This collection contains records that provide details on the operations of the Petaluma Justice Court, including lists of jurors, offences etc. Collection includes the justice docket (i.e., criminal justice docket) for the Petaluma Justice Court in Sonoma County, California between 1895 and 1918 (titles of volumes in the justice docket vary); the criminal justice docket for the Petaluma Justice Court and its successor, the Petaluma Judicial District Court, in Sonoma County, California between 1918 and 1955 (the titles of volumes in the Criminal Justice Docket also vary); the civil docket for the Petaluma Justice Court and its successor, the Petaluma Judicial District Court, in Sonoma County, California, between 1898 and 1968.; and the register of arrests for the Petaluma Justice Court, in Sonoma County, California, between 1911 and 1927.

Prior to June 1998, California's trial courts consisted of Superior and Municipal courts, each with its own jurisdiction and with its number of judges fixed by the Legislature; prior to 1951, the Petaluma Justice Court was one of twelve such inferior courts in the County. The Justice Court (also known as the Petaluma Justice's Court; more formally designated as the State of California's Justice Court for Petaluma), had jurisdiction over the City of Petaluma and surrounding area of southern Sonoma County, California.

56 volumes

Collection does not circulate and may be photocopied or photographed by arrangement only.

Materials stored offsite, but collection is open to research. In many cases, further details on individual volumes can be found by calling staff at the Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library. To view these materials, please call staff at to request they be brought from the Archives to the Library