Nottoway County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1928 (bulk 1866-1925)

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
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Nottoway County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1928 (bulk 1866-1925). Local government records collection, Nottoway County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Nottoway County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Nottoway County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1928 (bulk 1866-1925). Local government records collection, Nottoway County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Nottoway County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1928 (bulk 1866-1925), are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, and indictments handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from assault and battery to larceny to murder.

Warrants were issued by grand juries, judges, and justices of the peace directing law enforcement officials to either arrest and imprison a person suspected of having committed a crime or to cause an individual to appear in court to answer accusations made against them. Peace warrants directing an offender to "keep the peace of the Commonwealth" or to restrain from any violent acts are commonly found in assault and battery cases.

Summonses were used to call a suspected person to appear in court. A summons could also be issued to direct witnesses or victims to come before the court in order to provide evidence or information deemed pertinent to a case.

An indictment is the official, written description of the crime that an accused individual is suspected of committing, which is approved by a grand jury and presented to a court in order to begin legal proceedings. Due to this process, indictments are often referred to as "presentments."

Barcode 1174629 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1875, Box 1.

Barcode 1174630 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1876-1884, Box 2.

Barcode 1174631 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1885-1893, Box 3.

Barcode 1174632 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1894-1900, Box 4.

Barcode 1174633 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1901-1914, Box 5.

Barcode 1174634 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1916-1925, Folder 1, Box 6.

Barcode 1174635 contains Commonwealth Causes, 1925 Folder 2 thourgh Folder 6, 1928, Box 7.

Biographical / historical:

Nottoway County was named for the Nadowa Indian tribe. The word nadowa, anglicized to nottoway, means snake, or enemy. It was formed from Amelia County in 1788.

Many records were destroyed or heavily mutilated in 1865 by Union troops during the Civil War. A few volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Nottoway County.
Physical location:
State Records Center-Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
6.35 cu. ft. (7 boxes)