Description
This collection contains reporters' transcripts and related papers for cases brought before the Third District Court of Appeal
between 1909 and 1922.
Background
The California Constitution originally made the Supreme Court the only appellate court for the whole state. As the state's
population skyrocketed during the 19th century, the Supreme Court was expanded from three to seven justices, and then the
Court began hearing the majority of appeals in three-justice panels. The Court became so overloaded that it frequently issued
summary dispositions in minor cases, meaning that it was merely saying "affirmed" or "reversed" without saying why.[7] The
state's second Constitution, enacted in 1879, halted that practice by expressly requiring the Court to issue every dispositive
decision in writing "with reasons stated." In 1889, the Legislature authorized the Supreme Court to appoint five commissioners
to help with its work.
Restrictions
Collection does not circulate and may be photocopied or photographed by arrangement only.
Availability
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