Guide to the David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers
SJSU Special Collections and Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2009
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers
Collection number: MSS-2008-05-09
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Processed by:
- Trista Raezer
- Date Completed:
- 2008
- Encoded by:
- Mary Ellen Petrich
© 2009 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers
Dates: 1968-1978
Collection number: MSS-2008-05-09
Creator:
Langum, David J., 1940-
Collection Size:
6 boxes
(6.75 linear feet)
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers, 1968-1978 document Langum's ten-year tenure in San José, California as a practicing
attorney and resident. The papers consist of complete legal files and a sampling of other legal cases. Langum is a lawyer,
legal historian, law professor and prolific writer. He is also the founder of the Langum Charitable Trust, which awards travel
grants to researchers and gives out annual awards for historical fiction and legal histories.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives 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 reader. Copyright restrictions
also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational
purposes.
Preferred Citation
David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers, MSS-2008-05-09, San José State University, Special Collections & Archives.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Processing History
Collection processed by Trista Raezer. Finding aid EAD encoded by Mary Ellen Petrich. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
Biographical History
David J. Langum, Sr. is a lawyer, legal historian, law professor and writer. Born in 1940 to John K. and Virginia Langum,
he attended Dartmouth College for a degree in history, and Stanford University for his law degree. He practiced law in San
José from 1968 to 1978 as a partner of Christenson, Hedemark, Langum & O'Keefe, and completed a master's degree in history
at San José State University in 1976. Langum continued his education at the University of Michigan for a LL.M. and S.J.D.
in legal history.
Langum founded the Langum Charitable Trust in 2001 in order to promote the writing of informative historical literature for
the general public. His trust proffers two awards each year to the best American historical fiction and best American law
history book. The trust also awards grants to researchers wishing to research the Langum Papers and the de Mattos Papers at
the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.
Over the years Langum has also served as the President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Alabama, President
of the Friends of the Birmingham Public Library, and professor at the Nevada School of Law, Detroit College of Law, Lincoln
University School of Law in San José, the San Francisco Law School and Samford University in Alabama.
Langum's main research and teaching interests include evidence, property, legal history, history of the American West, law
and morality in America, and 19th- and 20th-century American legal history. He has authored six books, over thirty-eight book
reviews, and many journal articles.
Scope and Content
The David J. Langum, Sr. Legal Papers, 1968-1978, document Langum's legal practice in San José, California. The papers consist
of complete legal files and a sampling of other legal cases, including depositions, interrogatories, and litigation. Types
of court cases represented in the papers are personal injury, domestic relations, business and real property, bankruptcy and
criminal cases. Langum is a lawyer, legal historian, law professor and prolific writer. He is also the founder of the Langum
Charitable Trust, which awards travel grants to researchers and gives out annual awards for historical fiction and legal histories.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into one series: Series I. Legal Papers, 1968-1978.
Subject Headings
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Langum, David J., Sr. -- Correspondence
Lawyers -- California -- San Jose
Legal documents -- California -- San Jose
Domestic relations -- California -- San Jose -- Cases
Real property -- California -- San Jose -- Cases
Bankruptcy -- California -- San Jose -- Cases
Series I:
Legal Papers
1968-1978
Physical Description: 6 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of legal records documenting personal injury, domestic relations, business and real property, bankruptcy
and criminal cases. Boxes 1-3 contain complete legal records. Boxes 4-6 contain a sampling of incomplete legal records, some
of which were removed by Langum in the interest of client confidentiality.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged according to the creator's original filing schema and by legal area.
Box 1
Complete Files: Business and Real Property, Transactions, Reorganizations, and Litigations
1968-1976
Folder 1
Taxsavers Associates--Insolvency Reorganization
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 2
Taxsavers--Other Assets
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 3
Taxsavers--Leases
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 4
Merger--Taxsavers Associates
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 5
Taxsavers
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 6
Bank of America, et al. vs. Haford, Albert W.
1974-1976
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 7
Brewer vs. Tappin
1968-1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 8
Jackson vs. Skypower
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 9
Experts and Subpoenas
1970-1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 10
Judgment and Collections
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 11
Jackson vs. Skypower--Correspondence
1969-1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 12
Impeachment and Miscellaneous
1969-1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 13
Pleadings
1969-1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 14
Evidence
1969-1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 15
Jackson vs. Skypower--Pleading
1969-1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 16
Testimony
1969
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 17
Argument--Research
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Complete Files: Nine Years of Representing a Weekly Newspaper--From Purchase, Legal Disputes, to Sale
1967-1976
Folder 18
Gene E. Malott Hillsborough Boutique
1967
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 19
Hillsborough Boutique--General Circulation Problem
1973-1975
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 20
Hillsborough Boutique--Raley Retirement
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 21
Hillsborough Boutique
1971-1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 22
Copyright Infringement--Hillsborough Boutique vs. San José Mercury News
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 23
Closing--Hillsborough Boutique
1969-1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 24
Hillsborough Boutique vs. Nancy Foster et al.
