The collection contains records from the Sacramento Court of First Instance, the local judicial body of pre-statehood California after U.S. annexation. Records date from 1848 to 1850 and include civil and criminal case files, court record and judgment books, Alcalde Court documents, and court correspondence and petitions, plus documents from the Natoma, Mormon Island, and Salmon Falls districts. Some records of note are case files relating to the Rising Sun Mining & Trading Company and the Eagle Theater bankruptcy trial, and 1848 to 1849 documents in Spanish related to Dry Creek (Arroyo Seco).

Courts of First Instance were the local judicial bodies of pre-statehood California after U.S. annexation. They were overseen by an alcalde or judge and tried civil and criminal cases until the court was superseded by the District, County, and Sessions Courts established by state legislature on March 30, 1850.

1.63 linear feet (3 boxes)

All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Collection is open for research use.