Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Essex County (Va.) Court Records, 1765-1888. Local government records collection, Essex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Essex County.

Historical Information

Essex County was formed from old Rappahannock County in 1692. The county was probably named for the English county or perhaps for Algernon Capell, second earl of Essex.

These volumes were originally created by the County, Superior Court of Law, Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery and Circuit Courts.

Scope and Content

Essex County (Va.) Court Records are comprised of the following: Unprocessed Executions, 1765-1846; a Chancery Rule Docket, 1831-1888 and a Chancery Docket, Vol. 2, 1848-1862.

A chancery docket is a brief formal record of proceedings in a court of judicial equity; an entry of all acts in the conduct of a case, from inception to conclusion. A chancery rule docket deals with the orders or directions made by a chancery court regulating court practices or the actions of parties; also deals with those sessions of court. An execution is a court order directing a sheriff or other officer to enforce a judgment, usually seizing and selling the judgment debtor's property.

Related Material

Additional Essex County Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Essex County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--Essex County.

Geographical Names:

• Essex County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

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

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

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

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Essex County (Va.) County Court.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Essex County (Va.) Superior Court of Law.

Adjunct Descriptive Data