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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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1876 results

In Re: Application of Joseph Walton for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 31, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: barbering on Sunday
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | released on bail

In the Matter of the Application of Lemuel M. Dobbs, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 10, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the application of Frank Dupree for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 30, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of application of Marguerite Volker for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 30, 1924
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
  • 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

Frank Councilman, and Isabelle Councilman, Petitioners and Plaintiffs vs. The State Institution for the Feeble Minded, and J. N. Smith, Superintendent of said Institution

  • Earliest record date: October 19, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: juvenile detention
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Thomas Allen for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 1, 1889
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of William Brown and George Duvall for discharge from Imprisonment

  • Earliest record date: May 27, 1868
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the application of Ella Colver for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 24, 1882
  • 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 A. Simon, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 21, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Unknown
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Frank Skipton, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 21, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Thomas S. Brown et al for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 15, 1887
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: military infraction
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of Joseph Williams On Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 25, 1910
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: wrongful imprisonment
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Leonard Kephart for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 23, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: perjury
  • 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 Henry Cherritt (Harry Cherrett) for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 21, 1923
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of W. S. Fuller for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 4, 1901
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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 George M. Roe for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 1, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Molly a free woman of colour vs. Charles Mullikin, Petition for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 17, 1825
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: wrongful servitude
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

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 re application of Margaret Holton for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 4, 1917
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

Habeas Corpus of Jack Sommer for Dave Rubenstein against Claude Bannick

  • Earliest record date: June 7, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

A. J. Schmoker v. Felix J. McShane Jr. and Henry Schroeder

  • Earliest record date: August 26, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

In the Matter of the application of Michael J. Corrigan for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 6, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Application of Alvin Maloney for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 27, 1915
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application on behalf of Charles M. Bachman for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 6, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: bastardy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Patrick Henry vs. Garland Rucker

  • Earliest record date: August 19, 1829
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the re-application of George M. Bigelow for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 24, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forcible defilement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Unlawful Detention of Seventy-Six Hindus.

  • Earliest record date: October 8, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Application of Auton Hauser for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 26, 1891
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disorderly conduct | Carceral: fraud
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Morris Passovoy for writ H. C.

  • Earliest record date: July 22, 1911
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: embezzlement
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

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 James E. Botts for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 19, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forgery
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of William Sherman for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Henry Sherman

  • Earliest record date: August 21, 1901
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of David P. Koch for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 19, 1912
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | ordered to be re-sentenced

On the matter of the application of George F. Moore by Winifred Moore for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 1, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: bribery | Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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

  • Earliest record date: December 5, 1923
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forgery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Application of Thomas Boyum for Writ of Habeas Corpus on behalf of Charles Sullivan

  • Earliest record date: February 9, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: burglary
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Henry Bonnemeyer for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 17, 1920
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: aiding and abetting
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Unknown

  • Earliest record date: November 7, 1884
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Charles G. Runker for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 3, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: arson
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

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

  • Earliest record date: October 19, 1901
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Habeas Corpus in the Matter of James S. Moore

  • Earliest record date: February 2, 1857
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disturbing the peace
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

The People et al John Williams vs. Henry Grebe Sheriff

  • Earliest record date: June 25, 1870
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Harry L. Davis for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 29, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice | Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of application of Nick Fort for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 16, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of James Griffin, William Beck, and William O'Brien for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 7, 1895
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Teramoto Sadishige for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 1, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Exhibits withdrawn | deported | remained in custody
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