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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 the matter of the Application of James O'Donnell for writ Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 2, 1904
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: divorce | Carceral
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Application of Sam, Lock, and Jim for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 16, 1884
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: drug use | Carceral: opium use
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Frank Williams for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 31, 1894
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disturbing the peace
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Arthur Adolph William Borchert for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 30, 1910
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Habeas Corpus of George Parrish against Capt. Charles Tennant

  • Earliest record date: January 1, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice | Carceral: kidnapping
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Mike Goldman for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 29, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: no charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of application of Frank Sellers for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 31, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Habeas Corpus in the matter of Wm S. Watkins

  • Earliest record date: April 28, 1856
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: Failure to Pay Debt
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Dennis Griffin v. Julia Sullivan and John Sullivan in a petition for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 13, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | new custody arrangement reached

In the matter of the application of Anna Nocita for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 3, 1923
  • Petition type(s): Carceral
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed for want of prosecution
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Sarah McDonough for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 25, 1888
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: disorderly conduct
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

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

Michael, a boy of color vs. Henry G. Mitchel and Henry C. Russel

  • Earliest record date: May 23, 1832
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement | Interpersonal: kidnapping | Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Dollie Dean for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 10, 1919
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: vagrancy | Carceral: inmate of ill-governed house
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Lou Chapman for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 10, 1893
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: Exhibiting and Flourishing a Dangerous Weapon
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus by Elizabeth Bird

  • Earliest record date: January 10, 1867
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody | Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Territory of Nebraska v. James Appleby

  • Earliest record date: September 29, 1865
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In re Application of T. H. Busboom, for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 13, 1906
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of L. T. Savacool for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: April 18, 1884
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: forgery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Maria Whitten vs. Garland Rucker

  • Earliest record date: August 17, 1829
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the Petition of Ben Gabriel for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 31, 1904
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: being in possession of stolen goods
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas 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

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

Habeas Corpus in the matter of William M Parkinson

  • Earliest record date: April 28, 1852
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Not in custody

In the matter of the petition of Raleigh M. Falconer for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 5, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: violation of liquor law(s)
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Lelah Puc-Ka-Chee, and Ta-Ta-Pi-Cha, for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 25, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: Indian agent/superintendent
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of William A. Mixon for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 13, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: wanted for questioning | Carceral: suspicion of draft evasion
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the petition of Max Selicow

  • Earliest record date: February 23, 1916
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: municipal violation
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Thomas White, Lou Brown, and Maggie Anderson for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 24, 1878
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault with intent to commit rape
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

Habeas Corpus of Charles L. Swan against Austin Griffiths

  • Earliest record date: March 16, 1914
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of Application of Rose Dodson for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 19, 1891
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of Josephine Shelton formerly Josephine Matlock For a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 14, 1919
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody | new custody arrangement reached

In the Matter of the Application and Petition of Jesse Cain for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 17, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court | Carceral: failure to provide for spouse
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of the application of Earl Barringer for Writ H. C.

  • Earliest record date: January 23, 1911
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: seduction
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Charles H. Gaydou for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Charles Gaydou

  • Earliest record date: November 21, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: New custody arrangement reached | released from custody

In the matter of the application of Bert Lockerby for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 15, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: bastardy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of George Craig, Olie Williamson and Mabel Williamson

  • Earliest record date: February 7, 1917
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Fred L. Smith for writ of Habeas Corpus for Frank Fryson

  • Earliest record date: February 13, 1899
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application of George Hall, W. M. Thompson, and John Phillips for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 16, 1915
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Larry Doyle for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 23, 1924
  • Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: no charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of J.H. Foster for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 2, 1889
  • Petition type(s): Carceral | Carceral: gambling
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Oscar E. Olson for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 24, 1908
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in 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 Elihu Schooner

  • Earliest record date: July 2, 1858
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive slavery
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Joseph Bowers for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 2, 1887
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault and battery
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Minnie Bradley for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: March 7, 1901
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Ordered to be re-sentenced

In the matter of the application of Bertha Dogge for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 16, 1886
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Marie Miller

  • Earliest record date: January 7, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution | Carceral: immigration
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

In the matter of the application of Festino Ranurez for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 20, 1917
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of M. A. Walker for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 27, 1885
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody
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