Description
The Yolo County, Justice Court, Putah Township, Records Collection spans the years 1852 to 1922. The bulk of the collection
is made up of court records dating from 1870 to 1874 and from 1893 to 1897. Records from the 1870s are contained in a Justice
Court docket book. Later records are Justice Court documents, mostly criminal complaints and warrants of arrest. Rich in information
about Davisville (later Davis), California, this collection provides a look at the types of crimes committed and the judicial
system operating in Yolo County, California during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Background
Yolo County's judicial history began in 1850 when the new California Legislature acted to create the State's first twenty-seven
counties. In June 1850 a court of sessions, composed of the Yolo County Judge and two justices of the peace, convened at the
original county seat of Fremont. This court divided Yolo County into townships. Each township was to have one elected justice
of the peace presiding over a justice's court, and at least one constable was to be appointed by the County Sheriff for duty
with each of the justice's courts. Boundaries of Yolo County's judicial townships were established in 1850, but they were
reorganized on several occasions.
Extent
3.10 linear feet
in 3 archives boxes and 1 wrapped volume.
Restrictions
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17 of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis 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 researcher.
Availability
Collection is open for research under regular Reading Room rules and copyright restrictions.