1911
- Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Alma Zerbst for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 28, 1917
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Margaret Roy, for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: January 24, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Janet MacKay, formerly Janet Roy, for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: October 1, 1916
- Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Deported
In the matter of the application of B. E. Atherton for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 28, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: family abandonment
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
- Fate of bound party: New custody arrangement reached
In the Matter of the Application of John Matthews for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 31, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: public charge | Carceral: moral turpitude
In the Matter of the Application of Alfonso Gagliardi for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 13, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Exhibits withdrawn | released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Robert Geslin for writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 16, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Aurello Coliginna for writ of Habeas Corpus for the person of Vincenzzina Coliginna
- Earliest record date: May 24, 1923
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
Harriet O'Grady, on behalf of Myrtle O'Grady, vs. Doctor J. N. Smith, Superintendent of the State Institution for Feeble Minded
- Earliest record date: May 1, 1923
- Petition type(s): Institutional: juvenile detention
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
