"Court of Sessions of San Joaquin County (Calif.), Minutes, 1850-1855", 1850-1855

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Summary

Title:
Minutes of the Court of Sessions of San Joaquin County (Calif.)
Dates:
1850-1855
Creators:
San Joaquin County (Calif.).
Abstract:
This collection of two handwritten bound volumes holds the earliest records of government and judicial administration in San Joaquin County, spanning the years 1850-1855.
Containers:
Volume: 2
Oversize: Minute Book "B"
Volume: 1
Oversize: Minute Book "A"
Extent:
1.0 Linear feet 2 bound volumes
Language:
and Records written in English
Preferred citation:

[Volume title and year], Minutes of the Court of Sessions, San Joaquin County, California, GovRec7, San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum, Lodi, California

Background

Scope and content:

The Minutes to the Court of Sessions include two bound volumes of hand-written records, Minute Book “A” dated 1850-1852, and Minute Book “B” dated 1852-1855. Minute Book “A” contains an added index for both Minute Books “A” and “B.” Some notes by the Board of Supervisors appear in Minute Book “B” until 1862.

Biographical / historical:

San Joaquin County is one of twenty-seven original counties created by the California Legislature in February 1850. Under Chapter 86 of the California Statutes of 1850, a three-man Court of Record or “Court of Sessions” was created in each county, consisting of the County Judge and two justices of the peace who had been elected by their fellow justices from each of the county’s townships. The County Clerk served as ex officio clerk. The Court of Sessions performed judicial and legislative functions until 1855, when it was replaced with an elected County Board of Supervisors by an act of the California Legislature.

The first county elections were held April 1, 1850, and among the new government officials were a County Judge and Clerk. The County Judge was charged with dividing the county into townships within five days after he took office and ordering an election within thirty days in each township for two Justices of the Peace and one Constable (Chapter 85 of the California Statutes of 1850).

A three-man County Court of Record was created in each county with the passage of Chapter 86, “An act to organize the Court of Sessions.” This court consisted of the County Judge and two justices of the peace who had been elected by their fellow justices from the county’s townships. The County Clerk was designated the ex officio clerk to the Court of Sessions as well as keeper of its records, and the County Sheriff or his designated deputy attended the scheduled meetings of the Court of Sessions to maintain the peace.

The Court of Sessions ruled on the more violent crimes occurring in the county, as well as misdemeanors, and had the power to fine or imprison a convicted offender. Its administrative functions included property jurisdiction, taxation, management of public works, division of the county in townships and election precincts, and the task of constructing a county courthouse and jail.

The Court of Sessions performed these functions until 1855, when it was replaced by an act of the California Legislature with an elected three-man Board of Supervisors (Chapter XLVII [47], Statutes of the Sixth Session). The County Court continued to adjudicate civil and criminal cases arising out of the lower courts.

Physical / technical requirements:

2 volumes/1 linear foot

Physical location:
Erickson Vault
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Gail Erwin
Date Prepared:
2020 July 17
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2021-03-30T15:59-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research by appointment.

Terms of access:

No copyright or use restrictions.

Preferred citation:

[Volume title and year], Minutes of the Court of Sessions, San Joaquin County, California, GovRec7, San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum, Lodi, California

Location of this collection:
11793 North Micke Grove Road
Lodi, CA 95241, US
Contact:
(209) 331-2055
info@sanjoaquinhistory.org
Website