COURT RECORDS 1684-1966

Indictments, case files, docket books.

The Municipal Archives has the most comprehensive collection of records pertaining to the administration of criminal justice in the English-speaking world. There is a record, at least in summary form, of every felony prosecution in Manhattan from 1684 to 1966. For the period after 1790, there are indictment papers and case files for every felony arrest. Every misdemeanor and violation is recorded in docket books that date back to 1800.

The major series are New York County Court of General Sessions, Minutes of the Sessions, 1684-1920; indictment files, 1790-1938 (also identified as District Attorney indictment papers); Police Court/Magistrate's Court docket books, 1799-1930; papers filed in dismissed cases, 1807-1856; Court of Special Sessions, calendar of prisoners, 1829-1839. Kings County Criminal Court indictment records 1894-1965 (with gaps); Kings County Special Sessions (Bastardy proceedings) 1926-1936; Richmond County Special Sessions (Bastardy proceedings) 1899-1939. Civil court records include Kings County "Papers in Suits" (papers related to civil actions) 1847-1873. New York County Surrogate's Court, estate inventories 1780s-1830s and insolvent assignments (bankruptcy), 1800-1830.

COLLECTION STATUS:

Most court records are arranged chronologically. Each volume of the Minutes of the Court of General Sessions is self-indexed by name of defendant. The Municipal Archives created a database of General Sessions indictment files 1879-1893; it can be searched by name or crime. The New York County District Attorney Record of Cases, 1895-1966, is an alphabetical list of defendants that can be used to locate court records for that period (see District Attorney Records). The estate inventories are arranged alphabetically and there is a two-volume name index to the insolvent assignments. With major assistance from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Municipal Archives has microfilmed most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century criminal court records.