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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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Repository : Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington)

359 results

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In the matter of the application of Harry Brooks for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 18, 1891
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Petition of Frank E. Sims for Habeaus Corpus for F. W. Beyer

  • Earliest record date: December 10, 1902
  • Petition type(s): Carceral
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of Alex Petosky against Edward Cudihee Shf.

  • Earliest record date: March 7, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of George E. Daniel for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 26, 1901
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: embezzlement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Thomas and Catherine Gilbert v. William Cochrane

  • Earliest record date: May 2, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: imprisoned for longer than term
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of Glenn E. Hoover et al. against Edward Cudihee as Sheriff

  • Earliest record date: October 2, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the Pet of Ed Larson for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 11, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny | Carceral: petty larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of J. C. Christopher against Robert Hodge, Sheriff

  • Earliest record date: May 6, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Walter Britton and John Trigg for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 21, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: drunk and disorderly
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the Application of Ludwig Shostrovich/Kostrouch for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 10, 1892
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: Grave Robbery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of Diamico Oct et. al against Puget Sound Traction, Light and Power Co.

  • Earliest record date: October 25, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: coercive labor
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of James Brooks against Edw. Cudihee Shf.

  • Earliest record date: March 24, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: no charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Adolphus Gordon for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 11, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: possession of stolen property
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

John W Harding vs G. W. L. Allen

  • Earliest record date: December 23, 1878
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal to pay bail
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of John W. Hall for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 15, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: gambling
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Wallace Gemmill Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 24, 1902
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • 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 O. V. Lawson for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 8, 1906
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: practicing medicine without a license
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

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 Petition of Joseph Mifford for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 14, 1889
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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 the matter of the Application of Loran L. Paine for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 8, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the app of Josie Celestine et ux for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 2, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: New custody arrangement reached

King County v. William Hughs and Micheal Broderick

  • Earliest record date: October 5, 1876
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: refusal to pay bail
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • 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

In the matter of the Petition for Habeas Corpus on behalf of Mary Josephine Marshall

  • Earliest record date: October 12, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Habeas Corpus of Herbert Wolff against Edward Cudihee, Sheriff

  • Earliest record date: May 20, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: robbery
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Harry Brooks for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 18, 1891
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of C. J. Vollmer et. al. against Claude Bannick

  • Earliest record date: July 9, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: removing mortgage property
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of William Warden for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 27, 1889
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: robbery | Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Custody transferred to third party

Habeas Corpus of Shella Hoffman against Mary D. Martin

  • Earliest record date: March 28, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Richard Henry Walton for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 17, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of L. S. LeWald for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 14, 1906
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of Application for Robert Dewar for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 6, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Application of T. E. Chase for a writ of Habeas Corpus on behalf of Thomas Gibbons

  • Earliest record date: February 22, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Petition for writ of Habeas Corpus for the person of Nan Oy a Chinese woman

  • Earliest record date: February 20, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of B. W. Wittekopf application for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 1, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Frank Burke vs. L. V. Wyckoff Writ of Habeaus Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 21, 1875
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

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

Habeas Corpus of Adolph A. Gust against Edward Cudihee as Sheriff

  • Earliest record date: July 30, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the petition of William Jewett for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 5, 1889
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: crime of seduction
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Donald Fallon and Frank Rogers for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 6, 1876
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed | writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody | remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Carl W. Sandberg and James Johnson on Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 14, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Charles Pollow for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 7, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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 the Matter of the Application of Albert Sykes for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 2, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault with a deadly weapon
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Herman Weise for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 30, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: maintaining a common nuisance
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of H. T. Thomas for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 7, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Carceral
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Application of Lars Brown for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 22, 1882
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown
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