Archive Record
Metadata
Title of Record Series |
Quarter Session Dockets |
Year Range from |
1729 |
Year Range to |
1981 |
Collection/Office |
Clerk of Courts |
Catalog Number |
CC-33 |
Description |
Record of all proceedings in the Quarter Sessions criminal courts. Docket books show name of defendant, court term, case number, charge, costs, and disposition. Oyer & Terminer records also included for years 1797-1851. |
Finding Aids |
See Clerk's Office for index |
Admin/Biographical History |
The Clerk of Courts office in Lancaster County became a separate office in 1821. Prior to this time, one official represented this office as well as the prothonotary, register of wills, and recorder of deeds. The duties of the clerk of courts consist primarily of matters within criminal court but also of miscellaneous civil jurisdiction cases within the court of quarter sessions. The minutes of the proceedings of the court of quarter sessions have been filed in Lancaster County since 1858 and a quarter sessions docket index has been maintained since 1729. Records of criminal cases tried before the court of oyer and terminer have been maintained since 1852. |