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Maryland Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Minorities
Native Races
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Public Records
Societies
Taxation
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
COURT RECORDS Major Maryland courts that have kept records of genealogical value include the following:
The Provincial Court County courts The Chancery Court The Court of Appeals District courts Circuit courts Additional types of court records are described in the “Probate Records” and “Naturalization and Citizenship” sections of this outline.
The Maryland State Archives has all the original records and indexes of the Provincial, General, and Chancery courts. The state archives also has many of the original records and indexes of the county, circuit, and district courts and the Court of Appeals, often into the twentieth century. Some of the Provincial Court records have been published in the Archives of Maryland (see the “Public Records” section of this outline). Those original county records on microfilm can be borrowed through interlibrary loan (see Papenfuse's inventory in the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline).
The Maryland State Archives also has a collection of miscellaneous court papers for the years 1729 to 1904. The collection contains naturalizations The Family History Library has microfilm copies of:
U.S. district court dockets and U.S. circuit court case files Many people were called to testify in court cases and to give a deposition. The following books contain abstracts of many of these depositions:
Peden, Henry C., Jr. Maryland Deponents 1634-1799. 2 vols. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1991. (FHL book 975.2 P28p and P28pa; computer numbers 645797 and 674001.) This series gives the name of the deponent, age when known, and source where the original record can be found.
Hooper, Debbie. Abstracts of Chancery Court Records of Maryland, 1669-1792. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1996. (FHL book 975.2 P28h; computer number 777183.)
The Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog lists more of these records under:
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1637-1805
(later General Court) was a statewide court that ruled on capital crimes, land disputes, and other civil matters.
1637-1851
were countywide courts that had jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. County courts were replaced by circuit courts.
1668-1851
was a statewide court with jurisdiction over equity cases, such as divorces, name changes, mortgage foreclosures, civil damage suits, and guardianships.
1776-pres.
is the highest court in the state with jurisdiction over criminal, civil, and probate appeals.
1800s-pres.
, known by several different titles prior to 1971, have jurisdiction over lesser criminal and civil cases. There are 12 judicial districts.
1851-pres.
have countywide jurisdiction over major civil and criminal cases and appellate jurisdiction over district courts. These courts replaced the county courts.
, county court cases, manumissions, mortgages, depositions, bonds, voting, and other records. The Archives also has an index to this collection produced by the Historical Records Survey.
, dockets, and minutes (which include some naturalization proceedings) from 1790 to 1911 are at the National Archives—Mid-Atlantic Region. The minutes have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library (FHL films 940136-42; computer number 58487).
MARYLAND - COURT RECORDSMARYLAND, [COUNTY] - COURT RECORDS
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Version of Data: 6/9/2001]