Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807. Local government records collection, Sussex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

Microfilm Reel 336 (Rule Docket Book, 1785-1786) was generated by a field operator, from the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Microfilm Section, while filming in the Sussex County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Rule Docket Book, 1785-1807, came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Sussex County.

Historical Information

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

The original court papers, from which these volumes were compiled, were created by the County Court.

Scope and Content

Sussex County (Va.) Rule Docket Books, 1785-1807, deal with court matters relating primarily to civil cases involving debt. Rules are defined as "orders or directions made by a court regulating court practices or the actions of parties; also, a session of court." A docket is defined as "a brief formal record of proceedings in a court of justice; an entry of all acts in the conduct of a case, from inception to conclusion." In addition to judgments, these volumes also include commonwealth causes (criminal), chancery causes and orders. Each entry lists the name of the parties involved in the case, what the case involves and how the case proceeds through the various court sessions or rules--resulting in a decision. Rule Docket Book, 1785-1786 is unpaged and is found only on Microfilm Reel 336. The initials of the lawyer assigned the case are found in the far left column of both volumes. An index (A-Z) is found at the rear of Rule Docket Book, 1785-1807. The index is arranged, for the most part, alphabetically by the surname of the plaintiff as it appears in the volume and numbers 21 leaves. By September 1785, in Rule Docket Book 1785-1807, the status of the sheriff's return is noted. One of the sheriff's chief duties was as a law enforcement officer of the court.

Related Material

Additional Sussex County Court Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Sussex County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Costs (Law)--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Criminal law--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Debt--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Equity--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Public records--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Sheriffs--Virginia--Sussex County.

Geographical Names:

• Sussex County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Chancery causes--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Decisions--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Dockets--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Judicial records--Virginia--Sussex County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Sussex County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Sussex County (Va.) County Court.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Rule Docket Book, 1785-1786, is found in the Sussex County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.