Collection Guide
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Santa Barbara County Court records 1850-1908
AR.1949.001
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Table of contents
Description
The Santa Barbara County Court records contain over 2,300 court cases beginning with California statehood through the first
decade of the 20th century. The variety of court cases represented span legal proceedings from debt settlement to probate
to murder. The plaintiff and defendant names documented in these cases are a Who's Who of notable Santa Barbara Californios
and early American settlers.
Background
As mandated by the California Constitution, each of the 58 counties in California has a superior court. The original California
Constitution of 1849 and the California Judiciary Act of 1851 created multi-county district courts of general jurisdiction
which supervised county courts and justice of the peace courts of limited jurisdiction.
Extent
34 Linear Feet
– 2,329 files in 34 record storage boxes
Restrictions
Property rights reside with the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact
the Head Archivist of the Gledhill Library.
Availability
Collection is open for research.