Charlottesville Circuit Court records

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Restrictions:

The commitment records in this collection are closed to researchers for 125 years after their creation. There are no access restrictions on the rest of the materials.

Terms of access:

The Commonwealth of Virginia may own the intellectual property in some of these records, and there may be restrictions on their reuse and republication.

Summary

Extent:
91 Volumes and 5.41 Linear Feet
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of public records initially filed at the clerk's offices of the Charlottesville Corporation and Circuit Courts. They include, but are not limited to the following: corporate charter books, docket books, court memorandum books, liens books, alcohol inventories, commitment records, writs of execution, local election certifications, and property assessment books.

Researchers may find related records at the clerk's office for the Charlottesville Circuit Court. They may also access related records at the Library of Virginia, which manages original and microfilm copies of some documents originally filed with the Clerk of the Corporation Court.

Biographical / historical:

An Act of the Assembly of Albemarle County created Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1762. The Commonwealth of Virginia incorporated Charlottesville as a town in 1801, and then as a city in 1888.

Before 1888, the Albemarle County courts had jurisdiction over Charlottesville and managed the town's public records. With its incorporation as a city, Charlottesville gained the authority to establish its own courts and manage public records independent of the county.

In 1889, Charlottesville exercised its new authority by creating a "Corporation Court." The city granted it the powers of both a circuit court and a municipal court as defined by the state government. The Corporation Court had original jurisdiction over misdemeanor and felony cases involving city ordinances and state law. It also had the authority to hear civil cases.

In 1973, the Corporation Court of Charlottesville was dissolved as part of a statewide reorganization of the court system in Virginia. This reorganization led to the creation of the Charlottesville Circuit Court and the Charlottesville District Court, with the powers of the former Corporation Court being divided between these two new entities.

The Clerk's Office of the Corporation Court was responsible for preserving the court's records and other public records as mandated by law. When the Commonwealth of Virginia dissolved the Corporation Court, these responsibilities were transferred to the Clerk's Office of the Charlottesville Circuit Court.

Acquisition information:
On January 3, 2019, the clerk's office of the Charlottesville Circuit Court transferred the records in this collection to the University of Virginia Law Library.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard