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Charlottesville (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1889-1939, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

Materials in the Library of Virginia's collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Charlottesville (Va.) Deeds, 1888-1917 (bulk 1888-1916) consist of deeds of bargain and sale, deeds of gift, mortgages, deeds of trust, and deeds of emancipation, professional certificates, indentures, bills of sale, meeting minutes, insurance policies, powers of attorney and wills. On presentation to the court, deeds were proved and recorded. If the deed was not witnessed, the grantor acknowledged the deed in open court. A few of the deeds include plats.

Charlottesville (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1907-1908, consists of a standardized volume of naturalization records issued by the federal government, 1907, and loose naturalization records originally included within this volume, 1908.

Charlottesville (Va.) Wills, 1888-1925, record the deceased's plan for how his or her estate was to be divided among his or her heirs following his or her death. Information commonly recorded in wills include the name of the deceased, also referred as the testator; names of heirs; a listing of real and personal property (including slaves) and how it was to be divided among the heirs; names of individuals who were to be the will's executors; the date will was written; and the date will was recorded at the court house.