Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Use microfilm copy of the U.S. District Court Admiralty Court Record Books, 1801-1846, Arlington County   Reel 54.

Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

U.S. District Court Admiralty Record Books, 1801-1846. Local Government Records Collection, Alexandria/Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This microfilm was created 1981 Nov. 25 by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division.

Alternative Form Available

U.S. District Court Admiralty Record Books, 1801-1846, are also available in their original format.

Historical Information

Arlington County   was originally named Alexandria County  . It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County   that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County  . The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia met at the courthouse in Alexandria, then a part of the District of Columbia.By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county   to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's   name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee  ), which is located in the county  .

Scope and Content

U.S. District Court Admiralty Record Books, 1801-1846, contain three volumes of records of admiralty and maritime actions that came under the jurisidiction of the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia. The records are minutes, 1802-1827; a rule docket, 1807-1846, and records of admiralty and maritime actions, 1806-1830.

The court minutes, 1802-1807, document the swearing in of the judge and the appointment of court officers in and for the District Court of the United States in and for the District of Potomac, 1801-1802, and the District of Columbia, 1802-1827. The minutes for the District of Columbia also contain summary records of cases that came before the court. Most cases involved libel in admiralty and debt. Index.

The rule docket, 1807-1846, contains abstracts of appearances and abstracts of common law references to admiralty causes. The abstracts of appearances contain the surname of the plaintiff's attorney, the plaintiff, the surname of the defendant's attorney, the defendant, nature of the process (capias, citation, debt), and a chronological record of court actions taken on the cause. The abstracts of references contain the name of the plaintiff and defendant and a chronological record of actions taken on the cause.

The court records, 1806-1830, contain transcripts of admiralty and maritime trials. They include attorneys' arguments, testimony, pleas, depositions, and exhibits, such as bills of lading and accounts.

Related Material

See also the U.S. District Court Admiralty Judgments and Decrees, 1803-1845, barcodes 1145591, 1043595, and 1043596.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Arlington County   (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Abandonment (maritime law)--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Admiralty--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Courts--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Lawyers--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Libel and slander--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Maritime law--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Merchant ships--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Sailors--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Schooners--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Ship captains--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .

Geographical Names:

• Alexandria (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Arlington County   (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Washington (D.C)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Accounts--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Bills of lading--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Depositions--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Dockets--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Judicial records--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Minute books--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Testimonies--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Transcripts--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Alexandria County   (Va.) Circuit Court.
• U.S. District Court--Washington (D.C.)

Adjunct Descriptive Data