Nelson County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1828-1937

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Nelson County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Nelson County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1828-1937, are comprised of Justices' Execution Books and Witness Certificates.

First known as commissions, this 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. Justices have traditionally had both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and have served other functions, including performing coroners' and lunacy inquistions. Until 1869 justices served both as judges of the county court and as individual justices; since then they have had only the latter function.

The Justices' (FI FA) Execution Books contain writs of executions commanding the sheriff to levy and take the amount of a judgment from the goods and chattels of the judgment debtor. The Latin phrase, fieri facias, means "cause it to be done."

Biographical / historical:

Nelson County was formed in 1807 from Amherst County. The county was named for Thomas Nelson, Jr., governor of Virginia from June to November 1781.

Acquisition information:
These volumes came to the Library of Virginia under a transfer of court records from Nelson County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
5 v.