Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Spotsylvania County (Va.) Abatements and Dismissions, 1809-1870. Local government records collection, Spotsylvania County (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Fredericksburg under the accession number 23671.

Historical Information

Spotsylvania County was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722. It was formed from Essex, King William, and King and Queen Counties by a statute adopted in 1720 to take effect on 1 May 1721. The county seat is Spotsylvania.

Created by an act of 1720 to take effect on May 1, 1721. Many loose county court papers prior to 1839, when the courthouse moved from Fredericksburg to Spotsylvania Courthouse, are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist. The district court, superior court, and circuit court records of Spotsylvania County from 1813 to 1889 are in Fredericksburg.

Scope and Content

Spotsylvania County (Va.) Abatements and Dismissions, 1809-1870, consist of court suits heard in the Superior Court of Law, Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery, and Circuit Court that were disposed of without trial of the issues involved, predominantly debt. The suits were dismissed either voluntarily by the parties involved or involuntarily by the court.

Related Material

Spotsylvania County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Spotsylvania County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Database found at the Library of Virginia web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Fredericksburg (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Civil procedure -- Virginia -- Spotsylvania County.
• Debt -- Virginia -- Spotsylvania County.

Geographical Names:

• Spotsylvania County (Va.) -- History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Civil actions -- Virginia -- Spotsylvania County.
• Judicial records -- Virginia -- Spotsylvania County.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Spotsylvania County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Spotsylvania County (Va.) -- Circuit Court.
• Spotsylvania County (Va.) -- Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery.
• Spotsylvania County (Va.) -- Superior Court of Law.

Adjunct Descriptive Data