Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Sussex County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1916-1920, Local government records collection, Sussex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court papers from Sussex County.

Historical Information

Sussex County was named for the English county, and was formed from Surry County by a statute adopted in 1753. The county court first met on 30 May 1754. The county seat is Sussex.

First known as commissions, the Justice of the Peace office originated with the county quarterly court in 1623. Commanders of Plantations (1607-1629) were predecessors of the commissioners, who since 1662 have been called justices of the peace. They have traditionally had both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and have served other functions, including performing coroners' and lunacy inquisitions. Until 1869 justices served both as judges of the county court and as individual justices; since then they have had only the latter function.

Scope and Content

Sussex County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1916-1920, consist of a Judgment and Execution Book.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Sussex County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--Sussex County.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Sussex County.