1969
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 25
Hillsborough Boutique vs. Foster--Evidence
1969
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 26
Hillsborough Boutique--Miscellaneous
1968
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 27
Sale of Business--Gene E. Malott
1976
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 28
Hillsborough Boutique
1967-1976
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 3
Complete Files: Personal Injury Cases
1968-1974
Folders 29-31
Spiciarcrich, Irene vs. Skagg's Payless Drugs
1969-1970
Physical Description: 3 folders
Folders 32-35
Dragoo, Rose and Sumuel vs. Brown
1973-1974
Physical Description: 4 folders
Folders 36-38
Roberts vs. P. I. Defense Francis, Rose Marie
1972-1974
Physical Description: 3 folders
Folder 39
Francis and Roberts vs. Currier
1968-1969
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 40
Nora Anne Roberts et al. vs. Leslie Karen Currier
1968-1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 4
Reduced Files: Bankruptcy Appeal, Criminal Matters
1967-1975
Folder 41
Office of Davis Enterprise
1967
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folders 42-47
Tibbits Publications
1967-1971
Physical Description: 6 folders
Folder 48
Bankruptcy Appeal from Adjudication--Important Correspondence and Orders
1970-1975
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 49
Bankruptcy--Appeal from Adjudication Briefs before 9th Circuit
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 50
Bankruptcy--Appeal from Adjudication Briefs before U.S. Superior Court
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folders 51-52
Criminal--Securities Violation/Fraud
1969
Physical Description: 2 folders
Folders 53-54
Criminal Appeal--Assault/Rape, Two Separate Cases
1967
Physical Description: 2 folders
Folder 55
Criminal Marijuana
1974
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 56
Quasi-Criminal DUI--Refused to Take Tests
1974
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 5
Reduced Files: Business and Real Property Litigation
1966-1976
Folder 57
Business Litigation--Negligent Repair
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 58
Union Grievance Arbitration
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 59
Interference with Contracted Relationship
1966
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 60
Eviction
1976
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 61
Business Litigation--Sale of Business, Commission Dispute
1976
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folders 62-63
Business Litigation--Sale of Floral Shop
1976
Physical Description: 2 folders
Folder 64
Real Property Litigation
1967
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 65
Business Litigation--Breach of Contract/Fraud
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folders 66-67
Injunction--Trade Secrets/Client Solicitation Customer List
1969
Physical Description: 2 folders
Folders 68-69
Action to Declare a 1936 Document a Forgery--Pleadings, Trial Brief, Judgment, Evidence
1970
Physical Description: 2 folders
Folders 70-72
Usury Defense Pleadings, Interrogatories, Settlement
1974
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 6
Reduced Files: Personal Injury and Domestic Relations
1964-1977
Folder 73
Personal Injury
1967
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 74
Civil Assault and Battery
1968
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 75
Personal Injury
1969
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 76
Personal Injury--School Assault/Negligent Supervision
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 77
Personal Injury
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 78
Personal Injury
1970
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 79
Personal Injury--Assault/Possible Damage Claim: Not Filed
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 80
Personal Injury
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 81
Personal Injury
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 82
Personal Injury
1971
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 83
Personal Injury
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 84
Personal Injury--Struck by Baseball
1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 85
Personal Injury--Falling off Horse
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 86
Personal Injury
1974
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 87
Personal Injury
1974
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 88
Paternity 1964, Events 1967
1964-1967
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 89
Dissolution of Marriage--Support Modification
1971-1972
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 90
Dissolution of Marriage--Post Dissolution Modification
1971-1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 91
Dissolution of Marriage--Property
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 92
Post Dissolution--Domestic Support Modification
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 93
Dissolution of Marriage
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 94
Dissolution of Marriage--Property Contest
1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 95
Post Dissolution--Modification of Domestic Support
1974
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 96
Post Dissolution--Property Not Divided in Decree
1975
Physical Description: 1 folder
Folder 97
Dissolution of Marriage
1977
Physical Description: 1 folder