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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 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

M. Fair vs. Territory of Washington

  • Earliest record date: August 13, 1862
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

J.M. Burks and William Moore vs. W. Tompkins

  • Earliest record date: October 3, 1864
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

W.M. Kirby vs. Territory of Washington

  • Earliest record date: August 16, 1862
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Not in custody

George W. Lunkin vs. Capt. W. S. Matthews

  • Earliest record date: July 29, 1862
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of John Morrissey for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 26, 1878
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny | Carceral: fugitive from justice
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the Application Lulu Huffman for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 19, 1915
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the case of Francois Lafontaisis application for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 14, 1874
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor to Indians
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

Abner S. Nancy v. Capt William M. Matthews

  • Earliest record date: August 14, 1862
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: underage military enlistment
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

William Smith vs. Territory of Washington

  • Earliest record date: August 12, 1862
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: grand larceny
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

City of Spokane v. Frankie Sutsinger

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

In the Matter of the application of William McCon for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 20, 1876
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: assault with intent to kill
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of the application of Sigmond Seaman for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 12, 1897
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: keeping and harboring a dog without a license
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of the application of Louis Dick for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 28, 1905
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody | Institutional: Indian agent/superintendent
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

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

In the matter of application of K. Gregory, et al. for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 20, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: immigration | Carceral: public charge
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Deported

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

In the application of Hans A Hulke for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 24, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: no charge
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Wah Lee for a Writ of Habeas Corpus on behalf of Lun Kim, Lun Yuk, and Lun Teu

  • Earliest record date: June 11, 1898
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • 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

In the Matter of the Application of Frank Williams, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: September 24, 1890
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: gambling
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the Matter of the Application of Patrick Martin for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 14, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the matter of Charles R. Redick for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 28, 1880
  • 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 Harry Meehan for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: February 7, 1919
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: carrying a concealed weapon
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

The United States of America upon the relation of John R. Howard v. James B. Nickerson, Acting United States Marshal for the District of Nebraska, and Edwin C. Boehler, United States Commissioner for the Omaha Division, District of Nebraska and Michael L. Clark, Sheriff of Douglas County, Nebraska

  • Earliest record date: May 7, 1921
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: fugitive from justice | Carceral: uttering and passing forged paper | Carceral: robbery and battery | Carceral: obtaining money under false pretenses
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Petition of Charles Houghton for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 11, 1903
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: larceny
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

Anson, a boy of color v. Henry G. Mitchel and Henry C. Russel

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

In the matter of the application of James King to be discharged from prison by Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: November 25, 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 James Dolezol for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: May 15, 1924
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor | Carceral: unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

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 application of Charles Flournoy for writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 9, 1923
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Not in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Frank Davies for Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: December 6, 1913
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • 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

Habeas Corpus in the matter of Ellen Ryan

  • Earliest record date: September 24, 1855
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

In the matter of the application of Franklin D. Smith for Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: July 1, 1874
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • 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

Application of Ex Rel Henry Hoffman vs. Michael Clark Sheriff of Douglas County and Sherman Clayton Jailer

  • Earliest record date: June 10, 1918
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the Matter of Julia alias Mary Ann on Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 24, 1836
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody | Interpersonal: wrongful enslavement
  • Petition outcome: Unknown
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In the matter of application of Harry Greenwald for writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: June 24, 1919
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • Fate of bound party: Released from custody

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

The State of Nebraska v. Yellow Sun et al

  • Earliest record date: June 12, 1871
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: murder
  • Petition outcome: Writ allowed
  • Fate of bound party: Released on bail

In the Matter of the application of Jessie Fiandt for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 3, 1896
  • Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Unknown

In re-application of A. B. Cabe for a writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: January 5, 1891
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: vagrancy
  • Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
  • 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 Joseph Heider for a writ of habeas corpus

  • Earliest record date: August 6, 1909
  • Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody

In the Matter of the Application of Louise Wright for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

  • Earliest record date: October 17, 1923
  • Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
  • Petition outcome: Writ denied
  • Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
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