The Earl Warren Papers are the first major collection of a California governor's administrative and personal papers to be deposited in the State Archives. Except for provisions covering specific classes of records--original laws, proclamations, pardons, commutations, and reprieves, extraditions, etc.--California has no legal provisions requiring the Governor to deposit his papers in the State Archives or elsewhere The lack of such provisions has meant every Governor from Peter H. Burnett to Ronald Reagan, with the exceptions of Warren and Goodwin J. Knight, has taken his papers with him upon leaving office. Of these only a half dozen major collections and a number of other smaller collections have survived or found their way into manuscript depositories.

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.