Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

U.S. District Court Admiralty Judgments and Decrees, 1803-1845. Local Government Records Collection, Alexandria/Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These records were acquired in a transfer from the Arlington County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Historical Information

The U.S. Constitution gave admiralty and maritime jurisdiction to the federal courts. Those few cases of admiralty jurisdiction not taken into the federal court system were given to the newly created state district courts. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia met at the courthouse in Alexandria, then a part of the District of Columbia.

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. 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 Judgments and Decrees, 1803-1845, are records of admiralty and maritime actions that came under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia. The cases pertain to libel in admiralty, debt, the collection of duties, and other maritime issues. Court records are comprised of citations, exhibits, such as bills of lading and accounts, depositions, orders, and decrees.

Related Material

See also the U.S. District Court Admiralty Record Books, 1801-1846, Arlington County Reel 54.

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.
• Judicial records--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

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

Adjunct Descriptive Data